Week 9: Cinema and television: Cultural literacy and the question of “What’s it for?”

Name your favourite television and film. Explain how the film could shape a person's identity.

A very famous quote was coined by Marshall McLuhan and that was "The medium is the message". According to Griffins (2012), we are used to thinking that the message is separated from the medium itself but in reality, "the medium delivers the message". Harry Potter is a book and Harry Potter is a movie. However.. More often than not, we always complained how "the movie was not exactly like how it is supposed to be in the book". This proves the statement that the medium IS the message. Message delivered through different mediums are capable of influencing the way the message is being portrayed.

Today, I am going to focus on television and film. I have been surrounded by the media since I was a young girl, and I believe every one was too. Anytime a child cries, all you have to do is switch Barney on, or what ever kids love to watch nowadays.. turn the volume on on a maximum level and the next thing you know, they'd stop crying and their attention would divert towards the television. As a kid, television and films have had led me to become imaginative. I would use an example of a television show that I currently enjoy watching.

I enjoy watching Adventure Time with Finn and Jake with my siblings. It is a time when I get to sit together in the living room with them and laugh my heart out to anything amusing. As the name has already suggested, this television series is about two close friends who is always on a mission for an adventure. In the land of "Ooo" these characters are often surrounded with lots of other interesting creatures -  cupcakes, cinnamon bun, rainbow unicorn, marshmallows, etc. This television series has shaped me to become quite an imaginative person. I have always had a thing with cute and adorable characters and Adventure Time could fulfill my imaginations as I am always drawn to silly humor, imaginative story lines and richly populated world. To me, watching this series is like taking a break from reality. A few of the characters in this series, in way, too portray who I am in real life. For example Princess Bubblegum, is kind and well-mannered, but some days I could be crazy and sarcastic just like Lumpy Space Princess. I would like to see myself that way. In Griffins (2012), Gerbner's research associates gave a clear definition of "cultivation":

"The concept of “cultivation” thus refers to the independent contribution television viewing makes to audience members’ conceptions of social reality. Television view-ing cultivates ways of seeing the world—those who spend more time “living” in the world of television are more likely to see the “real world” in terms of the images, values, portrayals and ideologies that emerge through the lens of television."

How I see myself (my identity) is how I can make myself similar to these characteristics in Adventure Time. My interest towards cute and adorable characters can be seen purely as a result "by what emotions are most prevalent and how they get expressed" (Solomon and Higgins, 2010). Let me further elaborate more by providing another example on one of my favourite film and how it could actually shape my identity.

Marley and Me (2008) is a comedy-drama that was based on a memoir by John Grogan about a couple who is trying to find out whether or not they are fit to have a family since Jenny (Jennifer Aniston) has been thinking of having a baby. A co-worker suggested that they adopt a dog to see if they could actually manage to raise a family (A dog is called a man's best friend for a reason). Unfortunately, taking care of the dog has been a challenge in the first place. However, the dog is a stepping stone for the family to have a better life. In a way, the family is taking Marley for granted until they realize the bond that they have towards the dog. Marley is then euthanized as he cannot be saved through surgery. 

So how does this film has shaped my identity? Anyone who knows me best would know how passionate I am about animals (except for creepy crawlies). To watch such film has touched me emotionally in a way that it makes me cherish the moments I have with my family and towards my house pets. To have a pet means to create a special bond between a human being and the animal itself. We get to feed them, talk, play and watch them grow. Solomon and Higgins (2010) has illustrated that ".. who we are depends on what we feel about things". 

In conclusion, these are the things that could help shape a person's identity. There are other factors such as a person's family background, experience and religion. However, the media could be a powerful tool in shaping one's identity. 

References:

Griffin, Em. (2012). A First Look At Communication Theory. 8th Ed. NY: McGraw-Hill

Solomon, R. C. & Higgins, K. M. (2010). The Big Question: A Short Introduction to Philosophy. 8th Ed. USA: Wadsworth