Media Interpretation of Harry Potter and Sexuality

Media interpretation of Harry Potter fantasy novels differs greatly from Joanne Rowling’s books. One of the most noticeable issues is sexuality. Those people, who have read these novels, know that this topic is not at the main focus, while the movie producers as well as actors clearly explore sexuality to appeal to the viewers. In part, it can be explained by their desire to attract a larger audience.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Media Interpretation of Harry Potter and Sexuality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are several examples that show how film-makers capitalize on sex and gender roles. First, one should mention that official trailer of the last sequel features Ginny Weasley (played by Bonnie Wright) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) kissing one another. More importantly Ginny is portrayed as a mature woman rather than as a teenage girl. This portrayal is supposed to create an ap peal to adolescents or adults, rather than children. It should be noted that this scene take only several seconds, but it eloquently shows that the creators of this film did not overlook people’s desire for intimacy and sex. This is one of the details catches the eye of the viewers, especially those ones, who are aged above fifteen. Another example of sexuality is portrayal of Hogwarts students. Joanne Rowling continuously mentions that her characters wear robes which conceal figure of a person. These clothes are gender-neutral, and they can be equally suitable for men and women. However, the directors of Harry Potter do not agree with Rowling’s perception of Hogwarts students. This argument is particularly important when we are speaking about female characters like Hermione or Ginny. The movie producers make them wear tight jeans, sweaters, low-necked dresses, and so forth. This change proves that desexualized novel was not suitable for the needs of mass media. This t rend emerged in the third sequel Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and continued in later films. Thus, it is possible to argue that this emphasis on sexuality is an attempt to attract adults’ attention to these movies. Certainly, this change may not be noticeable to children, but an experienced viewer can see this difference very clearly.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition to that, there are several sexual innuendos in these films; the most notorious one is the scene featuring Harry and Hermione kissing one another in nude. Certainly, it is very blurred and viewers can hardly see the actors but it is a clear reference to sexual desires of adult audience. It should be mentioned that many parents feel very concerned about this scene because it is not appropriate for a children film, and it was not present in the book (Wall, unpaged). This erot ic scene clearly violates those standards which are normally set for children movies. Again, one can hardly imagine Joanne Rowling including such a description in her novel. In the majority of cases, mass media always aim to serve popular demand, and this Harry Potter film was not an exception. It should be borne in mind that those people, who take interest in Joanne Rowling’s novels, are normally aged between seven and fifteen, while this film series, especially later sequels, are intended for a much wider audience. This is the main reason why sexuality plays more prominent part in them. The key issue is that this change is driven mostly by commercial rather than artistic considerations. There are some other sexual innuendos in this film serious. One of the examples is Bellatrix Lestrange played by Helena Bonham Carter. Some scholars and critics believe that this female character is full of desire for Voldemort (Rana, 86). Her portrayal in the film is even more sexual, and t o some extent, she symbolizes female submission to male. This meaning was not implied by Joanne Rowling in her books. Apart from that, it should be pointed out that in the fifth film of the series Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix, she urged Harry to use force against her. Again, if one tries to look for sexual innuendos, this scene can signify male domination over women. Thus, one can argue that media interpretation of Harry Potter books places much more stress on sexuality than the author does. This explicit sexuality is intended primarily to male rather than female adults who may take interest in this film. It has to be admitted that some of the sexual innuendos can be unintended but they would have been impossible if the film-makers had wanted to appeal only to children.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Media Interpretation of Harry Potter and Sexuality specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Certainly, one cannot expect screen adaptation of the novel cannot completely coincide with the text. However, the examples that we have discussed demonstrate that desexualized portrayal of characters was rejected by movie producers and mass media. One should take into account that Joanne Rowling conceived this book series as a Bildungsroman describing psychological and moral development of the characters. In contrast, film-makers decided to pay more attention to sexuality. Moreover, one should take into consideration that the actors playing the major characters have become mature and film-producers take advantage of this fact. Their sexuality is explored both inside and outside the movies. One may pay attention to the interviews given by Daniel Redcliff, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. These people no longer appear to be children or adolescents; more likely, they seem to be sexually mature people, who should not be associated only with fictional characters. A person, who is watching their pre -release interviews, does not think that the final movie of the sequel is intended for child audience. These interviews convey specific messages to the potential viewers and one of them is that Harry Potter and the Death Hallows will be of some interest to adults. If we speak about the actor’s reliance on the sexuality, we should mention their participation in various commercial projects. For