How is representation created in texts?

Let’s begin by exploring representation The word ‘represent’ is made up of the prefix ‘re’ and the base word ‘present’. So we could look at the meaning of the word as being to ‘re-present’ i.e. present an object, idea, person, race, gender, social group in another way or in numerous ways.

Teenagers presented as drunken louts While his parents were away, Corey Worthington advertised a house party at his parent’s house using Myspace and text messages. 500 drunken teenagers turned up and wrecked the house leaving Corey’s parents with $20 000 repair bill. Corey’s response was, "I can't remember. I was just off my head. Can't remember,"

Checking for understanding and questioning representation If this image and information was all you had to base your assumptions on, what would you think about teenagers? Is this representation true of all teenagers? As a teenager do you accept this representation of teenagers?

Teenagers re-presented as courageous, responsible and brave In 2010 Jessica Watson became the youngest person to ever sail around the world, solo and unassisted. She was only sixteen years old.

Checking for understanding and questioning representation If this image and information was all you had to base your assumptions on, what would you think about teenagers? Out of the two representations, which one are you more comfortable with accepting?

Context I’m guessing most of you would rather accept the image of Jessica Watson as being representative of all teenagers, rather than Corey Worthington. Your response highlights how the audience (or reader) will accept or reject (challenge) representations, based on their personal context (context meaning the audience’s personal experiences, history, culture etc)

But how do you identify representations in written texts?

There are clues. These clues are called ‘narrative conventions’ I am going to focus on how characters are represented and then extend the representation further. But before we get started: What are narrative conventions?

Read: The Test By Angela Gibbs

Let’s look at the character, Marian, using the narrative conventions as clues But first: How do you think Marian is being represented? How do you think the inspector is being represented?

What can the setting tell us? The setting can add to the way the character is represented. Consider: The type of place the location is Descriptions Where in the setting the character is located What role the character plays in that setting And also whether the character changes if he/she is in a new setting.

In The Test Marian is in a car on a driver’s test. The car Marian drives to the text is described as arriving to the text via a ‘side street’ and parks at ‘the rear’. The inspector’s cars are described as having, ‘official insignia on their doors.’ At the beginning of the story, Marian is seated in the driver’s seat. At the end of the story (after failing her test) Marian slides over to the right hand side of the car (in America, this is the passenger’s side.) The bulk of the action takes place during a test

What does this tell you? The differences between the two cars represents the inspectors as being important and powerful, because the official insignia indicates these people are seen as important according to the community. Meanwhile Marian arrives at the ‘rear’ via a ‘side street’ which puts her in the position of being inferior (less important) than the inspectors because she is physically arriving unseen not at the proper entrance. The change in Marian’s physical position in the car, indicates she is out of ‘The driver’s seat’. This is a hint to the idiom, ‘To be in the driver’s seat’ which means being in power. So Marian has lost power since the beginning of the story. A test usually implies someone is being tests or judged. In this text more than Marian’s driving skills are being tested. Her ability to remain calm while the inspector belittles her is also being tested. And her race (African American) is being tested and found lacking.

What can the dialogue tell us? When you refer to the use of dialogue you should consider the following: How have the words been spoken (check for descriptions of how they have spoken)? Does the character’s dialogue make reference to other events, people, ideas? What words does the character use? Are they colloquial? Formal? French? Etc Whom speaks to whom? And how do they speak to each other?

Dialogue in The Test Marian’s voice is described as being ‘unaccented’ Marian refers to Mrs Ericson as ‘Ma’am’ or ‘Mrs Ericson’. While Mrs Ericson refers to Marian by her Christian name, ‘Marian’. The Inspector calls Marian, ‘Mandy-Lou’ The inspector adopts a southern accent while he is talking to Marian using words such as ‘You’all’ and ‘sho’ and hints that Marian may have children which he calls, ‘piccaninnies’

What does this tell you? Marian’s ‘unaccented’ voice actually highlights that Marian would normally have an accent, but she has worked hard to eradicate it. Marian shows respect and defers to Mrs Ericson because she refers to her using formal pronouns. Yet Mrs Ericson calls Marian by her name. This indicates a power imbalance. Mrs Ericson is more important/has more power than Marian, which is confirmed later on when Marian reveals that Mrs Ericson is her employer. The Inspector is showing his prejudice when he uses a Southern accent because he assumes because Marian is African-American she must come from the South. (The South was known for it’s cruel history of ‘black’ slavery.) A piccaninny is a derogatory term for a African-American baby

What do the descriptions tell us? When considering descriptions think about the following: How are the character’s physical appearances described? How are the character’s actions described? What written devices have been used in the descriptions? (simile, metaphor etc)

Descriptions in The Test Marian’s hands are described as, ‘dark and competent’ The inspector ‘feigned astonishment’ when he discovers that Marian is not from the South. Marian is asked to complete a difficult parking task and she ‘squeezed in between them without too much manoeuvring’. Marian cracks under the pressure and swears, ‘Damn you.’ The inspector failed Marian by making, ‘four very black crosses at random’.

What does this tell you about Marian and the Inspector? The description of Marian’s hands reveal she is dark skinned, but also that she is capable. The inspectors, ‘feigned astonishment’ reveals that he knows that Marian is not Southern, he is just pretending to assume that about her to make her feel inferior. Marian’s completion of the difficult parking manoeuvre reveals she is a good driver, which shows that the inspector’s decision to fail her is not because she is a bad driver, but because the inspector does not like her. We know the inspector chooses to fail her because he marks the crosses ‘at random’, so he has not based to fail on any real facts.

Symbolism We often think of symbolism in terms of visual texts, but there are symbolic objects, titles or references in written texts. These objects, titles or references can symbolise ideas or add to the representations of the characters.

Symbolism in The Test The title, The Test is symbolic. Marian is not just being tested on her driving skills she’s also being tested in other ways. The reference to ‘Swanee River’ is symbolic. (As mentioned in an earlier slide) Marian’s movement from the driver’s seat to the passenger’s side is symbolic The appearance of the inspectors as wearing uniforms in ‘military briskness’ is symbolising their power and authority.

Based on this information… The inspector represented as : Prejudiced Cruel Racist Powerful Authoritative Marian is represented as: Intimidated Powerless Submissive But also rebellious Educated

Representations of Ethnicity We can extend our understandings of how each character was represented by also looking at representations of ethnicity. Marian represents the African American culture and the Inspector and Mrs Ericson represent Caucasian (white) culture.

Now consider: How have African American people (as a culture) been represented in this text?

Representations of African Americans In this story, Marian represents African Americans. So this ethnic group have been represented as: Oppressed (under the control of ‘white’ ethnic groups) Powerless Submissive in the face of authority But also: Educated (Marian has a degree) Capable Rebellious (Marian swears indirectly at the Inspector saying, ‘Damn you’.)

How have ‘white’ (Caucasian) people, as a culture, been represented in this text? Hint: there are two different representations!

Representations of Caucasian Culture The Inspector Mrs Ericson More dominant that the inferior African American culture In power culturally and governmentally (the white Inspector is representative of the government powers) Prejudiced Superior (she is known as Mrs Ericson and not by her Christian name) to Marian Yet sympathetic to the plight of African Americans