Purpose of this Assignment
All media messages, including films, are made or constructed by people. Whether intended or not, the
people who write, produce, or direct these movies advance points of view with hidden messages that can
only be revealed by deconstruction. Deconstruction is “taking apart” media messages to understand the
societal values, unconscious biases, or cultural assumptions and beliefs embedded in the message. To
the critical thinking mind, movies are not just entertainment. They mirror and influence culture in ways that
affect how we think about their message. To learn this important media literacy skill, this assignment will
focus on the importance of representation in film and media messages.
What to Review before Completing this Assignment
• Article: Washington, L. (2019, December 29). The importance of representation in film and media.
Medium. The Importance of Representation in Film and Media | by Lauren Washington | Medium
• Video: Washington, L. (2018, May 2). The importance of representation [Video]. YouTube.
• Text: Chapter 7: Movies; review Cultivation Analysis in chapter 2 Mass comuncations Ralph E. Hanson
• Movie: Watch one movie from approved list
What to Do
To do well in this assignment, you will need to review preparation materials thoroughly and integrate specific
ideas from the resources into your answers. Do not use additional outside resources. For clarity and good
organization, number your answers in the same sequence as the questions. Please do not repeat the
questions in your answers.
Respond to the following questions in 5-6 double-spaced pages:
1. Based on Washington’s article and video, why is it important that people in different identity groups are
visible and represented in film and the media? Discuss specific reasons (two from the video and two from
the article). Be specific with your answers and references. Take a look at the representation data in Table
1 (p. 12). What conclusions can you draw from the data and why? (1 page—8 points)
2. Minorities and other marginalized groups may be visible in the media but are often depicted in one-
dimensional, stereotypical, or negative ways. Based on the resources for this assignment, why is it
important to examine how people are portrayed in the media? Remember George Gerbner’s cultivation
analysis in chapter 2? Why is cultivation analysis connected to how people are portrayed in the media?
Why does Washington think movies like Black Panther are important for people of color? (1 page—8
points)
3. Answer the following questions on the movie you watched: (3 pages—25 points)
a. Why did you pick this movie? What is the movie about? Briefly summarize its setting, plot, and
central message. (1/2 page–5 points)
b. Deconstruct the movie by discussing three specific “hidden” messages, points of view, or
representation issues you observed. Examples of what to look for include cultural ethnocentrism,
unconscious bias, race, gender, sexual orientation stereotypes, positive or negative depictions of
race, ethnicity, religion, political views, and so on. Be very specific. For each point, as applicable,
discuss the message you uncovered, the value or point of view contained in the message, and the
interpretation that an affected audience may derive from it. Support your answers with specific
ideas from the materials. (2 pages–24 points)
c. Movies mirror culture and society. What ongoing or contemporary issue of representation in our
society does this movie bring to light? What insights did you gain from the movie about this issue?
Support your answers with specific ideas from the materials. (1/2 page–5 points)