instance, Emma Watson represented such fashion house as Burberry and, in fact, became the face of their new collection (Topping, unpaged). Moreover, she appeared on the cover of such magazines as Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan, and People. In each of these cases, sexuality was at the forefront. The same thing can be said about Daniel Radcliffe, who exploited his sexuality while performing in the play called Equus (Wiegand, unpaged). Those movie producers, designers, and advertisers, who make these actors exploit their sexuality, understand that these actors are familiar to a great number of p eople from all over the world, and that their overt hyper- sexuality can attract very large target audience, especially those people, whose age ranges between fifteen and twenty two. The thing is that during these years people pass through a period of pubescence and sexuality is a very important part of their lives.Advertising Looking for research paper on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More These cases suggest that eroticism can be used to engage the viewers. This is one of the possible explanations but it is not the only one. One should not assume that their performance outside Harry Potter is only driven by commercial interests. In this way, they try to prove to others and to themselves that they are able to play mature and rather complex roles. To some degree, Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson attempt to demonstrate that they can be successful actors outside Harry Potter film series. By exploiting their sexuality, they break stereotype that links them only on Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. This can be one of the motives which underlie their behavior. Overall, people focus their attention on the overt sexuality of these actors because they are accustomed to their idealized and slightly childish characters. Viewers are not used to their new roles and this might be one of the reasons why many people can be so concerned about their behavior. On the whole, these examp les indicate that media representation of Harry Potter books strongly relies on sexuality. As it has been identified in the previous sections there are several reasons for such an interpretation. First of all, film-makers want to make Harry Potter film series more attractive to adult audience. Secondly, overt sexuality can be accounted by the fact that majority of actors have grown much older, and they try to break out of child roles. The most important thing is that this film series is not fully suitable for child audience. By comparing and contrasting screen adaptation of the novels and the text itself one can see how mass media transforms popular perception of adolescence and sexuality. Works Cited Rana Marion. Creating magical worlds: otherness and othering in Harry Potter. NY: Peter Lang, 2009. Print. Topping. A. â€Å"Emma Watson is named Hollywood’s highest paid female actor†. The Guardian, 2010. Web. Wall Cleon. â€Å"’Potter’ scene is worrying s ome families†. Deseret News. 2010. Web. Wiegand Chris. â€Å"Radcliffe to star on Broadway†. The Guardian 2009. Web. Yates David. â€Å"The Official Trailer of Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part Two† Warner Bros. Pictures. Web. This research paper on Media Interpretation of Harry Potter and Sexuality was written and submitted by user Viviana Hess to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Conjugal Visits in Prison Sociology Essay

Conjugal Visits in Prison Sociology Essay Conjugal Visits in Prison Sociology Essay Example Conjugal Visits in Prison Sociology Essay Example Prisons and other correctional bodies perform essential social functions. It is not enough to prove the guilt of a criminal. He or she has to be punished and pass a long way of becoming a law-abiding and socialized citizen. Prisons should create all favorable physical and psychological conditions for this process. One of the factors facilitating imprisonment and decreasing the aggressive behavior of criminals is their spouses’ support. The way criminals can meet their husbands and wives is determined by the legislation of the U.S. states. There is a great discussion about whether the incarcerated should have a chance to enjoy spending some time with their partners. Such dates make their staying in prison more comfortable and thus contribute to quicker socialization afterwards. It is believed that conjugal visits in prison, in case of being properly administrated, greatly contribute to the improvement of the criminals’ psychological state and reduce the number of re-inca rcerations. Defining a â€Å"Conjugal Visit† Conjugal visits help prisoners preserve connection with their beloved partners. England (n.d.) states that those prisoners who have close family ties are more likely to reenter society and return to their normal lifestyle quicker. The role of prisoners’ communication with their wives or husbands and children has always been discussed by the psychologists. Their ideas gave birth to the notion of an â€Å"extended family visit† (England, n.d., para. 3), during which a criminal has a chance to see any of his family members. Later there appeared a narrowed version of these meetings, named a â€Å"conjugal visit†, defined as â€Å"private time that a prisoner may spend with a spouse or, in California, a registered domestic partner† (England, n.d., para 3). This visit usually means having an intimate contact with a spouse. Thus, the necessity and positive influence of the conjugal visits on prisoners was initially recognized by psychologists and prison wardens. The U.S. Sates Allowing and not Allowing Conjugal Visits In spite of a generally recognized positive influence of conjugal visits in prison, there are still some disparities as to whether they should be commonly allowed for all prisoners. â€Å"Currently only five states (Mississippi, New York, California, Washington and New Mexico) allow private conjugal visitations for inmates and their spouses† (Hensley, Rutland, Gray-Ray, 2002, p. 143). These states take part in extended family visitation programs that allow congeal visits. However, England (n.d.) writes that the number of states where private visits are allowed has recently