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Wanda TeaysSecond Thoughts, 4th

ed. McGraw-Hill Higher Ed.

© 2010. Wanda Teays. All Rights Reserved.

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Images & Popular CultureWe can apply critical thinking to the different areas of

popular culture.

We can look at the underlying meaning, patterns, stereotypes, and both implicit and explicit messages about how to live and think

Media literacy is about being sophisticated citizens, as well as consumers and learners

Look at what’s there—and left out, or minimized.

For example, TV and films present a world that is different from the one we live in-in terms of race, class, and gender.

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Context and ContentThe context includes the time and place the work was

created, audience response, the social and political setting, the target audience of any marketing, and the corporate backing. →

Knowing the targeted audience can change everything (think of movies like Twilight that drew in lots of young women or Transformers that was a big hit with teenage guys).

If we simply focus on the content and do what might be called a “textual analysis,” we may not be able to grasp the bigger picture of how it shapes or is descriptive of society.

Through popular culture, we gain insight into our society and the different factors that shape our lives.

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Analyzing Popular Culture:Key Navigational Tools (Pt. 1)

1 Have your antennae out!Pay close attention to arguments and examples.

2 Examine the reasoning: Interesting topic does not mean the reasoning is sound!

3 Look at the evidence:Agreement with the author’s thesis does not mean good evidence has been cited.

4 Watch for details! Make sure claims are backed up with relevant examples, clarification, statistics, or other forms of justification.

5 Watch for unwarranted assumptions, fallacies, and bias!You’ve got the tools to sniff out problems—so put them to work.

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Key Navigational Tools (Pt. 2) 6 Set out arguments in standard form.

A systematic approach keeps things organized.

7 Watch for omissions or “holes” in the reasoning.Don’t fill-in missing premises or make unwarranted assumptions—if it’s not there, be careful! 

8 Sort out facts, opinions, and ideas! Study what’s cited as back-up: Try to see how solid is the reasoning.

9 See if any inferences are drawn. Check to see if they are well founded.

10 Decide if arguments are inductive or deductive! Knowing the type of reasoning, you can assess the quality of the reasoning.

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Drawing Inferences From movie or music reviews, we sort through the

various claims—and draw inferences about the likely quality of the work and if we’d find it of interest.

We often find ourselves faced with arguments for one thesis or another.

For example, a reviewer says “thumbs up” or “4.5 stars” or the like. A good review sets out the reasons, offering evidence.

Set out the argumentstate the conclusion (e.g., the rating) and list the premises (reasons for the rating).

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Example of an Argument on Popular Culture

—Review of The Soloist by Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

P1 The picture is based on a true story, that of Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez, who one day came across a Skid Row denizen, Nathaniel Ayers, playing a violin with only two strings.

P2 Lopez learned that Ayers had attended Juilliard at one point, but his mental illness prevented him from functioning normally in the world.

P3 The first half of "The Soloist,” … really does appear to be about sweeping, life-changing redemption; the second, more clear-eyed half is about the hard work that happens after you feel you've been redeemed —-or after you've done the redeeming.

P4 "The Soloist" is less about a friendship between a journalist and a down-and-out, mentally ill musician than it is about the process of really seeing what -- or who -- is in front of you.

P5 The Soloist” [gets] at the isolation human beings feel when they've tried to do the right thing and realize that they can never really do enough.

P6 In the end, "The Soloist" is about how unknowable other people really are -- an idea that's terrifying until you step back and see the wonder of it.

C: The Soloist is a triumphant movie about failure.

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Tips for Assessing Arguments  Check Factual Claims.

Are the claims made actually true? Do not assume the speaker is necessarily correct.

Check Assumptions. Are they warranted or unwarranted? Unwarranted assumptions should be carefully scrutinized.

Check for Exaggeration. Any inflated or slanted claims? Any other interpretation possible?

Check for Omissions. Anything left out? Is there another perspective that could lead us to a different conclusion?

Check for Fallacious Reasoning. If a sample is used, is it sufficient in number and a representative sample? Is there a bandwagon appeal—or appeal to patriotism? Watch for any fallacies.

