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ABSTRACT CINEMATIC REPRESENTATIONS OF FEMALE TEACHERS: A NARRATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF MISE-EN-SCENE IN RECENT HOLLYWOOD FILMS Laura A. Gilbert, Ed.D. Department of Leadership, Educational Psychology and Foundations Northern Illinois University, 2014 Eui-Kyung Shin, Director This dissertation examines the constructed image of a female teacher protagonist as seen in Hollywood school films. School films of the previous century mostly depicted either a male super hero teacher or a helpless, scared educator girl. The former is unattainable, the latter is undesirable. However more recently, school films are presenting a completely different image of a female teacher that is neither heroic nor naive; rather, she is lazy, unhappy, and completely disheartened with her profession. For the purposes of this study, three films: Won’t Back Down (2012), Larry Crowne (2011), and Bad Teacher (2011) were divided into a five act structure based on the syntactic patterns present in school films: 1) establishing character at school, 2) establishing character at home, 3) teaching examples prior to change, 4) teaching examples after change, and 5) conclusion/suggestion of a new life. The characterization of each protagonist within the five acts was abstracted using James Phelan’s (1989) concepts of character dimension and character function. Elements of mise-en-scene (setting, costume/makeup, lighting, staging and performance) were added to Phelan’s concept of character dimension to layer a visual analysis on top of the plot progression. Screen captures from the five acts of each film provide the mise-en-scene for analysis and evidence of mimetic, synthetic, and thematic components of characterization. Given theoretical frameworks of both narratology and feminist/post-feminist theory, thematic coding reveals five themes in Hollywood’s modern depiction of a female teacher: 1) Low Enthusiasm with Even Lower Expectations, 2) Without an Incentive, Students are Insignificant, 3) Boyfriend/Husband/Father Knows Best, 4) the Only Real Advancement is in Attitude, and 5) Feminism is Flexible. The conclusion of this dissertation provides a comparison between the characterization of Nona Alberts of Won’t Back Down, Mercedes Tainot of Larry Crowne, and Elizabeth Halsey of Bad Teacher and the masculinized teacher heroes who fought for the rights of their students in earlier school films. NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY DE KALB, ILLINOIS DECEMBER 2014 CINEMATIC REPRESENTATIONS OF FEMALE TEACHERS: A NARRATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF MISE-EN-SCENE IN RECENT HOLLYWOOD FILMS BY LAURA A. GILBERT, Ed.D. ©2014 Laura A. Gilbert A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF LEADERSHIP, EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY AND FOUNDATIONS Doctoral Director: Eui-Kyung Shin ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation defines the image of a teacher as constructed by Hollywood. My own definition of teacher has been formed by those educators and mentors who are exemplary not for their synthetic superheroics, but for their thoughtful intelligence, remarkable ingenuity, and generous spirit, and without whom this dissertation would not have been possible. Thank you to my devoted chair, Eui-Kyung Shin, Ed.D., committee members Joseph Flynn, Ed.D., and Robert T. Self, Ph.D., and editor Gail Jacky from Northern Illinois University. Dr. Shin provided the guidance and advice necessary to turn an idea into a dissertation. Dr. Flynn’s enthusiasm was joyfully motivating and his insights were invaluable. As my advisor and friend for over a decade, Dr. Self has demonstrated what it means to instruct with both passion and compassion - he is the model of good teaching. He and his wife Dr. Lois Self are individuals that I am grateful to know. Ms. Jacky is not only a gifted editor, but a source of encouragement, support, and true kindness. Thank you to colleagues from Queen of Peace High School and Lockport Township High School who have provided life-long inspiration and daily examples of excellence. Notably, Denise Graney, Dr. Carmen Gitre, Cheryl Meader, Rebecca Rush, Sarah Smith, Thomas O’Brien, and especially, Patricia Stanley. Thank you to my parents and family, Robert, Michael, and Tanja, who have shown me that to teach is to love. D, there are not enough “thank yous” in the world. Yours, HP DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to Marlene C. Gilbert Mother, Role-Model, Friend TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................................... xiii Chapter 1. Introduction to the Study .......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Problem Statement .............................................................................................................. 4 Research Questions ............................................................................................................. 5 Theoretical Framework ....................................................................................................... 5 Narrative Theory ........................................................................................................... 6 Characterization ............................................................................................................ 7 Feminist Theory: Role Model Framework ................................................................... 9 Significance of the Study .................................................................................................. 11 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 12 Delimitations ..................................................................................................................... 13 Limitations ........................................................................................................................ 13 Definitions......................................................................................................................... 13 v Chapter Page Organization of the Study ................................................................................................. 14 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 16 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 16 Teacher Portrayals ............................................................................................................ 16 The Probable Protagonist ............................................................................................ 17 Personally Connected Life Instructor ......................................................................... 18 Motivator..................................................................................................................... 18 Outsider ....................................................................................................................... 19 Masculine .................................................................................................................... 20 Challenger of Authority .............................................................................................. 20 The Stereotyped Male Teacher: “Superteacher” ......................................................... 23 The Stereotyped Female Teacher in Films ................................................................. 25 Film as Narrative............................................................................................................... 27 Four Aspects of Film ........................................................................................................ 28 Cinematography .......................................................................................................... 28 Editing ......................................................................................................................... 29 Sound .......................................................................................................................... 29 Mise-en-Scene............................................................................................................. 30 Setting ................................................................................................................... 30 vi Chapter Page Costume and Makeup ........................................................................................... 31 Lighting ................................................................................................................. 31 Staging and Performance ...................................................................................... 32 Theoretical Frameworks: Narratology and Feminist Criticism ........................................ 33 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 33 Narratology: Components of Characterization ........................................................... 33 Phelan’s Components