Daenerys Targaryen: The One True Queen of Westeros

Hello!

I did my researched paper on Game of Thrones character, Daenerys Targaryen. She is my favorite character in the television show and in the books. In my paper, I decided to remain strictly to the television series. I wanted to know if Daenerys Targaryen was really a strong and independent ruler, or was she only seen this way because she controlled an army of eight thousand men and was the mother to three dragons?
My advice to those who are doing their paper, is to obviously not procrastinate. That is possibly the worst idea ever. There is so much work to be done in this paper and it should never be overlooked. Also, ask Jenny for help! She will really help you out if you need help on expanding more on your topic or fixing up your research question! And choose your sources wisely!

Good Luck!

My sources:

Weiss, D.B., Game of Thrones. First of His Name. HBO. May 4, 2014

Martin, George R. R. "Tyrion." A Dance with Dragons. New York: Bantam, 2011. Print.

Rodriguez, Amanda. "'Game of Thrones': The Meta-Feminist Arc of Daenerys Targaryen." (2014). Web. <http://www.btchflcks.com/2014/04/game-of-thrones-the-meta-feminist-arc-of-daenerys-targaryen.html#.VXemlFxViko>.

Beemer, Cristy. "The Female Monarchy: A Rhetorical Strategy of Early Modern Rule." 30: 272-73. Print.

Potter, Alison. "Game of Thrones Inspiration: Why Daenerys Targaryen Is a Feminist Icon." (2013). Print.

"Queen Elizabeth I Biography." Biography. Web.

Hello future English 102 students,

          My partner Cristina and I, Tristen, did our researched paper on ballet. Almost every little girl has had the dream of being a prima ballerina. Everything from wearing the pointe shoes, wearing the tutu, the makeup, and just striving to be regal like prima ballerina. However is ballet all what it seems to be? In our researched paper Cristina and my question was does ballet have harmful stereotypes and/or harmful social expectations of the dancers? Through our findings and sources we both agree that ballet does have harmful stereotypes as well as harmful social expectations on and off stage from that can occur right when someone joins ballet.
          An advice from Cristina and I, along with everybody else, is do not and I repeat DO NOT procrastinate when doing this researched paper. Honestly by the time you have to turn in the research paper is during finals week and that in itself is a lot of stress so just spread out the work evenly from the time you get the assignment. As well if you a similar topic with a classmate don't hesitate to work with them. Working with a partner is so much more fun and it evenly splits the amount of stress between the two of you. As well don't forget to ask Jenny because she pitches some amazing ideas that you probably wouldn't think about and she can help you find sources if she knows your topic well.

Good Luck! Here are our sources:

Helen Thomas, ed. Dance, Gender, and Culture. Macmillan Press Ltd., 1993. Print

 

"A Brief History of Ballet" www.pbt.org. Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, n.d. Web. 2 Jun. 2015.

 

Angela Pickard. “Ballet body belief: perceptions of an ideal ballet body from young ballet dancers.” JSTOR : 7. Web. 29 May 2015.

 

Suzanne Juhasz. “The Prince Is Wearing a Tutu: Queer Identity and Identificatory Reading in Jane Hamilton's The Short History of a Prince” 149. MLA. Web. 30 May 2015.

Cohen, Sarah R. "Performing Identity In The Hard Nut: Stereotype, Modeling, And The Inventive Body." Yale Journal Of Criticism: Interpretation In The Humanities 11.2 (1998): 485-505. MLA International Bibliography. Web. 10 June 2015.

Drummond, Kent G. "The Queering Of Swan Lake: A New Male Gaze For The Performance Of Sexual Desire." Journal Of Homosexuality 45.2-4 (2003): 235-255. Academic Search Premier. Web. 29 Apr. 2015.

Not the hero, but the Villain

                  My topic focuses on effects the roles of Villains have towards young children. It interested me into doing this topic because I realized how young adolescents look up to fictional characters and how these characters submissively affect their mind set. Instead of focusing on the hero I wanted to do something different and look at the character that not many think are all that important. I focused on the role of the Red Skull in Captain America. 

                  The advice I have to offer is to definitely do this paper in a timely manner. Do not  wait until last minute to do this paper. Im sure like most students some of you will end up doing so, so at least try to get your sources down. The sources are the most important and probably the most difficult part. Overall the essay is not as difficult as it seems so don't panic just because it seems like a lot of work. Maybe panic if you choose to get it done the night before because although it may be possible, it will most likely not be your best possible paper. 

Sources

             Li-Vollmer, Meredith, and Mark E. LaPointe. "Gender Transgression And Villainy In Animated Film." Popular Communication1.2 (2003): 89. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 10 June 2015.

            Beck, Bernard. "This Gun For Hire: The Fascination Of Movie Assassins." Multicultural Perspectives 7.2 (2005): 29-32.Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 June 2015.

