Homework piece 1

1. What does Post Modernism suggest about the value of high art (eg opera) and popular culture (eg TV)

the value of high art is rejected completely by post modernism, it suggests that no value of art is better than another. every type of media produce is of the same value.

2. What does Post Modernism suggest about the ideas of truth or reality - how is this linked the the Media?

that we live in a state of reality which we are lead by images and other representations that we feel we need to relate to by the media so we dont know what is the truth anymore of our reality.

3.Who were the 2 big thinkers and what concept do their theories share?

two big thinkers were: Jean-Francois Lyotard and Jean Baudrillard
the theory they shared: they thought that the truth needed to be taken apart so we can challenge the dominant ideas of what is the truth.

4.Give an example of 3 'Grand-narratives' or 'Meta-narratives' (2 will need you be your own not listed in the chapter)

1. a metanarrative (sometimes master- or grand narrative) is an abstract idea that is supposed to be a comprehensive explanation of historical experience or knowledge. According to John Stephens it "is a global or totalizing cultural narrative schema which orders and explains knowledge and experience".

2. Many Christians believe that human nature, since the fall (Genesis 3), is characteristically sinful, but has the possibility of redemption and experiencing eternal peace in heaven - thus representing a belief in a universal rule and a telos for humankind.
3. The Enlightenment theorists believed that rational thought, allied to scientific reasoning, would lead inevitably toward moral, social and ethical progress.
4.Categorical and definitive periodizations of history, such as the Fall of the Roman Empire, the Dark Ages and Renaissance are rejected by postmodernists.

5.What is significant about Disneyland and simulacrum?

Disneyland is a place that is real yet it shares a significance of simulacrum because it uses the thought of everything being perfect and there is nothing that can go wrong. which obviously conflicts because the real world is not perfect and there is such thing as violence and everything else that the world faces.

6.How is our understanding of the events of 9/11 hyper-real?

the event of 9/11 was real but we can only state it as hyper-real because we wasn't there when it happened we were shown by the media and films so there is no certainty of what is the truth.

7.What is significant about the Matrix as an example of Baudrillards ideas of simulation & hyper-reality?

The character Neo is seen reading Baudrillard's books simulation and simulacra which instantly creates the idea of hyper-reality and simulation because he know he is living in a simulation world specifically a "fake" world.

8.Why are Post-modern elements of The Mighty Boosh ?

it is impossible to situate The Mighty Boosh into one genre because of its use of parody, genre traits, intertextual references of other televsion programmes, etc. it has a wide range of conventions.

9.Why are Post-modern elements of Extras ?

the elements of extras are: intertextuality, parody, pastiche which makes it post modern

10.Why is Grand Theft Auto Post-modern?

Grand Theft Auto is Post-modern because it is a game where we humans can create ourselves as a character in a game that has no limits of what that person can do. it is a simulated version of reality where whatever you do e.g. steal cars, shoot people, etc is not against any law because it is a game.

11.Why is the Cadburys Gorilla ad Post-modern?

The Cadburys Gorilla ad is Post-modern because it is not so much selling the product, but a factor that has a direct connection to the pleasure of eating the product despite that todays society is trying to promote healthy eating. it is the enjoyment people get out of eating the product.

12.What does FLOW and IMMERSION mean?

Flow= is the state of someone participating in an activity where they face achievable challenges and give regular feedback
Immersion= the amount of imagination the gamer puts into a game and how they fully involved they are with the game or gaming world

homework piece 2 essay

I chose American Horror Story because it is a recently new series (2011) in which has many post modern references such as "The Shining" and "The Amityville Horror". the title also ironically reflects what the programme is about as the intertextual references are famous american horror story's however it has its own story to tell. We see a slow motion shot of a creepy yet attractive house which is similarly used in the film "Amytiville Horror" and a family of three starting a new life in the house which is a use of pastiche as the camera shots are the same. this programme instantly can be classed as hyper-real because its a life that cannot physically be lived as the house is filled with ghosts that can interact and touch the living. this trailer includes more then just intertextual references from films but also  famous film characters that are similar and also famous film quotes. throughout the quick shots we hear the word "you're going to die in here" which is an exact quote from poltergeist 2. the characters shown in the trailer, we see a young maid in which the quick shot transforms her from being young to old this references "The Shining" where the young woman seduces jack ad turns out to be an old woman similarly the male character in American Horror Story (ben) is seduced by this young maid who infact turns out to be an old lady. we also see two twins appear behind the woman which could also be identified from The Shining and we get a shot of a man with a burned face which can be referenced to the famous horror character in history, Freddy Krueger. .There is countless intertextual references that clearly state that this new programme/ this trailer is postmodern as there are clear distinctive texts and references that can be familiarized by a wide range audience.

Homework for half term- PostModernism piece 3

1. Post-modern= C. The semiotic landscape of a society dominated by consumer culture and information technology 

2. Post-modernity= E. A historical period in Western culture after the Second World in which society became dominated by information technology 

3. Parody= A. To copy something in a humourous and tongue in cheek way.- stylistic approach

  

4. Pastiche= H. To copy something without humour, irony or anything else that communicates difference 

5. Hyper-reality=K. The collapse of the distinction between the real and simulated. - can be argued style and a theme. a hyper real style and hyper real theme. 

6. Consumer culture= B.  A culture and society in which individual and collective identity is constructed in material acts of economic exchange e.g. shopping  

7. Simulacrum= D. A copy without an original- it is a theme not a style. 

  

8. Cultural capital= F. The knowledge and information that informs 

people’s cultural consumption in a post-modern society 

9. Signifier and the signified= G. The basic units of semiotic analysis. 

10. Multi-accentuality= L. The way in which meaning changes according to context and over-time. 

11. Ideology= J. A system of beliefs or ideas.

12. Hegemony= I. The dominant way of thinking about society and 

culture enforced by the ruling class. -