Written Analysis 4

Written Analysis 4

Taylor Alexandria Carroll

Popular Culture

Professor Garey

4/30/2016

Written Analysis 4

            Formulas. This theory ties our genres together in a never-ending spiral of similarities. The cartoon My Little Pony is not exempt from this rule. The character, story lines, and hero roles are quite similar to the tales of adventure, romance, and peril told throughout generations. These similarities are seen in My Little Pony in many of the episodes. Several episodes are able to be analyzed, and you are able to easily find the links between them. The heroes are generic once their defining personality features are removed. Heroes are incredible similar once you get down to their cores. You are also able to discover the link between the core values associated with all genres. Dissection of the episodes reveals they are all built around the same few values.

            The My Little Pony franchise is based around one core theme, and formula. This is the idea that friendship prevails, and good can always triumph over evil. Many of their episodes deal with problems that can only be solved through a heroic action, or the defeat of an ultimate evil. This formula is seen in many children's shows, and seems to be a common "road map" for storytellers to want to follow. This may be because they believe the formula works for younger audiences, or even those who want to find a more lighthearted story. However, many different genres have the hero as an unbeatable force after the formula's path has been fulfilled.

            This formula of having a clear line between the hero and villains is a common idea. However, this is what makes many genres unique. My Little Pony became popular through their devotion to the hero and villain genre. Fans enjoy the repetition, and  have grown to rely on the feel good genre.

References

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: University of   Wisconsin Press.

C., B. (2015, April 27). The History of My Little Pony. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from             https://www.shoutfactory.com/editorials/the-history-of-my-little-pony

Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (1998). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Truitt, B. (2012, November 26). 'My Little Pony' plants a hoof in pop culture. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/11/26/my-little-pony/1725375/

Journal Article Analysis

Journal Article Analysis

Taylor Alexandria Carroll

Popular Culture

Professor Garey

4/28/2016

Journal Article Analysis

            The expectation that everyone adhere to the same social image is a very real problem we face in the world today. In the article, "Signs Taken for Warnings: Body Modification and Visual Pleasure in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" the social stigma of body modification is discussed. Salander is the main character of the popular Millennium series, and the primary focus of this article. Salander is a highly intelligent computer hacker with a background of abuse. She becomes professionally and sexually involved with another main character. This propels Salander into the position of the desirable person in the male protagonist's eyes. Although this relationship seems to define Salander, it is actually her body that is the primary focus of the novel. The novels seem to describe Salander in a very vivid manner, describing her tattoos and piercings in such a manner as to seem almost erotic. The other characters featured in the novels do not receive the same manner of description, thus cementing the knowledge that they are trying to focus most of the attention onto Salander. The author goes on to explain the history of piercings, and the social stigma attached to them. They go on to explain the symbolic nature of tattoos and piercings describing the "ritual significance of the application to the skin". Salander's appearance also challenges the idea of gender identity.

            The main points of the article is the destruction of stereotypes, social stigmas, gender identities, and some elements of sexual abuse. The article suggests that the elements of sexual abuse could be a representation of the fragility of masculinity. During a scene in the trilogy Salander achieves her revenge against her enemy. Salander rapes her enemy, and through this frees herself. To further this revenge, Salander proceeds to tattoo the words "I AM A SADISTIC PIG, A PERVERT, AND A RAPIST" onto his body. Instead of taking her revenge by castrating him, she instead marks him, emasculating him for life. The stereotype of an abuser will constantly follow him through life, ruining his sexual and social prospects.

            I do agree with many of the author's main points. The messages the found in the trilogy are moving, and resonate deeply with me. The explanations are thorough on why these messages are relevant to today's society. This make's the author's points easier to understand, thus making the messages mean more. The current social stigma of body modification is the one point I found the most powerful as I have been the victim of this social stigma in my own life.

            This article is important because it describes the effects of social stigma's on humans, the objectification of women, gender identities, and rape culture. All of these topics are difficult to discuss in conversation as they are not considered to be a polite subject. Because of this, I believe the author has done a great justice in bringing these topics to light through the explanation of a popular book series. This article helped me to see that not all series are black, and white. Negative aspects in life can be the most rewarding to read about as they cannot normally be discussed so easily. I believe the Millennium series could help some victims of society, and restore their trust in the world.

