Movie Portrayals of Adolescence
The media have a significant effect on how people perceive and think. Essentially, this evidently true among adolescent. One such media that have played a main role over the last decade is a film and television. The consumption of this form of media has shaped the minds and lives of many adolescent in the world. Specifically, even though the majority of this film are not directly targeted at teenagers- they depict the life of an adolescent (Jamieson, and Romer, 2008). Conversely, do these films truthful portray adolescence? What effects do such films have on an adolescent? This paper will review the movie “The Karate Kid” with a view to reflect and evaluate the implications of such films do these portray have on young adolescents.
Adolescents are enthusiastic consumers for the media entertainment industry. They vulnerable to a number of media influence like modeling, desensitization and septicity (Strasburger, 2005). These conflicting aspect in line with the consideration that media are great socializer for the adolescent.
In the economic boom that took place after the Second World War, marketers and advertisers recognized adolescents as a big audience. This led to the rise of pervasive youth culture. Massive changes took place in the media portrayal of adolescents and the tendencies that they showed. These changes spurred by an increase in accessibility and consumption of films and magazines which added to radios as a huge impact on the adolescent (Brown, 2002). This resulted to a rise in video games industry and the internet played a large role in this to the presence of the media. In the present day, opportunities for the adolescent has increased and has made it easy for the, to create and dissect details with minor control of the media owners.
With the fast changing portrayals of the adolescents since the 1950s, various researchers assess the rise of youth culture in movies, music and trends in gender and cultural depiction, sexuality, and violence among others as portrayed in the media. This paper will focus on the change that has taken place in the adolescent portrayal, the probable impact that these changes have and the manner policy makers supposed to respond.
Movies are a popular source of entertainment and often portray an accurate depiction of real-life scenarios. However, some movies present an incorrect of certain aspects that are noted in adolescents. Mutually, my experiences as an adolescent, my analysis and the concepts discussed in class will form a basis of assessment of the movie (“The Karate Kid”). I am convinced that one can reasonable argue that the movie realistically shows issues and ideas involving adolescents, it does not necessarily inform us on current issues facing adolescents today.
Firstly, “The Karate Kid” fundamental shows certain problems faced by adolescents today. For example, bullying. It accurately illustrates the social, cognitive and emotional effect of the vice on adolescents. Particularly, this brings about “reciprocal causality”- one of the concepts discussed in class. This is commonly referred as common film stereotyping. In order for the film to appeal to the younger audience, movies tend to presents a situation where certain main characters may not relate with one another. Dre is the enemy of the Cheng the class bully. This is actively portrayed in high school, parties, social events, parental conflict (Dre is often in conflict with his mother) and relationships (Strasburger, 2005). Majority of Hollywood films shows teenage life to be one losing one’s virginity, substance abuse and serious rebellion. Therefore, in the eyes of film makers this is the embodiment of an adolescence. In essence, even though these situations forms large portions of a teen’s life, movies tend to exaggerate the roles these things play in an adolescent. The falsehood pushed movies not only gives teens a bad name, but also offers teens with a wrong view of what life should be like.
Secondly, “The Karate Kid” appeals to both psychological and emotional development, majority of movies preys on the emotions of the viewer. Adolescents are emotionally driven during the onset of puberty. Therefore, movies tend to have a large effect on them. According to Jamieson, and Romer, (2008) both adults and children remember events in their lives that has a high emotional connection. This especially concerns how the movie plot is brought about in the film. Whereas, individuals relate to things differently. Teenagers are likely to become emotional on issues pertaining to changes in world views and their growing status in society. These also revolve around finding ones identity, graduations, college, moving away from home, sex, parental relationship and driving. These experiences to a teen arouse a high level of emotional involvement since an adolescent feels that the movie affect parts of his or her psychological progress. For example, the movie depicts a new kid (Dre) from Detroit moving to Beijing with his mother after the mother gets a job transfer (Jamieson, and Romer, 2008). Moving to Beijing, Dre finds it difficult to adopt due to the cultural differences. Therefore, the movie is likely to have a strong effect on psychological development and his view on unfamiliar things.
Recent film has an impression of teen’s romance life. The film portrays Dre having a strong mutual connection with his classmate Mei Ying. However, the cultural differences between make it possible for them to explore their love further. Consequently, an adolescent watching the movie gets a view that Mei and Dre are meant to be together. These false perceptions could alter a teen’s psychosocial progress as he or she struggles to meet the expectations of film makers.