grown, and nowadays Connecticut also officially recognizes inmates’ privilege of conjugal visits. Moreover, California is the only state that allows same sex domestic partner visits. It follows the example of such counties as Canada, Belgium, Mexico and Brazil, where homosexual private visits of home registered partners are allowed. The USA tries to control conjugal visits in prison by means of legis lation. The growing number of states allowing such visits officially proves that heir positive psychological impact on the inmates is recognized. Specific Regulations of Conjugal Visits As it was mentioned in the introductory part of this research paper, conjugal visits become an effective element of the correctional process provided that they are properly administered. A state allowing these visits for its prisoners should control them with the help of prisons’ administrations and the wardens. Conjugal visits may last from one to three hours in a separate accommodation, which is specially equipped by a shower cabin, towels, soap and other things a couple may need. The crime committed by the prisoner and his or her moral state should be examined before giving him or her a chance to meet a family member or have an intimate contact with the spouse: â€Å"the criteria include a careful review of the inmate’s record to establish his or her inclination toward violence† (Hensley et al., 2002, p.149). If an individual was imprisoned for committing a murder or rape, an extensive psychiatric expertise is needed to approve his or her participation in the program and the frequency of the visits allowed. There exist different intervals between conjugal visits allowed for prisoners with a different level of custody. Thus, the minimal custody allows a prisoner to have these dates every forty-five days, and the maximal punishment extends this period to eighty-five days (Hensley et al., 2002). On these conditions a prisoner will feel that he or she is allowed to see his or her beloved but can have only rare meetings because of a violent crime he or she had committed. Thus, this fact will become a correctional instrument and makes the criminal think more about the disadvantages of being socially dangerous. Apart from the mentioned psychological analysis, there is a rule of having a physical medical examination in order to monitor how the discussed private visits influence the state of health of both partners. Prisoners are also required to make a urinalysis straight after the conjugal visit to determine whether some drug or substance use took place (Hensley et al., 2002). If the results are positive, then the conjugal visits of such an inmate may be denied. England (n.d.) mentions that visitors should also observe certain rules. Their background is checked before letting them visit their relative in prison. They should wear appropriate clothing and not interfere with a physical search for weapons and drug substances. If a child wants to visit his or her parent, then they should meet in the territory of the facility that children are allowed to enter. Some prisons even determine which food products and presents their inmates can get. Cell phones and electronic devices are not allowed (E ngland, n.d.). All these measures are taken for the sake of the participants’ security. Therefore, the regulation of conjugal visits in the USA is not limited to the legislation of the states allowing or prohibiting them, but is also restricted by the mentioned rules. Conjugal Visits Solving Prison Sex Issues Each prisoner should be considered by the administrators and wardens of the prison as individuality, first of all, and then, judging by the severity of a committed crime it is possible to determine the value of each incarcerated person. Thus, all prisoners are common people with their normal primary physical necessities, which include food and sex. However, the problem of prison sex is complicated, and it is discussed by psychologists in the context of why prisoners use sex not as their primary necessity but for other purposes: â€Å"In prison, sex is valued because it is highly desired and forbidden. Therefore, prisoners use sex as a commodity to gain access to items they would not have access to otherwise† (Smith, 2006, p. 17). These items many include cigarettes or candies. Thus, due to prisoners’ low moral values sex loses its meaning of being intimate contact with a beloved person. The forms of sexual abuse most commonly practiced in prison include raping and homos exual contacts (Smith, 2006). Private conjugal visits can definitely reduce the first named form and return the meaning of family sex based on love and unity. Moreover, the statistical data in Mississippi, where the extended family visitation program is applied, demonstrates that â€Å"59 per cent of the nonparticipants of the program felt that conjugal visits did reduce homosexual behavior. Seventy-four per cent of participants in the program felt that conjugal visits did reduce homosexual behavior in prison† (Hensley et al., 2002, p. 153). Therefore, conjugal visits assist in solving both individual sexual problems of prisoners and general issues related to prison sex in the USA. A separate aspect of the discussed problem is the education of the prison staff members and administration in the respect to conjugal visits. The necessity of wardens and senior officers being educated in this aspect is confirmed by the polls performed among workers. More than a half of the prison administrators did not believe that the discussed visits of criminals’ spouses could decrease homosexual relationships and sexual violence in prisons. â€Å"In contrast, many inmates – particularly those participating in the program – feel that it [a conjugal visit] does increase a family stability and reduce homosexual behavior and violence† (Hensley et al., 2002, p. 149). The answers of inmates are predictable, but prison wardens should study the effect of conjugal visits more to comprehend their positive influence on prisoners. Therefore, conjugal dates in prison can promote mutual respect between inmates and wardens as these visits are an element of a favorab le psychological atmosphere that should be created. Drawbacks of Conjugal Visits Though this paper explicitly