References

MOLLEGAARD, K. (2016). Signs Taken for Warnings: Body Modification and Visual Pleasure in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Journal Of Popular Culture, 49(2), 347-366. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12406

Written Analysis 3

Written Analysis 3

Taylor Alexandria Carroll

Popular Culture

Professor Garey

4/24/2016

Written Analysis 3

            Currently, we are visiting the topic of heroes and the cult of the celebrity. My analysis topic is the show My Little Pony. My Little Pony has several themes that revolve around heroes and heroics. The show has also featured many different celebrities as special guests or reoccurring voice actors.

            My Little Pony features a group of six main characters that come together in situations to conquer evils, and save their society from collapse. Each of these characters is given a certain quality that you would find in a hero. They range from the quality of honesty, to loyalty, even kindness. These characters are unable to come together to defeat the evils without each other. A hero is described as someone who can “inspire us and lead the way for us to develop outside the limitations of our own skills and circumstances and become greater and more important individuals” (Browne, 2005, p 35). This is shown in My Little Pony through the character development, and even in the way the heroes teach lessons to the evils they face.

            As far as the cult of the celebrity, My Little Pony has brought major attention to many new and senior voice actors. These voice actors have been brought into a fandom that has exploded into a pop culture phenomenon. This has placed them in the spotlight for many fans. These fans range from adults to children. The voice actors have been asked to appear at celebrity events, conventions, and signings. Because of the popularity of these voice actors, and the My Little Pony fandom I believe the cult of the celebrity applies in this situation.

References

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: University of   Wisconsin Press.

Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (1998). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Truitt, B. (2012, November 26). 'My Little Pony' plants a hoof in pop culture. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/11/26/my-little-pony/1725375/

Written Analysis 2

Written Analysis 2

Taylor Alexandria Carroll

Popular Culture

Professor Garey

4/17/16

Written Analysis 2 - Rituals and Stereotypes

            The topic I've chosen to discuss for my written analysis is the My Little Pony fandom. This fandom has been the butt of many jokes based on stereotypes. These stereotypes range from the appearance of fans, how fans conduct themselves, and the gender of fans. As for rituals, many bronies attend conventions, and watch the My Little Pony show as soon as it is available. 

            A recent study was conducted on the demographic of the brony community to try and combat some of the stereotypes. One such stereotype is that brony fans are homosexual, and predominantly male. The study found that 84 percent of bronies described themselves as heterosexual. However, it also found that 86 percent of bronies were male. This doesn't mean that females do not exist in the fandom, they just exist in a smaller numbers.

            Another stereotype bronies have found themselves battling is the thought that many of them are of an older age. This was disproven by the study, and the average age of a brony was found to be 21 years old. They did find that the age ranges were quite broad though, with the youngest age being 14, to the oldest age being 57.

            Some of the brony rituals include watching the show immediately when new episodes are released, and attending My Little Pony conventions. These conventions are held all over the world, with a convention in Baltimore holding the highest attendance. The 2015 attendance for "BronyCon" was 10,011. This convention boasts many different attractions, and is held every year. This ritual draws bronies from all over the globe for art, voice actors, and the company of friends.

            Stereotypes and rituals are a driving force in the brony community. They hold the community together in ways that may be seen as negative, however, it brings bronies closer together. Fighting stereotypes, and bullies is what My Little Pony is all about. Although it may be hurtful, the brony community finds themselves closer because of it.

References

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: University of   Wisconsin Press.

Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (1998). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Study Results. (n.d.). Retrieved April 17, 2016, from http://www.bronystudy.com/id1.html

Truitt, B. (2012, November 26). 'My Little Pony' plants a hoof in pop culture. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/11/26/my-little-pony/1725375/

Written Analysis 1

Written Analysis 1

Taylor Alexandria Carroll

Popular Culture

Professor Garey

4/6/2016

Written Analysis 1

            The topic I chose for my written analysis is the My Little Pony franchise and fandom. The My Little Pony franchise was created in 1983. In 2010, the series was rebooted into a show called My Little Pony Friendship is Magic. This series spawned a large line of toys, movies, and even an entire fandom of adult fans. These fans are called bronies. This massive following has propelled My Little Pony into the realm of popular culture.

            My Little Pony relates to popular beliefs such as the importance of friendship, honor, and loyalty. However, it has also broken many popular stereotypes. It has challenged the belief that males cannot like a show that deals with multicolored ponies, love, diversity, and friendship.