As mentioned, early the movie portrays a negative relationship between Dre the child and her mother. The impression has a negative effect on the relationship between teens and adults. According to Stern (2005) conclusion “modern Hollywood films featuring youth promote an image of teenagers as self-absorbed, violent, disconnected from parents, and disengaged from civic life,” and “the image of teens constructed by recent, popular films likely reinforces adults’ negative views and possibly works to distance adults from teens.” The negative attitude advanced by movies puts a strain on an already stressful relationship that exists between adolescents and parents. Additionally, parents, view teens in terms of the Hollywood’s stereotypes, become more hesitant to assist teenagers with their problems. Likewise, teens may avoid parents because of these notion that they are against them.
Thirdly, the movie affects cognitive development. Movies gives a chance to viewer to experience and interact with ideas, culture and concept. Therefore, a means to discover the world. Whereas, some movies tend to give false tales and ideas. Watching movies helps the adolescent develop cognitive development. According to Brown, & Witherspoon, (2003) “movies play an essential role in teens’ lives, and that they open up windows on a better world, or at least on a world that questions the status quo.” Movies provides teens with a new experience of different parts of the globe that one maybe never be able to witness in their lives. A teenager living in small watching can interact with different ethnicities and travel across the world through films. In addition, viewing different cultures of the world a teenager is more like to apply such lessons on their own lives creating perceptions and thoughts about these situations. In the movie “The Karate Kid” instead critical examining the real Chinese culture the movie opts for the Hollywood approach of stereotyping anything foreign (Brown, & Witherspoon, 2003). China has better teachers, perfectionist and excel in Karate.
Lastly, movies depict adolescents as ignorant, sexually-starved individuals who are experimenting on drugs and show-off their unique skills and identity. Fundamentally, the adolescence period is an urgent stage to promote and develop their identity. According to Strasburger, (2005) in his stages of development described adolescence as a stage “identity versus identity diffusion,” specifically mentioning “biological and social changes of adolescence occasion a search for continuity of self.” Whereas, adolescents need to show their identities during this stage, movies often exaggerate to extremes when showing their identities, for example, movies stereotype high school students to cheer leaders, nerds, gothic, loner and jock – and parade them in their extreme identities. Nerds wear glass and always carry a pair protectors all the time while jocks wear leather jackets. From my experiences in high school these observations of teens in high school is false. It is often a mix bags of attributes of different groups as they pursue their own identity. In addition, a teenagers actions are defined by their transitional identity rather than what is depicted in Hollywood films. In “The Karate Kid” movie, all Chinese students are experts in martial arts. This is an extreme identity that all Chinese children to extent know martial arts (Strasburger, 2005). In addition, the movie gives a picture that one can learn perfect martial arts within a short time. Dre was able to master martial arts relative quickly. This is an inaccurate deception given by the movie.
In conclusion, movie portrayals of adolescents has a profound impact on teenagers. The exaggerated portray of teens lives is likely to provide adolescents wrong perceptions of what their lives should be, in addition it give a poor negative repute in how adults view them. This may an impact on the psychological, cognitive and emotional advancement of the teenager. On the other hand, films have a beneficial influence to teenagers, though, since they impart foreign behaviors to teenagers on how to carry themselves and respond to various issues that they come across. Similarly, the adolescent is entertained constantly giving them something that will keep them far from trouble. The exposure of teenagers to television and films has both; benefits and severe implications on the development and reputation. They may additionally help to mould adolescents as they get to adulthood.
References
Brown, J.D. (2002). Mass media influences on sexuality. Journal of Sex Research, 39(1), 42-45.
Brown, J.D., & Witherspoon, E.M. (2003). The mass media and American adolescents’ health. Journal of Adolescent Health, 31(6 Suppl), 153-170.
Jamieson, P. and Romer, D. (2008). The Changing Portrayal of Adolescents in the Media since 1950. New York: Oxford University Press.
Stern, S. (2005). Self-absorbed, dangerous, and disengaged: What popular films tell us about teenagers. Mass Communication & Society, 8, 23-38.
Strasburger, V.C. (2005). Adolescents, sex, and the media: Ooooo, baby, baby-a Q & A. Adolescent Medicine Clinics, 16(2), 269-288.
