Stuart Hall - Tomb Raider & GTA Contribute Stereotypes
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Course
MS1 - Media Representations and Responses
Institution
WJEC
Video games: Tomb Raider and GTA
QUESTION: To what extent do video games contribute stereotypes in society? Use Hall’s media effects theory to explore the video games you have studied.
To what extent do video games contribute stereotypes in society? Use Hall’s media
effects theory to explore the video games you have studied. [30]
Introduction:
Video games very much reflect real life situations to appeal to the mass audience, and it is
therefore that many video games have utilized stereotypes to help construct characters and
characters of meaning. As a result, these characters can reinforce the already existing
stereotypes in our profound world. In this analysis, the concept of stereotypes will be
explored in the two video games ‘Grand Theft Auto’ (‘GTA’) and ‘Tomb Raider’ (‘TR’).
Point 1: Reflect
For many years, games were marketed almost exclusively to young men, and the
developers of 'TR' needed to appeal to that audience if they wanted to achieve commercial
success. As a result, her character was designed to reflect the stereotyped ideal female, with
a conventionally attractive face and an unrealistic hourglass body. Stuart Hall states that
‘producing meaning depends on the practice of interpretation, and interpretation is sustained
by us actively using the code’. This implies that the ideal characteristics of a female had
been maintained years prior to the first release of ‘TR’, and ‘TR’ simply reflected what they
believed would appeal to audiences. They may have not considered to contribute to
stereotypes in society. ‘GTA’, on the other hand, is a parody game developed to portray a
rather cynical and satirical view on modern life. Its purpose was to entertain players by
presenting exaggerated stereotypes and mocking social norms, which was sustained by
media users over time. Subsequently, this has led ‘GTA’ to represent women as either
vulnerable in dangerous situations or extremely sexualised objects and the male characters
as violent and aggressive. None of which was to be taken seriously.
Point 2: Contribute
However, there are still video game players and critics who strongly believe that just by
reflecting these stereotypes, these video games can contribute to the narrow – and harmful
– representations of people in the world. ‘TR’ may affirm this idea with Lara’s unrealistic
appearance with the report written in 1997, detailing how teenage girls were out seeking
breast implants to enlarge their chest size so that they could look like Lara. Hall propounds
the idea that ‘The image itself – whether moving or still and whether transmitted by a variety
of different media – seems to be, or to have become, the prevalent sign of late-modern
culture.’ He discusses how visual image has become a crucial way in which we understand
and interpret the world around us, and that they can be incredibly persuasive in terms of
influencing our attitudes and beliefs. This demonstrates how reflecting and representing
stereotypes can indeed contribute to society negatively. ‘GTA V’, similarly, also affirms this
idea. Their portrayal of males and females may actuate young people to develop the thinking
that men need to be tough and dominating, and that women should aim to be submissive to
men. This not only can force men to hold themselves to a toxic standard of masculinity but
can also endanger women in the process.
Point 3: Reshape
Nonetheless, as times change and audiences recognise the harm of sustaining dangerous
codes, stereotypes can be reshaped. Media producers can and have shown to be
implementing more positive representations in their media products. Hall also states that
‘codes fix the relationships between concepts and signs. They stabilize the meaning within
different language and cultures. They tell us which language to use to convey which idea.’
And, with new and changing codes, media producers can promote greater equality and
representation for all which can be preserved for the better of the future. For instance, ‘TR’
has reshaped the meaning and representation of female characters in video games and
females in society. Lara Croft’s character has evolved over time, becoming a symbol for
female empowerment and breaking the boundaries which women were confined to. She
exhibits to audiences that females are just as mentally and physically capable as males.
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