Converse

=What Are You Doing Here? ~     S o aps Anonymous~  =

Alan Johnson

The Four core patriarchal values really describe The Young and The Restless' Victor Newman, played by Erik Braeden. Victor Newman is the wealthiest, most powerful man on the show. He thinks he has all of the power in town and, for the most part, he does. He owns and controls Newman Enterprise and as of recently Jabot Cosmetics. This tycoon will let nothing get in his way. Tormenting his enemies, threatening them, and even going as far as to lock them up in his own make-shift prisons or, on occasion, killing them, (but that's only happened once or twice). He is very protective of his four children and his three grandchildren, and punishing anyone who messes with his family.

Alan Johnson would have a lot to say about this soap and patriarchy. There is a lot of male privilege that takes place. There is so much male dominance that takes place in this soap it's not even funny. Like previously stated, Victor Newman runs the soap, it's all about him and the portrayer who plays him is pretty arrogant. Unless the storyline revolves around him, he is not happy. There has been several times when he has left the soap due to writers not giving him more dominant parts. Coinciding with this, people have even left the soap because they did not want to be apart of the "Victor Newman" show. The original Jack Abbott, Terry Lester, left the soap because of this reason. Johnson would say that this is a clear sign of male dominance because Braeden has to be in control all of the time, and when he dosn't get his way, he leaves. That should be the sign to not bring him back or make him work under the writer's terms. But due to the fact that he is a huge icon for the soap it is hard to just write him off. The ratings will drop and that's not good for the rest of the people who work there. So either way, there are controversial issues. In the show itself, his character holds a lot of political control and he doesn't let anyone forget it. Johnson would say that being head of a cooperation (CEO) and male dominance go hand-in-hand. Because you have all of this power and authority you feel that you can control anyone that you want.

This soap also exhibits a lot of male identification. Mostly everything that is considered to be good or desirable in the show revolves around the men. Nonetheless, there are plenty of women who have prominent roles in the soap and who hold certain power over the men of Genoa City. Soaps challenge this by allowing both the male and females to work on the show; also they show the men taking care of the children. For example, the character Phyllis Summer Abbot Newman gave up the right to raise her son to his father due to the fact that she could not raise him. She was your typical bad girl who only cared about herself. The story focused on her and the choices she made during the time when her son needed her the most. Johnson would have a lot to say about this in the respect that Phyllis gave up her maternity role. I feel that he would say that this is a bold move, but that if she was going through emotional distress it would be the best thing for everyone involved. He would also say that she is going against the norm of what is acceptable and that many people will disagree with what she is doing. He would say that other individuals may disapprove of what she is doing and that she should just "man up" and except her role as a mother. I feel that he would also say that given her situation and what is in the best interest of the child, what she did was adequate. Some would say that she put her needs in front of her own, but that could be viewed either way. Others could also say that because she was unstable and unfit to be a mother at the time, she protected her child by letting him live with his father. Another woman who is a matriarch of the soap and who was with it sense the beginning is Katherine Chancellor. She has one of the most dominant roles on the show and is CEO of Chancellor Enterprise. She is a very dominant and prestige character on the soap. I feel that Johnson would say that this soap is making great strides in having equality between men and women. That both sexes are very dominant in the show and have equal status. There are times when each sex is heightened over the other, but what show doesn't. Johnson would also say that there are a lot of women that have higher level jobs as CEO's of their own companies and managers.

I feel that Johnson for the most part would say that the soap does a good job not letting male centeredness get into the way. Both men and women are shown equally throughout the soap. The only problem that he would probably have is with the character of Victor. Because of his women bashing and his necessary need for control. Johnson would say that this is the need for him to feel larger than life and he needs to hold authentic personal relationship. There are occasional times when the men of the show do uncaring and unjustified things to other people. Johnson would say that this is a weak attempt at trying to make themselves feel better. Coinciding with this, the three major corporations that exist within this town, Newman Enterprise, Chancellor Industries and Jobot Cosmetics. Newman Enterprise, which has three main branches, Newman Cosmetics, a real estate unit, and a venture capital division. Chancellor too, also has many divisions; Chancellor Cosmetics and a major engineering and design company. Because of these different branches, it allows the company to do many different things within the corporation and does not limit them to just one thing. Nonetheless, these cosmetic companies were all founded by men which Johnson would say is very significant. Johnson would say that this is part of a control factor due to the fact that men produce the cosmetics that they want women to ware. Making it appear as if they have control over how women look. This can go as far as to say that soaps are targeted at women, therefore, many women try to look the same as their favorite women on the soap, therefore, these men are kind of controlling how many women look and dress. Although, as of the late 70's early 80's Chancellor has been controlled by Katherine Chancellor who has remained the CEO for the company for many years.

