Introduction:
Identity is a construct that encompasses the way people think about themselves and their role in the larger social environment. Human identity is enacted through social interactions with other people as well as the relationship built between them. Therefore, identity can be understood to be containing both individual and personal differentiators and components related to someone’s role in social groups (Berzonsky, pp. 55). Absolute identity characteristics can be written in the body such as ethnicity or gender. Therefore, the way people behave reflects on their behavior, beliefs and affiliations. Communication technologies and online information have shaped the process of identity. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how human identity and gender are influenced by the technology of visual image. Furthermore, the paper evaluates how it relates to Douglas Keller’s statement. Furthermore, the paper analyses “the Book Thief Movie 2013” to analyze issues of human identity, racism, gender and stereotypes that are relevant in the society as the story of the Nazi is told through the perspective of a child.
The media plays a significant role in human identity and gender construction. The Television, Movie, and other visual materials define whom people regard to gender. Identity and cultural construction are defined through visual representation. There are different ways in which people express their gender, culture, ethnicity, racial backgrounds and how people view the world. The visual culture involves a variety of approaches and forms (Rossian & Boremanse 2011, pp. 16). These include digital multimedia, TV and cable TV, graphic design and print images, architecture, fashion, fine art, photography, computer interfaces and software design. Therefore, the experiences of every day are described as hacking the visual codes of reality around people to get the real meaning from them (Rossion & Boremanse 2011, pp. 16).
According to a statement by Douglas Kellner, TV and media culture provide certain kind of materials that are forged by people into their reality. The visual content shows the way people perceive the world. The images in the media shape the way people view the world and how their values are shaped. Furthermore, Douglas states that media stories provide the symbols, myths and resources through the appropriateness of the way people insert themselves into their culture. Therefore, the notion of Douglas is that visual images and their technology have a lot to say about human identity and gender construction (Oliva & Torralba 2007, pp. 521).
In regards to Douglas Kellner’s literature, it is evident that the media does provide resources that are meant to constitute some identity and commonality in our culture and how we do things. It’s through the press that we get the real image of what encompasses the world as a whole. So, through the media, we as humans can develop an identity and visually construct our well-being (Van Dijck, 2008, p.58). In this paper, we shall discuss the how we can develop our sense of selfhood, and a feeling of self-identity based on a film known as “The Book Thief” (2013). It is through that we shall picture the behavior of a majority of characters and use them as examples to depict how such kind of visual images influence human identity.
Visual Images in relation to Human Culture and Behavior
Based on the Book Thief Film (2013), much is evidently brought out regarding how human identity and gender construction is influenced. Movies, TV, Film and photography are real influential factors on the way we understand human nature. Moreover, these media tools affect the way we perceive gender in the society. It is through the media that people can express their ways of understanding of various issues in the society. We can understand how people understand and interpret the different cultures that exist. Moreover, we can comprehend the way perceive gender, racial domains, and ethnicity as a whole.
Human Identity and Gender Construction Based on the Book Thief Film 2013:
The Book Thief film is all based on a German setup. It all begins as a narrative where two very young children are abandoned by the father and are ready to go and do some training in a town that neighbors Munich. Despite the son passing away while they were on a train trip. It leaves a lot to be desired by both the mother and the daughters too. It is through this that the film can elaborate the reason why humans are very distinct creatures (Moxey, 2008, p.134). The film employs such an instance of death to give the viewers that visual image of facing death though it does not guarantee that as a source of hope. Hope is a virtue that the film brings out as a crucial aspect of living by most human beings. It calls for human beings to intervene their selfless nature and find it necessary to insists on proper understanding of one’s identity. By bringing God into the picture, the narrator of the movie intends to put the point across that human identity is all based on the Word of God which means that there is life. Most of the characters in the film fail to recognize that the existence of God’s power and prevalence thus missing out a good fraction in their identity (Siibak, 2009, p.1).
