Representation theories: blog task

The Help

'The Help' presents African Americans as slaves and illustrates the historical context in 1960s Mississippi. African females are the main group represented in this trailer as they are the ones who are being stereotyped. The other people represented are whites, they are seen as more powerful. This links with Dyers theory as it suggests that those in power, in this case white people, stereotype those with less power. In this case African females are portrayed as slaves/maids to the ruling class, which are white people. This is a dominate portrayal as it reinforces the stereotype that blacks are inferior to everyone else. This supports Medhurst's theory as the negative representation of the minority group is shown, which also links to Dyer's theory. However, you could argue that the stereotype is being challenged as African women are standing up to the prejudice. Also, there is another alternative portrayal of women as it challenges the stereotype that women shouldn't work and should stay at home to run the household as the female protagonist is a writer. 

In contrast, the white Americans portrayed in this trailer are seen as superior and dominate, which produces an accurate view of the historical context in 1960s Mississippi. This again links in with Dyers theory as those with power stereotype those with less power.This also supports Perkins theory as the white Americans were in power during the 1960s, which reveals the truth about the situation rather than the stereotype. The main white American, Emma Stone, challenges the stereotype of whites ruling ethnic minorities as she wants to help them get justice. However, the rest of the white American females reinforce the stereotype, particularly Bryce Dallas Howard, who wants to pass a bill that 'The Help' have their own separate bathroom, which then influences a negative perspective of white middle-class women in 1960s America to the audience. 

In addition, there is a dominate portrayal of women being the housewives or 'stay at home mums' and men being the breadwinners. The main protagonist, Emma Stone, challenges this as she becomes a journalist, writing for a local newspaper, and later on publishing a book. The other white women reinforce this stereotype as at the beginning they are all sitting round a table drinking tea and conversing. You could also argue that the African American maids are all females and not male as they are expected to be domesticated, which links with Medhurst and value judgements.