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Critical Literacy recognises that cultural texts of all kinds are sites which open up the potential to explore how people are positioned – either within a text or in the way a text speaks to, seeks to position the reader(s). Many of these texts – adverts, music videos, political adverts, speeches etc are very powerful and convey taken for granted ideological stances on women, immigrants, war, wealth, family…
a) Watch the first Barbie advert (around 1959).
1. Who speaks in this text? Whose voice is not heard?
2. How are the speakers characterised? Think about tone, pitch as well as the content of what is said.
3. Does one voice have more prominence than another?
4. Look at the visual representations of the doll and discuss: Who is the advert aimed at? What are the parameters of the girl doll’s role? What is the significance of the final shot of the advert? What does this tell us about how the advert is speaking to little girls?
b) Now search for images advertising your favourite childhood toys and bring them to workshop 4 so we can use them together to deconstruct and reconstruct them.