Check for Details. Any use of examples and illustrations to back up a point? These help make ideas more concrete.

Check the Strength of Reasoning. Is the conclusion is sufficiently supported by the evidence given? If not, what more is needed?

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LOOK AT THE CONTEXT:Context is to content as background is to

foreground.

Context provides us with the cultural roots, the audience and its receptivity, the socio-temporal framework and the economic and/or ideological thrust behind the work.

A contextual analysis, therefore, takes us outside the work so we can see the other factors at work in how a piece of popular culture makes its mark.

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Checklist for Examining Context (Pt. 1)1 Audience: Who is the audience? Does it have broad

appeal?

2 Sponsor(s): Private corporations? Public funding? Non-profits?

3 Marketing: How is the work marketed—and to whom?

4 Socio-temporal framework: When and where was the work produced (time/place)?

5 Social and Political Red Flags—What political/social issues are raised? 

6 Relative success: A hit? Moderately successful? A dud?

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Checklist for Examining Context (Pt. 2)

7 Show Me the Money: Are there economic interests at work? Any product placements?

8 Response and Reverberations: What is/was the audience response?

9 Ideological and Political Agendas: Any political agenda at work? Conservative? Liberal? Etc.

10 Frame of Reference: Whose perspective frames the work?

11 Missing pieces: Whose voices are in—and whose are out?

12 Symmetry/Asymmetry: How do the society and/or relationships presented line up next to those of the audience? Is the diversity represented?

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Assessing ContentWhen we examine content:

We undertake a textual analysis

Deconstructing the work to see how it is structured,

Seeing how its components work together

Interpreting the work, taking all the factors into consideration

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Checklist for Assessing Content—Pt. 11 Genre: What genre most fits the work? Drama? Comedies? Thrillers?

Horror? Documentaries? Animation? Rap? Hip-hop? Country? Folk? World music? Etc.

1 Originality: Is it a spin-off or a retread of an earlier work? Is it imitating or borrowing from another work? Is it unique or derivative?

1 Focus or plot: What is the work about? How could it be summarized in a few sentences?

1 Characterization: If there are characters, what is their significance? What role do the main characters play in the work as a whole?

1 Narrative: What is the impact, the power of the story, script, or lyrics? What stands out when looking at the level of the language, the story? What is memorable, e.g. movie lines or quotes?

1 Frame of Reference: What “voice” carries the work? From whose frame of reference or point of view is the work being presented? Does that perspective shift—or is it consistent?

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Checklist for Assessing Content Pt. 27 Levels of interpretation: What are different ways of “reading” or

interpreting the work? Does it have political or social aspects? Does it have an ethical message?

8 Lasting Value: Does the work stand out above the rest? Does it speak to the audience?

9 Total Impact: What is the verbal and/or visual message? Do they reinforce one another? Is music or sound effects a factor?

7 Prescriptive vs.Descriptive Aspects: Are there ways it reflects the society or its aspects? Can we see ourselves in the work? Does it mirror the world we live in—or offer an alternative, a parallel world different from our own?

8 Diversity: Is there a balance of different voices and diverse perspectives? Whose view is predominant?

7 Power and Influence: Where do we see power and influence manifested in the work? Who are the leaders, the bosses, those who take control? Who are the followers?

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Analyzing ReviewsReviewers have a tricky job:

They need to make their judgment clear to the reader, give a sense of the story line, and set out reasons for their rating.

This must be done succinctly and in a readable and engaging way.

Because the review presents the film critic’s assessment of the film, we need tools of analysis to see what the critic is saying and why.

NOTE: Find film reviews and film criticism through websites like www.imdb.com, filmlinc.com, metacritic.com, www.filmcriticism.com, www.lib.berkeley.edu/MRC, and allmovie.com).

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Extra Extra!!Key Elements of a Film ReviewA brief plot summary An evaluation or ratingKey evidence and assumptionsDetails laying out the argument—e.g., discussing the quality of the acting, the coherence of the story, and overall impact.Concluding remarks

So, in analyzing the review, examine it as an argument and evaluate it.