The definition of “power” has been argued and altered for centuries. While “power” had been commonly related with wealth and social status years ago, the word has now been more associated with a certain amount of control. Even though the description of power has been altered frequently over the course of time, the basic depiction in the media seems to stay the same: men portray the powerful figures, such as presidents and CEOs while women represent the softer and almost weak roles. This is where Shonda Rhimes breaks the mold. Rhimes uses these preconceived notions in order to make Scandal a show that displays the unfair representations of power between men and women by contradicting many of the commonly known archetypes in today’s television shows. …show more content…
In Scandal, Rhimes shows that masculinity is not a requirement for a man to be in control by constantly breaking the connection between masculinity and power. For example, the president, Fitzgerald Grant or Fitz, has tantrums, whether from anger or sorrow, that mimics those of a small child. These emotional and often dramatic fits diminish Fitz’s assumed strength by presenting the man that holds one of the most powerful most positions in the world as emotionally weak. This resembles Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner’s 60 Minutes interview, in which he broke into tears after discussing his progress from being the boy working for his father to becoming Speaker of the House. After the interview, various media sources described Boehner’s emotional breakdown as “blubbering, whimpering, [and] sobbing” (Gesualdi, 311) and also gave him nicknames, such as the “weeper of the house” (Gesualdi). Rhimes also tackles masculinity in respects to what is expected of a
While convention would place the "snobs" at the pinnacle of the pyramid, it is the "sluts" who form the physical foundation. This nuanced portrayal challenges preconceived notions about power dynamics within a group. The juxtaposition prompts readers to question societal norms, urging a reconsideration of assumptions about influence and leadership within
Masculinity in "Men Should Weep" by Ena Lamont Stewart and "Perfect Days" by Liz Lochead
The use of power is used to manipulate, influence and give greater leverage over a situation and in return abuses the law. As well as racism, which plays a contributing factor to the social unrest within the community and the Hayden family. Also in the case of the novella,
In El Nahra, it may seem to an American observer that women have no power in their society. However, power may have multiple meanings as one travels from culture to culture. In America, a woman may view power in terms being able to maintain of a stable, high-paying job on her own. We may also view a woman of no power as one with no job, simply content being
Dictionary.refrence.com states that power is the delegated authority; authority granted to a person or persons in aparticular office or capacity. An individual's power is dependent on their class, race, gender and their roles in society. Authors show power through text in many different ways. In The Crucible Arthur Miller shows how men have more access to power than women, especially the lower class. Women have less power than men, regardless of their partner's status because women are thought of to be less capable, and lower than men.
Masculinity is a quality of a man, a man who empowers strength and expertise to achieve goals easier. The essence of being masculine, illustrates powerful behavior, such as courage, and audacity. Stephen, fifteen-year-old pulp-cutter trying to fit into an environment, feeling extremely honored, as his father modeled, "become a man", impels a decent reputation in his father’s
Power is the ability to act on your own accord without any consequences to your own well-being. Additionally, it is the ability to influence the actions of the people around you in a way that benefits you. The influence that power grants is one that allows a person to take control of their life, and because of this, obtaining and holding power has been a basic desire of all humans since the beginning of civilization. Power and its influence are clear components of the novel The Bonfire of the Vanities by Tom Wolfe. In the novel, we find multiple powers that constantly affect the actions of the story’s characters. Some examples of these powers are the power of lust, the power of the people, the power of the law, and the power of the media. Out of these powers, the power of the media is easily the most influential power in The Bonfire of the Vanities because of its ability to influence people’s decisions, which is especially evident in Sherman McCoy’s trial, its ability to influence the opinions of large masses of people, and its ability to expose something to a much bigger audience.
Jerry Useem starts his article off connecting power to a prescription drug. He wants to open the idea that power can be just as bad. The first example mentioned in the article is the scandal involving the CEO of Wells Fargo, John Stumpf. This happened a few months ago with 5,000 employees setting up fake accounts for costumers. The CEO was brought to question and he apologized but he did not appear remorseful. The article followed through with research and asked the question what wasn’t going through the CEO’s head? A famous historian Henry Adams uses the metaphor, “a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim’s sympathies.” This ties into the point of the article because too much power affects the brain of a person. Studies have shown the influence of power in people acted as if they suffered a “traumatic brain injury.” Another neuroscientist described it as “once we have power, we loose some of the capacities we needed to gain it in the first place.” There have been several experiments and studies done to look rather into the mind of a powerful person. They found that it is hard for a powerful person to recognize feelings of someone and that they “stop simulating the experience of others.” Scientists looked into mirroring and studied
Moreover, Winfrey asserts that “women have not been heard or believed,” and she indicates the unjust society of gender inequality. Generalizing the idea of destroyed justice, Winfrey pushes the audience into action in revealing the truth of those depraved
The television political series The West Wing was an enormously popular program during its original airing from 1999-2006. The show is highly rated amongst fans and critics alike and is still watched today on outlets like DVDs and Netflix. The West Wing depicted American politics during the fictional Presidency of Josiah Bartlet. The show was quick-witted, dramatic, comical, and revolutionary. It gave viewers an in-depth view of the White House and the day to day lives of the men and women who run the American government on a day to day basis. The West Wing had large numbers of female characters throughout the series, but a few characters were shown far more frequently and prominently. The show had female characters that were strong, dedicated,
There is a famous quote by David Brin which states: “It is said that power corrupts. But actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power.” This quote means that not everyone can be corrupted, but sometimes, people are too weak to handle the pressure. Additionally, power comes in many forms, but one way that really stands out is when it boils down to influence on other people. Furthermore, in real life and in novels, power often corrupts people and characters. In both the novels Lord of the Flies by William Golding and Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, power has the ability to bring out the worst qualities in human nature in the antagonists, a concept that can be also be applied.
Power and corruption are concepts that are difficult to fully understand. Several controversies occur within these topics. There are both conventional and unconventional ways of viewing power. In an attempt to make a claim contrary to common belief, David Brin stated, “It is said that power corrupts, but actually it’s more true that power attracts the corruptible.” This statement is not accurate because power is the corrupting device responsible for a plethora of downfalls leaders have experienced.
Power is defined as “the possession of control or command over others; authority...” (Dictionary.com), and all people have power, whether they notice it or not. Though some employ their power for respectable reasons, often times power is not used in honorable ways. The matter of abuse of authority is prevalent in the story Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck. Steinbeck illustrates that those who have power abuse it exceedingly often, as shown by Curley attacking countless others, including Lennie, a mentally disabled man, Curley’s wife mistreating the men of the ranch, and Curley’s wife making demeaning comments about Crooks, the African American stable buck.
Similarly to Mohanty, Sandoval attempts to deconstruct the gendered body of knowledge that is power through critique. Her argument is similar to Mohanty’s, she is trying to deconstruct the notion of who has power and who is powerless. She does
Power and politics have always been around but seldom openly discussed. Power is learned at an early age through family and schools. Ordinary people such as scholars hesitate to talk about power. It is often equated with force brutality, unethical behavior, manipulation, connivance, and subjugation.