An analysis of gender discourse in The Handmaid’s Tale and Catch-22.
Keywords:
Discourse Analysis; Representation; Gender Roles; Film and Media; The Handmaid’s Tale; Catch-22. Abstract
Gender stereotypes still persist and are spread through the media, as well as through social, educational, and recreational socialization, which encourages gender discrimination. This paper explores and analyzes the representation of gender in media to understand the broader cultural and social implications of gender discourse with reference to The Handmaid’s Tale and Catch-22. Both are classic works of literature that have been adapted into movies. These stories explore gender discourse in very different ways, they both show how societal norms and expectations can limit individual freedom and perpetuate inequality.
In The Handmaid's Tale, the story takes place in a dystopian future where a totalitarian regime has taken over the United States, and women are forced to bear children for wealthy families in a society where women have no rights and are constantly under surveillance. While Catch-22 is a satirical war story that takes place during World War II, the movie explores how gender roles and expectations affect men as well as women. The male characters in the movie are often depicted as struggling to live up to the expectations of masculinity and heroism that are placed on them. Catch-22 hasn't aged well in some places because of its sexist and misogynistic content as well.
The issue raised by this thesis relates to the portrayal of gender or the gender discourse. The impact of gender representation in media on audiences is significant. Research has shown that exposure to diverse and positive representations of gender can have a positive impact on attitudes towards gender and sexuality. Conversely, exposure to negative and stereotypical representations of gender can reinforce harmful attitudes and beliefs, such as the objectification of women or the rejection of non-traditional gender identities.
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