QUESTION: Liesbet Van-Zoonen argues that media language encodes how male and female characters act in media products. Explore how representations position the audience in Les Revenants.
(15 marks - related only to the scene we analysed which was 34-38 minutes in episode one)
Plan:
DAC introduction
MEDIA LANGUAGE - Mise-en-scene of costume, editing, symbolic coding of colours
Representation is where a group, place, or thing is shown again to an audience in a specific way, to present a certain ideological perspective. In Les Revenants, gender is represented in a conventional way, primarily through the use of mise-en-scene, editing and symbolic coding. These media language techniques are used to reinforce existing gender stereotypes, by constructing the male and female character's differently, to highlight particular characteristics.
The mise-en-scene of costume creates a binary opposition between the male and female characters, allowing the producers to construct each gender in a specific way. The only male character during this scene is Simon, and he is represented as being important and controlling through the use of the mise-en-scene of costume. He wears a suit, which has connotations of being financially successful, and therefore having a more controlling role within society, reinforcing the idea of patriarchal hegemony - a societal feature theorist Bell Hooks believes must be abolished to restore feminism. In opposition, Adele wears a revealing lace dress, with a low v-neck and sheer sleeves. This costume is white, which acts as symbolic coding for purity, suggesting that dressing this way is completely acceptable and innocent due to her gender, as women stereotypically wear dresses. The meaning of the white colour could also be polysemic, as it is conventional of a wedding dress, therefore representing women as being obsessed with marriage, and this being their only purpose. This represents women as weak, in comparison to men who are represented as controlling and powerful. This ties into Van-Zoonens throes that media language encodes how male and female characters act in media products, as Simon's actor employs harsh movements to convey aggression, whereas Adele's actress cries to show weakness. This representation could uncomfortably position a feminist, female audience, who identify with theorists such as Bell Hooks, as the representation of women appeals to a dominantly patriarchal society, opposed to an equal one. This could also strengthen previous insecurities that women may have in themselves, that they will never be as successful or strong as a man. This representation powerfully positions a male audience, making them feel even stronger than before.
Beyond gender, the cast within the first episode Les Revenants are all white, meaning audiences who are an ethnic minority may not identify with the characters, which therefore positions them as being unimportant, as they are not included in the story. The main assortment of characters, who I would argue are Camile and Lena due to the strong focalisation on them during the editing of the opening scenes, are represented as being middle class through the mise-en-scene of setting. Their home is large and modern, with the kitchen incorporating minimalist features, which was fashionable during 2013 when Les Revenants was released, implying their family can afford to keep up with trends. A working-class target audience may not be able to identify with these character's financially, which again positions them as lacking importance, as they are not represented as being one of the main characters.
Gender is represented in a stereotypical way, through symbolic coding and the mise-en-scene of setting. Adele's home is stereotypically feminine, with pink roses on display. The roses act as symbolic coding for love, reinforcing the idea that women should be obsessed with marriage and love, which is emphasised through the colour 'pink' which makes a direct link to the female gender. The inclusion of a mirror in this setting suggests women should be concerned with their appearance, which is highlighted through the editing, which ensures the camera-shot is long, representing the time a woman should take to look at herself. The preferred reading could be, that women should obsess over their appearance, yet a negotiated reading by an empowered, female audience could be that women should be confident in their appearance, hence why the camera-shot is so long.
Overall representations position a female audience as weak, making them feel insignificant to their male counterparts through the reinforcement of gender stereotypes through media language. Women are constructed differently to men, as shown through the binary opposition of costume and acting. The male audience are consistently empowered, represented as being financially successful, controlling and strong. The working-class and those who are an ethnic minority, are significantly underrepresented, perhaps positioning them as being less important.
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