advocates for conjugal visits in prison, it has also discovered some negative sides of the issue in order to understand the concept better. Hensley et al. (2002) have enumerated the most common arguments of the opponents of conjugal visits. Primarily, these dates can generate negative attitudes of those prisoners who are not allowed to see their spouses to the participants of the program. Secondly, prisons that allow conjugal visits may have more problems with drugs and contraband. One more reason that may hinder the approval of conjugal visits in some states is negative public attitude to the issue. Some scholars are convinced that the USA citizens will never accept conjugal visits as a common practice (Hensley et al., 2002). The most essential problem related to conjugal visitation programs is the spread of HIV/AIDS. This issue may provoke additional lawsuits for correctional bodies (Hensley et al., 2002). One more argument, mentioned by Hensley et al. (2002), is the insufficient statistical data that is not capable of confirming the positive influence of the conjugal visitation program in numbers. In addition, conjugal visits may arise some serious issues. At the same time Hensley et al. (2002) are convinced that all these problems may be solved by taking serious precautious measures and devoting more time to analyzing psychological state of the most problematic inmates. In order to demonstrate the current confrontation between the supporters of conjugal visits and their opponents, it is worth considering the article by The Associated Press (2015). In the article, it is said that Christopher Epps, a former chief of the U.S. Department of Corrections, strictly limited the practice of conjugal visits for Mississippi. From that time on only a federal magistrate judge decided whether an inmate from Mississippi was allowed to have an intimate date. â€Å"Epps said he believed the visits helped keep families together and reduced sexual assault among prisoners. But Epps said with the focus on trimming prison expenses, the benefits did not outweigh the costs† (The Associated Press, 2015, para. 6). Epps was resigned in 2013 because of a corruption charge. When the majority of Mississippi prisons allowed conjugal visits, their staff provided inmates and their spouses with separate rooms and all sanitary-hygienic means they needed. Therefore, the dates were properly organized and some financial means were spent on them. Epps considers material difficulties that prisons have related to conjugal visits. In his opinion, these expenses can be a sufficient argument for a complete prohibition of conjugal dates. However, in such a case the issue reaches the level of state financing. If the laws allow some states to have the conjugal visits in prison, it means that these states should provide proper financing of these dates. Allowing the inmates to have intimate contacts with their spouses is implemented not with the unique purpose of satisfying their physical needs. The prisoners are given a chance to feel the atmosphere of a home and family. Therefore, conjugal visits will reach one of their main aims – stabilizing the psychological state of the incarcerated. Therefore, Mississippi is not consistent in its policy related to conjugal visits in prison due to some financial difficulties associated with their orga nization. It is easy to prohibit such dates, but it is more complicated to fight for conjugal visits for the sake of the discussed purposes. Human rights organizations together with the correction leaders should cooperate in solving the issue. Taking everything into consideration, it is important to state that the conjugal visitation program in prisons is a widely discussed topic that has its opponents and supporters. Both parties definitely agree that in case a prison has a system of these visits, it should strictly regulate them by the legislation. Supporting family ties, solving prison sex issues and being a productive instrument of a positive influence on the psychological state of the inmates with the purpose of the further crime reduction are unconditional benefits of the discussed private dates. Creating all conditions for releasing a psychologically healthy individual is the main aim of the correctional bodies.

BP Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

BP - Case Study Example Marketing ethics is the moral principles that guide operations and regulations of marketing practices (Hill and Ryan 50)Â  . Social responsibility suggests that organization or individual’s actions should benefit the society. Ethical marketing and social responsibility are main concern in this case, for example, BP Company does not hold its ethical marketing conduct and social responsibility. This is evidenced when the company’s social and ethical conduct is coincides with its promise to remain responsible environmental steward. The company is faced by numerous cases of environmental negligence and it also disregards the safety of its employees. In a bid to repair its image after violation of many environment acts, BP Company tried to launch new products that could provide alternatives to oil use and solve the environmental problems that were characterized by the petroleum business. The company launched solar, bio-fuels, carbon sequestration and storage. The company also foresaw the implementation of other energy saving measures. The launch of all these new products were aimed at providing solutions to ever increasing challenges of BP. Unfortunately, the launch of new products failed to solve the company’s woes as the company faced more environmental problems, explosions, and safety issues. BP Company had sustainability challenges since it could not maintain its policies. The company promised to be environmental conscious but ended up having many environmental violations. It introduced new products to tame the many ethical challenges it was facing and repair its tattered reputation, unfortunately, more ethical concerns and environmental violations were reported. BP Company could not implement sustainable environmental and ethical conduct to avert the challenges it was facing (Thiele 55). Corporate branding is the process of promoting a corporate entity’s brand name rather than