Gentlewoman Language and Representation blog tasks

 

The Gentlewoman: Language and Representation blog tasks

Close-textual analysis

Work through the following tasks to complete your close-textual analysis of the Gentlewoman CSP pages:

Gentlewoman front cover 

1) What do the typefaces used on the front cover suggest to an audience?

Its modern and unconventional

2) How does the cover subvert conventional magazine cover design?

there are no cover lines and its a big close up image.

3) Write an analysis of the central image.

The low angle os scarlett gives her power and dominance. Its unconventional and artistic

4) What representations of gender and celebrity can be found on this front cover?

Gender: Powerful, dominant

Celebrity: Powerful, influential

5) What gender and representation theories can we apply to this cover of the Gentlewoman? 

Mulvey theory of male gaze is subverted as she isnt there to please men.

Feature: Modern Punches

1) How does the feature on Ramla Ali use narrative to engage the audience? Apply narrative theories here.

Ramla talks about her recent boxing fight and how she prepared along with her journey into boxing 

. action codes like her talking about her matches are used and the questions being asked are enigma codes

2) What representations can you find in this feature - both interview and image?

representations of women

 she describes herself as a "tomboy" and how she'd pick "trainers over make-up any day", 

she also has her hair down in the image(feminine), 

wearing a tracksuit - subverting traditional femininity

, 3rd wave feminism(women competing in male dominated sports)

3) What representation theories can we apply to the Modern Punches feature? 


Feature: Isabella Tree interview

1) Why is this feature unconventional for a women's lifestyle and fashion magazine? Comment on the use media language in these pages. 

2) How does the Isabella Tree feature reflect the social and cultural contexts of contemporary Britain? Think about AQA's discussion of lifestyle, environmental issues and ethical movements.

3) What representations of nature can be found in this feature?

She is a young black woman, representing both gender and ethnicity/race

 

Feature: Stella McCartney and vegan fashion

1) How does this feature reflect contemporary social and cultural contexts?

Theres a cultural shift towards ethical fashion, people desire vegan fashion as they become more conscious consumers.

2) Comment on the typography and page design in this feature.

Its a minimalist fonts with a modern layout where there’s large spaces between words and changes in font size.

3) What representations can be found in the image accompanying this feature? 

Representations

Read this Business of Fashion interview with The Gentlewoman editor Penny Martin. If you don't want to sign up to the website (free) then you can access the text of the article on Google Drive here (you'll need your Greenford Google login). Answer the following questions: 

1) What type of magazine did Penny Martin, Gert Jonkers and Jop van Bennekom want to create? 

2) What representations of modern women did they try to construct for the magazine?

3) What examples of cover stars reflect the diversity in the magazine's content? 

4) What is Penny Martin's view on feminism and whether the magazine is feminist?

5) Look at the end of the article. How does the Gentlewoman help readers construct or reflect their identity by engaging with events and spaces beyond the magazine?