            King, C. (2000), Effects of humorous heroes and villains in violent action films. Journal of Communication, 50: 5–24. doi: 10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02831.x

           Klapp, Orrin. "American Villain- Types." JSTOR. American Sociological Association, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015. 

        Alsford, Mike. "Heroes and Villains." Google Books. Andrews Uk Limited, n.d. Web. 10 June 2015. 

LGBTQD: Queer Depictions in Disney

Hi English 102 students!


In this paper I looked at how LGBTQ people are portrayed in Disney films and why. What I found was that while there are no out characters, many are “queer coded” characters, or  characters that given traits/elements stereotypically associated with LGBTQ people. A huge chunk of male Disney villains were queer coded, mostly through their physical appearance, costumes, and body movement. This technique of queer coding the effeminate, implicitly gay villain goes back to the beginning of Hollywood film, where homosexuality was banned from the screen. Queer coded Disney villains can be found in films such as The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Hercules, Aladdin, and even The Lion King.

As to why negative depictions of LGBTQ people are still used in Disney films has no clear answer, but researchers have cited homophobia and sexism as probable causes. I found that this is a multidimensional topic because along with the sexuality issue, gender expectations also play a huge role. 

Here's some advice:

• Procrastinate!! I'm just kidding, don't do it. You'll regret it.

• Don't be intimidated by this paper, it was surprisingly easy to write. It was time consuming but not stressful, if that makes sense.

• Start the search for sources early, it takes a while to find sources that are both academic and related to your topic.

• If you're having difficulty finding sources talk to Jenny for help!

Sources: 

Abel, Sam. "The Rabbit In Drag: Camp And Gender Construction In The American Animated

Cartoon." Journal Of Popular Culture 29.(1995): 183-202. Humanities Full Text (H.W.  Wilson). Web. 26 May 2015.

Allen, Samantha. "What Disney Movies Taught Me about Being Gay." The Daily Dot. 25 Sept.

2014. Web. 08 June 2015.

Brode, Douglas. Multiculturalism and the Mouse: Race and Sex in Disney Entertainment.

Austin: U of Texas, 2005. Print.

Li-Vollmer, Meredith. "Gender Transgression And Villainy In Animated Film." Popular

Communication 1.2 (2003): 89-109. Academic Search Complete. Web. 30

May 2015.

Morgan, Joe. “The 14 Disney characters you had no idea were gay.” Gay Star News. 5 Oct.

2013. Web. 26 May 2015.

Putnam, Amanda. “Mean Ladies: Transgendered Villains in Disney Films”. Diversity in Disney

Films. Ed. Johnson Cheu. Jefferson, NC, USA: McFarland & Company, 2013. 147-155.

Web.

Russo, Vito. The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies. New York: Harper & Row,

1987. Print.

Disney And Its Impact on Children

Dear Future English 102 Students,

          My topic was about Disney, and I wanted to know if whether Disney impacts children in a negative or positive manner. I wanted to know how Disney and its films and merchandise can affect a child. Gender portrayals definitely touch this topic, and was the biggest issue of all. I have come to learn a lot about this topic. If you grew up with Disney, I say you pick this research topic.
          One advice I have for you is to start early on this research paper. Go to the CSULA library website and explore its thousands of journal articles and books they have. Starting early can definitely help, since you will have time to search for some of the best things related to your topic, therefore your research paper will be strong and accurate. Another advice I have for you is no NEVER hesitate to ask questions you have. I know Professor Hicks is more than glad to help you. If you are having trouble with your topic, go to Professor Hicks!

I used these sources, and hope they will help you like they helped me with my research paper.

Auster, Carol J. and Mansbach, Claire S. “The Gender Marketing of Toys: An Analysis of Color and Type of Toy on the Disney Store Website.” Sex Roles 67.7-8 (2012): 375-388. PscINFO. Web. 24 May 2015

England, Dawn Elizabeth and Descartes, Lara and Collier-Meek, Melissa A. “Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses.” Sex Roles 64 (2011): 555-567. PscINFO. Web. 26 May 2015

Towbin, Mia Adessa and Haddock, Shelley A. and Zimmerman, Toni Schindler and Lund, Lori K. and Tanner, Litsa Renee.  “Images of Gender, Race, Age, and Sexual Orientation in Disney Feature-Length Animated Films.” Journal of Feminist Family Therapy (2011): 555-567. PscINFO. Web. 29 May 2015

Ostrand, Amy. “Correlation Between Children’s Media And Body Dissatisfaction: Analyzing Recently-Released Disney Movies.” Conference Papers – National Communication Association (2009): 1. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 1 June 2015

Orenstein, Peggy. “Cinderella Ate My Daughter.” New York: Harper, 2011. 11-32. Print

Asawarachan, Tanawan. “The Disney Influence on Kindergarten Girls’ Body Image.” Denton, Texas. UNT Digital Library. Web. 2 June 2015

Why don't I have a perfect body like a Disney Princess?