Through recent and emerging technologies, many visual images, and photographs and apparently significant to how human beings interpret their character. Moreover, issues related to gender are also evident because the mother, Liesel, and the two daughters are the only people left as a family unit. This is because the husband/ father abandons the family unit whereas the boy is taken away by the absolute case of death. Looking at Douglas Kellner’s statement, media stories provide some examples of myths to how people understand the culture and the society as a whole (Berzonsky, 2011, p.61). The technology that is employed to create the visual images that the narrator uses to illustrate that the cause of death is an actual demonstration that people view their identity from very different perspectives and that people too insert themselves into different cultures based on how they understand things that happen in the society (Rossion, and Boremanse, 2011, p.16).
The movie, at its beginning, brings up issues that are well related to gender. In this, the character named Rosa is set off by the narrator as a very stable woman. She covers the family’s provisions and does support her family and heavily contributes to the success of the society. From this perspective, it is clear that women stand as leading influencers in the society. People in society view women as brittle beings that cannot stand on their financial capabilities which the author brings out the contrary perspective of society in this. Women are caring people, and this is clearly evident in the film. Despite an officer from the Nazi officials wondering how he would make it living with Hans Habermann, she is portrayed as a caring person too. Women are brought out as good contributors to the culture in the society (Fox, and Barton, 2007, p.20).
The narrator brings up the issue related to the events that happened in the World War II. In this, visual images are employed by the narrator to demonstrate how the Jews were neglected especially in the German setup by Adolf Hitler’s government and the Nazi soldiers. The Jews are well aware of their culture and for this reason, their personal identity is seen to be outstanding. Most of the Jews such as Max get ill though Hans Habermann does not abandon him. It is through such that most of the brutally happen to them, for example, most of their constructions are destroyed and also most are they are mandated to wear badges thus racism is well-brought out. Through such racial stereotyping, the author brings out the limitations that can be brought out in society through such kind of ethnicities (Jones, McEwen, and Abes, 2007, p.20).
Gender constructions are deemed to have a political, social, and race as a vice in its identity. It is right to accept the fact that it has undergone an immense transformation over the years. This is due to the fact that it has been hugely involved with visual media, having taken a central role in the identity of gender construction and the humongous parity that has been related to it (Brandmark, 2009, p.291). Human identity on the other hand is not new to this, as it has also been involved hugely by the technological advancement that has been adopted in the field of visual media in the recent years. This is in the sense that visual media has emerged immensely to define how the world operates in recent years, human beings have been adopted into the system and allowed the visual media define their way of living (Frade, 2010, p.24).
The book of thief is a perfect example of how gender construction and human identity has been affected in a large perspective by visual media and its technological advancement over the years. The theme of the film revolving around a young girl who has passion for reading and writing is left in tatters and is deemed as an illiterate by her peers in the film as a result of not being able to read or write. This is viewed when Liesel Meminger (Sophie Nelisse), who plays the young girl experiences a hard time fitting into the school system as her colleagues appear to be way ahead of her in the education level gained. This brings into play the fact that Liesel Meminger’s identity and personality was judged by her ability to read and write. Her desire to adapt into the system is seen by her love for books where she was able to pick a book that fell off during her brother’s burial and kept it safe as well as her desire to get more books in the library.
The film; “The Book Thief” brings into light the fact that visual media has hugely impacted the gender construction and human identity in the world today. This is in the sense that the young girl; Liesel Meminger is denied entry into the library once she is seen by the mayor despite having being allowed full membership by the mayor’s wife previously, incepting the fact that she is denied access to what she deems very dear to her. This shows how visual media (in this perspective, the books) has emerged to define how human beings are judged and the fact that it has widened the bridge of gender disparity among human beings
Conclusion:
In conclusion, it has been proved inevitably that the human identity and gender construction has been adversely accelerated by the huge spread and technological advancement of visual media as aforementioned in the paper. This has been duly proved and emphasized by the great film; “The Book Thief,” which has brought into the limelight how influential visual media can be. It is in this regard that if the issue is not addressed and treated in high regard by human rights bodies and other legal bodies in a bid to curb the spread and influence by visual media, it will in the near future reach a point of no return and have dire effects on the human population.
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