Johnson would say that obsession with control is huge in soaps. They all want to be the head of something. Johnson would say that when Tucker McCall took his mothers company away from her, it was a weak attempt to try and get back at his mother. Tucker is obsessed with the need of control and controlling the others around him. The ones he thought did him wrong. This control factor is prominent in both men and women, they both want to feel a sense of accomplishment. They both fight each other for the most control and power. Johnson would say that control is seen as the center of their sense of life and without it they feel like they have nothing. Control is what people use to manipulate one another into getting what they want, and this soap illustrates that both men and women exhibit this power no matter who they are. Nonetheless, as previously stated, the men who control the cosmetic companies

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Linda T. Parsons

Parson's would have many things to <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">discuss about the idea of fairy tales and soaps. Soaps too, are built on the idea of fairy tale romance, in the aspect that what partakes in the show is not real. They build on this idea and play with the viewers emotions. Making the viewers react to a particular situation in many different ways. For instance, they build these super couples, then drag them through hell, and make the views tag along for the ride; and the whole time we are left in <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">suspense as of what is to happen, making our own hypotheses along the way. In the soap opera All My Children, Ryan and Greenlee's love for one another has <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">endured phenomenal challenges. When her husband Leo died, she shut down <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">emotionally and Ryan was there to catch the pieces and help her rebuild her life. These two have had a <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">phenomenal relationship; however, it is a soap so that only goes so far. Greenlee is your typical mixture of diva and evil. Ryan therefore, helps balance her out, ultimately completing her. She is one of the owners of Fusion Cosmetics and therefore portrayed as a glamorous person. Parson's stated in her article that, a large number of people identify to this idea if <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">fantasy and the desire that comes with it.

In soaps everyone has to fight for the one that they love, and these two have had to fight numerous times. Through Ryan's brother Jonathan poisoning Greenlee, almost killing her, to falling in a mineshaft, to other individuals trying to corrupt their love that they shared. When Greenlee was dying and delusional in the mineshaft, she dreamt of her love with Ryan and the future that they would have. And the whole time she was down there the only thing on Ryan's mind was Greenlee, which <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">possessed him to go to that spot and find an <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">unconscious Greenlee. Parson's would say that there is a large premium put on the beauty of women which is equal to the "virtue in the majority of tales in the canon." The object of men's attention is how women are viewed, while the beauty one possesses determines where a women's value is. This soap goes along with that very well, there is never a time when you see a woman not look glamorous, unless, she has been in a literal hole for weeks or is committed to a mental institution. Parson would also say that this is very atypical of soaps to portray women in this way. By making them seem vulnerable and in the need of rescue from a man. But soaps can stray away from this in the aspect that there are times that you see men in the need of rescue by a woman. Greenlee has saved Ryan on numerous occasions, which goes to show that men are not always seen as the strong macho type. These two have had there ups and downs and split up many different times.

media type="youtube" key="UI1PquccYjY" height="260" width="333" When the idea of becoming like his father came into Ryan's mind, he began having conflicting thoughts. Then when he found out Greenlee was pregnant things got worse. He faked his own death so that he would not hurt his family the way that his father hurt him and his siblings. Greenlee was crushed when Ryan crashed his motorcycle over the cliff. She later miscarried their child and that would be when Ryan came back to comfort the one that he loves so dear. This shows a lot of patriarchy here because it is as if he is controlling her life; what will happen and at what time. This sets the base for their whole life together. Parsons would say that this is a twisted fairy tale. The drama that unwinds in these soaps is <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">uncanningly. But for this particular event there is a lot of obsession with control taking place. Ryan is trying to have the complete say over the situation and making it seem that Greenlee's opinions do not matter. The fact that he does not want a child because of his own up bringing does not give him the right to say <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">whether or not Greenlee shouldn't have one. Parsons states in her article that, "fairy tales in the patriarchal tradition portray women as weak, submissive, dependent, and <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">self-sacrificing, while men are powerful, active, and dominant." I feel that there is a lot taking place within this sentence. For starters, going with this particular storyline, I would agree with what Parson's is saying that women are made to look weak and self-sacrificing and that the man is to be powerful and dominant. Ryan is controlling the situation, emphasizing his power and having complete control over Greenlee, or so he would think. Greenlee is a hard-headed character who can't be <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">controlled by anyone. She takes every situation into her own hands to come up with the optimal outcome. Parsons says that women in fairly tales are made to suffer and be humiliated before they are rewarded. But this saying does not go very well with soaps, due to the fact that many women have power and go after the men in the town and try to bring them down. Greenlee has had a <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">vengeance against just about everyone in the town and has went up against them on numerous <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">occasions.