Hello future 102 Students,
Our research was based off of Disney Princesses and the impact that Disney gives to young girls on being beautiful.
Abstract
Everyone around us wants to be beautiful they all look up to role models of beauty like the Disney princesses. Although having beauty does not make us any more happy, we wanted to know the true meaning of why everyone gets so hiked up about beauty and Disney. In search for an answer we discovered that Disney might be taking a different direction in characters to be more strong and brave however Disney keeps changing a princess image to make her look more beautiful. Disney has indicated that physical beauty, the way one looks is the most important factor in today’s society. Disney combines racial features into one character like Pocahontas how does this change how a young girl will be influenced thinking that a girl could be perfect like her. Giving characters a more princess look only demonstrates how important it is to Disney to have the perfect image. We all  know that the perfect image is not possible and no female is perfect unless cosmetic surgeries are done.

Advice
1. Do not procrastinate. Choose a topic that you enjoy because you will have to do a lot of research on that topic. Start to do your research early and ask for help if you find yourself to be confused/lost. Be ready to share your research with the rest of your classmates. Find useful and credible sources.
2. The research essay is way easier then it sounds. Do not make it a big deal by leaving everything till the last minute. If you get the opportunity to find a partner researching the same topic collaborate with them. It makes things much more simpler, because you cannot let each other down and will most likely meet the deadline on time. It also makes researching much easier, because the work is separated and the writing process does not become as stressful.

 

Feel free to use any of these sources hope they guide you in the right direction

Bispo, A. (n.d) Fairytale Dreams: Disney Princesses’ Effects on Young Girls’ Self -Images

Cochrane, K. (2006)“The Dangerous World Of The Princess.” New Statesman 135.4799 : 22-23.

    Academic Search Complete.

Edwards, H. L. (1999). “The United Colors of Pocahontas”: Synthetic Miscegenation and

    Disney’s Multiculturalism. Vol. 7. No. 2 147-168

Orenstein, P. (2011) Cinderella Ate My Daughter. New York, NY: Harper Paperback.

Osborne, L. (2013) Parents’ anger as Disney turns Brave girl into curvy princess.Daily Mail.

Whelan, B. (n.d) Power to the Princess: Disney and the Creation of the 20th Century Princess

    Narrative. Children’s Media

Tillotson, K. (1995).Cartoons and Indians. Minneapolis Star and  Tribune C8.
 

Accidently a Villain- Demetria Seawood

Accidently a Villain

Abstract

             I went into this research with one question and ended up answering a few. Hyper-masculinity and gender-stereotypes are very common in our world. Boys are only considered men if they follow a certain set of rules. Superheroes, such has Captain America tend to display these attributes with ease, and go above and beyond this call of manhood. The problem is young boys have a hard time separating fiction and reality. The over-the-top actions of a boy’s favorite superhero can be confused with the everyday actions of an ordinary man. Captain America was purposely over masculine because he was created to persuade the American people to join the Army, back during WWII when people thought Hitler was going to take over the world. In 2011, when his film was released Captain America was again used as a “Go Army” commercial while American men and women were fighting in Iraq. Captain America also exposes the pressure put on the male body. However, he does not try to change the mindset of his peers, instead he conforms to societies expectations.

Advice

1.Do not panic! This paper is not as hard as it sounds. Once you choose a topic that you like the research will be interesting rather than stressful. Start early and find a source or two a day, and before you know it the research portion is done and you have way more than 5 to 6 sources for your paper.

2. You will have the option to work with a partner, only do this if you are absolutely positive and can really cut time out of your schedule to work together. I was originally working with a partner, and before we finalized topics in class I decided I wanted to do the paper alone. In class you are supposed to "marry" the topic and it was really awkward because I wanted to break up with my partner. Eventually our research paper looked like two papers jammed together and we broke the group up and turned in separate papers. However, this could have all been avoided if I really sat and thought about whether or not I really wanted to work with a partner.

 

Please feel free to steal my sources.

 

Works Cited

Baker, Kaysee, and Arthur A. Raney. “Equally Super?: Gender-Role Stereotyping of Superheroes in Children’s Animated Programs. “Mass Communication and Society, 10.0 (2007): 25-41

Berger, Maurice, Wallis, Brian, and Watson, Simon. Constructing Masculinity. New York: Routledge, 1995. Print.

Captain America: The First Avenger. Dir. Joe Johnston. Perf. Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell. Paramount Pictures, 2011. DVD.

Colombo, Gary, Cullen, Robert, and Lisle, Bonnie. Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2010. Print

Johnson, Gary V. Man Up: Perspectives of Male Masculinity Through Superhero Identification. n.p.: ProQuest, UMI Dissertations Publishing, 2013.

Stabile, Carol. “Sweetheart, This Ain’t Gender Studies”: Sexism and Superheroes.” Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies, 6.1 (2009): 86-92

ThinkProgess.org. Center for American Progress Action Fund. 17 March 2006. Web. 28 May 2015.