First major crit!

I'll admit up to this point I hadn't done as much as I think I should have done. While I had a vague plan for my essay and the sort of direction I wanted to take the question in, I'd not thought too much about the specific content or points I would make, and had only briefly skimmed a couple of books and articles online.

However! After this crit I found a bit more direction.

2 of the people in my group didn't show up so it was just me, Bronte and Pete for the feedback sesh. Bronte has the same question as me, and although she wants to take it in a different direction, her feedback was still helpful.

I hadn't really spent that much time on Study Task 3 - the essay plan - mainly because I didn't really have that much idea how I would focus my essay or which points I would elaborate on! I also haven't spent much time researching yet or properly reading books and articles to back up my points. I also hadn't picked my 3 images to analyse (because there are SO MANY misogynistic adverts to choose from). I thought this session would help me narrow down the many directions I could take my arguments in, if I could just get some feedback and discuss my ideas (and it has).

The main helpful points Pete and Bronte gave me:

• I should pick one main image and two others which relate to it to back up my analysis and points relating to that one.
• As I'd already looked at Berger's 'Ways of Seeing' for Study Task 2, we all decided that it should be one of my primary sources to back up my points and image analysis.
• I definitely need to start reading some books over the Christmas break - I've already made a few trips to the library to make note of some books I could get out, for example: The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf.
• Maybe look at the male POV as well, or how men are portrayed in advertising and not just women.

From looking at my visual journal and some of the adverts I'd collected as possible contenders, I decided on these three:

I've decided to use the Dolce and Gabbana one as my main image, as it's very well known, and definitely portrays the submissive female/dominant male roles that are seen in a lot of media. The other two definitely portray the women as sexual objects and I can also use Berger's theories in my essay to analyse these. Although none of these images appear immediately to suggest male roles, they do all assume and suggest that men should be dominant and possessive of women, which is damaging to boys and men who grow up to see these roles portrayed for them, not only because of they way they are shown they should treat women, but also that if they are anything other than traditionally masculine (i.e. if they cry), they aren't real men.

Hey! I'm already getting some analysis done!

Points that I may make:

• Even female products are marketed at men - women are marketed at men, women are products/objects
• Adverts sell your values to you - i.e. 'I'm like that, I'll buy that!'

Bronte's crit sheet of my essay plans:

I appreciated her insight, but one point I don't think I'll elaborate on is the exploration of motherhood as a role for women presented in advertising. While it is sexist, I think I can write 3000 words exclusively on the sexual portrayal of women as objects, and that may be going off on a tangent too much.

Notes I made whilst listening: