Naise konstrueerimine ajakirja Anne illustratsioonides
Date
2007
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Tartu Ülikool
Abstract
Description
Bachelor thesis „Construction Of A Women In The Illustrations Of Anne“ seeks an
answer to a question, how is an average image of woman constructed through the
illustrations in the women’s magazine.
Theoretical chapter draws mainly on the works of Joke Hermes, Anna Gough-Yates,
Barbi Pilvre, Peeter Linnap and Jean Baudrillard and concludes that modern beauty
industry has created a myth about being beautiful: women’s magazines rely on it and by
promoting this, they assure their profits. Because modern women have little time, they
don’t have time to read magazines −they rather dip into it for short time seeking for
relaxation, mainly looking at the main eye-catchers, including pictures. And that is the
main reason why illustrations are being researched.
Empirical material contains six magazines from year 2006. Analysis bases on all the
pictures that were used to illustrate non-commercial articles. Because 83 of the photos
were small pictures of an author or commentator, they were analyzed separately from the
rest − 468 illustrations (containing drawings, photos from private collection, from
agencies and by photographers working for magazine). A coding table was created and
visual content analysis conducted.
The hypotheses set in the thesis were answered as follows:
1. The main similarity between all the pictures is that most of women in illustrations
follow beauty standards. But different subtopics present women differently: topics
creating western beauty myths (Beauty, Fashion, Sex etc) use mainly model pictures from
agencies. Topics talking about living with standard that are imposed to womanhood show
the „real“ women (and it is mainly in these pictures, where you can find photos that in
some elements do not correspond to western beauty standards).
2. Hypothesis that women in pictures are mainly alone and not doing anything is
unsupported by evidence.
3. Unsupported by evidence is also hypothesis, that there is more constructed women
(models, drawings) in the illustrations than „real“ women. The findings show their
presence almost equal: 52% of „real“ women and 48% of the rest.
4. Hypothesis, that there are only 5% of women looking recognizably overweight, found
assurance. On a tangential note, only 14% of total pictures women can be classified not to
follow beauty standards.
5. Main amount of model pictures were used on beauty, sex and fashion pages. Private
collection pictures were mainly used in travel and portrait stories; drawings in horoscope,
fashion and psychology topics.
6. Average woman, who you can see in the pictures of the magazine, correspond better to
the verbal description of a reader than a visual one, because later represents example of
constructed beauty, what is designed according to western beauty standards and is ment
to be hard to reach.
Keywords
H Social Sciences (General)