Dramaturgy is about real life stage how people communicate using tone, and body language. Image management is an important part of this stage, where impressions are created and perception gotten from the message received from image. The paper analyses a social gathering; a wedding reception and after party. The scene reveals that people use presentation to project a certain image of themselves and create impression while body language, dressing and tone can serve to confirm this impression or present a different situation.
The setting was at the town hall, where there was an evening wedding reception which was followed by a party. Everyone seemed happy for the couple since everyone was in a jolly mood. Majority of the people were dressed up or the occasion while some appeared not to have put much effort on their dressing. Notably, the bride’s father caught my attention due to his demeanor. Even though he smiled and from time to time, he eyes were downcast and during his speech, his tone was dull. He tried to control the impression that we would have of him, but his body language betrayed his thoughts; he appeared uncomfortable with his daughter’s union. Other than this, everyone appeared happy for the couple and acted in a manner that portrayed this. During the reception, everything was formal and people went about the speeches and routines as expected. This, however, changed when the late night party took off and the older people departed; the rest of the people adopted a more relaxed atmosphere and let go of all the formality. This revealed the reality of role performance as noted by Henslin (2005).
The body language, clothing and tone of voice gave certain impressions during the event. While some people put effort in wearing an appropriate attire for the event, some showed up too casual and inappropriately dressed while a group of young college girls came dressed in manner that looked too revealing. The people who were casually dressed gave the impression that they did not care much about the event and were just being polite to attend while the skimpily dressed ones indicated that they welcomed some attention to themselves, something which was evident in the party thereafter.
As seen, image management can send a message, making people see us as we are or making them judge us wrongly. Even though one may display a different impression outwardly through words and actions, body language and tone can speak volumes, as in the case of the bride’s father. Image management is a crucial element of communication.
References
Henslin, J. (2005). Sociology. Boston: Pearson/A and B.