            My Little Pony relates to myths with the fact that it deals with mythical creatures. The main characters range from unicorns to pegasi, and even dragons. The show has dealt with many other mythical creatures that have been the focus of legends for centuries. I believe this inclusion of myths is a mix between supernatural and secular. They clearly attempt to blend real life creatures and fantasy elements.

            In many episodes of My Little Pony, icons are featured as special guests or cameos. Some background characters featured that have been considered icons in the past are Weird Al Yankovic, and John de Lancie. Weird Al Yankovic was popular in the 1980s, and made parodies of popular songs from that era. He plays a parody of himself in My Little Pony, as a character named Cheese Sandwich. John de Lancie played the popular character Q on the show Star Trek. He currently plays a character named Discord on My Little Pony.

            In conclusion, My Little Pony has cemented itself into popular culture in a number of ways. The relation to popular beliefs, myths, and icons is very apparent. I believe My Little Pony will continue to be a part of popular culture, growing with the generations to come.

References

Browne, R. B. (2005). Profiles of popular culture: A reader. Madison, WI: University of   Wisconsin Press.

C., B. (2015, April 27). The History of My Little Pony. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from             https://www.shoutfactory.com/editorials/the-history-of-my-little-pony

Petracca, M., & Sorapure, M. (1998). Common culture: Reading and writing about American popular culture. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Truitt, B. (2012, November 26). 'My Little Pony' plants a hoof in pop culture. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2012/11/26/my-little-pony/1725375/

Icon Analysis

Icon Analysis

The three icons I chose were Marilyn Monroe, Bugs Bunny, and Batman. These icons have been a part of popular culture for many years. Bugs Bunny first appeared in a cartoon titled A Wild Hare in 1940. Batman appeared in a comic named Detective Comics #27 in 1939. Marilyn Monroe hit the movie scene in 1947 with a small part in a movie titled The Shocking Miss Pilgrim.

I chose these icons because of their renowned popularity. If you were to mention any of these names in conversation almost everyone you spoke to would know something about them. They shaped popular culture in such a way that even today their names are relevant. This is something that most popular culture cannot boast. Because of this, I believe they are relevant, and appropriate icons to analyze.

These icons mean a lot to me personally. I grew up watching Bugs Bunny, and reading Batman comics. Marilyn Monroe was an inspiration in my childhood. I admired her classic beauty, and her timeless personality. Even today I enjoy seeing pictures of her, and researching about her life. These icons are important to me, even though they were created far before my time. This fact just proves that these icons timeless, and their popularity will extend through many more generations to come.

Image credit:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/26/Classic_bugsbunny.png

http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/article_main_wide_image/public/2015/10/main.jpg?itok=MLAE6BF6

http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/epicrapbattlesofhistory/images/f/f2/Marilyn_Monroe_Based_On.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150823030728

Popular Culture: 101

What is popular culture, and what does it mean to you?

Popular culture is the term for items people find currently popular. Some examples of popular culture items are technology, entertainment, and news. Popular culture can be seen in every day society constantly. From your smartphone, to your favorite television show. Popular culture has been a part of my life since childhood. I can remember playing Pokemon as a young child, which was a staple of popular culture. Another example of a recent popular culture phenomenon is the Youtube hit "What Does the Fox Say?" This song hit Youtube in 2013, and currently has over 500,000,000 views. This is what popular culture means to me, the gathering of people to a common source of entertainment.


Why is an understanding of popular culture relevant to you in a business environment and in your present and future career?

An understanding of popular culture is very important to my current career as a librarian. Many kids visit our branch, and I am in charge of "developmental assets". This requires me to be knowledgeable on current popular culture so I am able to relate better to the kids. As for my future career as a computer programmer, popular culture is the reason I would even have a job. Technology is the driving force for the need for programmers.


What would you consider to be an example of a pop culture artifact? And why would you choose it?

The example I chose for my pop culture artifact is the television show My Little Pony. I chose this artifact because My Little Pony has been around for generations, slowly changing to fit the demographic need. My Little Pony has become even more popular in recent years, and has created its own adult fandom base. This fandom base refers to itself as bronies, and has spawned conventions, online discussions, and more.

Image from: http://cdn.sptndigital.com/sites/uk.tinypop/files/styles/image_700x394/public/ct_game_f_primary_image/mlp_puzzle.jpg?itok=wJVXqI_s