When Ryan lost his memory while married to Annie, Greenlee was in her own dilemma fighting for her life from a poisonous disease. Ryan could not remember Annie, but instead thought that he was married to Kendall, Greenlee's best friend, and also exhibited feeling toward Greenlee in her time of need. Though Greenlee fully recovered from her illness, she devoted her time to helping Ryan remember his life. Parson's would say that even though she was <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">literally knocking on deaths door, she still felt morally obligated to help her former husband regain his memory, even though she had moved on and married a different man. It wasn't until Greenlee was out sailing, and Ryan was watching from shore, that things went into perspective for him. Greenlee's sail came loose and hit her in the head making her fall unconscious. Then, as Ryan rushed to her side in a speed boat, the memories of his life came rushing back. Because of Greenlee, he could now remember what he once forgot, and the love that he had for her was extremely dominant. Parson's would say that this is very atypical of a soap to make it where men always get what they want, the beautiful woman and the life that they desire. And even though these two have real love, it is him taking her back when it was convenient for him, and making her life even more confusing. She was still married to Aiden and had strong feeling for him, but with Ryan, their love life has always been complicated and they have always had strong feeling for one another. Parson's would say that after suffering this <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">traumatic event and being rendered <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">unconscious, then having to be saved by a man shows humiliating events. Then upon being humiliated she can then be rewarded with the "prince" in this case Ryan.

Upon getting back together, their love for one another was apparent. The two had an amazing relationship, with no secrets between them, (and for a soap that's amazing). When there wedding day came complications caused Greenlee to get on her <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">motorcycle late at night and was ran off a cliff by her best friend Kendall, (Seems to be a pattern here. Motorcycles and cliffs are dangerous on soaps!) Ryan, of course, was <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">devastated, but Greenlee was still alive and would be in a coma for a year. She dreamt of Ryan and the life that they would have together, making them truly a magical couple. Nonetheless though, this just <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">illustrates Parsons' idea even more, that she can only <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">truly be happy when she is thinking about Ryan and when he is <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">involved in her life. It doesn't matter what she wants as long as Ryan is happy. Then, every time Ryan would look at the moon, memories of Greenlee would flood his mind. Parson's would say that these two are truly a fairy tale couple and they exhibit it through the <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">passion and love that they share on the soap. In Parson's article she states that women are often put in the situation to choose between being good or evil. Like it is a choice that we have to make upon how we want our life to play out, that we can not have moments of both, but that we have to choose one or the other. Greenlee has <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">definitely had more evil moments than good, but nonetheless, that does not make her a bad person, and therefore Ryan was made to be the better of the two. By putting them together there were made to balance each other out to make the perfect super couple.

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Holly Hassel In the Monster’s (VS) Aliens article, there are many examples in there that can coincide with the Soap Oprah General Hospital. The character of Carly Corinthos Jax challenges so much about patriarchy and the degrading of women, that she has made herself a dominant character. Head strong and feisty she never lets anyone push her around. I feel that Hassel would say that this is a very important characteristic in a woman. Women should be able to fight for what they want and be able to achieve optimal outcomes.

Carly has always had an agenda and has had to fight for everything that she has. Hassel talks about Johnson’s article and Patriarchy, the male identification and the heightening of men over women. Also it talks about the four core values of Patriarchy. However, through this Soap, it challenges this issue, because, women have very prominent roles is the show, and are very dialogue heavy. Hassel would say that, they have more storylines because Soaps are targeting middle-aged women. Therefore, by making the storylines revolve around women and there problems, more women viewers can relate to the storylines. Through this soaps are using subversive messaging to reach out to their target audience. They reach out to their target audiences with difficult topics to help the views in their own lives. For example with Carly, they took her through post-<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">partum depression and showed other women who might be going through the same thing different ways to coop with it and just how important it is to ask for help. Going back even further would be when she first came on the soap and how she was trying to find her birth mother who gave her up for adoption. This can help many other women who are in this situation. And one of the biggest ones has to do with the "dieting <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">frenzy " that many young girls go through. In the soap Carly is usually eating something. They show that is ok to eat and to be happy with how you look. That you don't have to starve yourself, that you should be happy with how you look as a woman. This then ties back into Hassel's article on Monster's (VS) Aliens. Susan turned in to a Ginormica and was self-counsious about herself in the beginning, until she figured out that she had a greater purpose in life than trying to please her looser fiancée. She knew that she did not have to be with him anymore and that she could do more important things without him.

The Character of Carly has had many problems and most of them were because of the men in her life and the choices that they made. For instance, she has been shot in the head while giving birth by her husband and fell into a coma. Hassle would say that this falls into Parsons idea of male dominant. This is because Carly’s Ex was the one delivering her child and her husband Sonny did not relies what was going on and shot Alcazar, the Ex, in the head and the bullet grazed him and penetrated into Carly’s skull. I would agree with Hassel when she states that there are many things within shows that are degrading to women. Within this same storyline of Carly, while she was in a coma, her world was altered and she was with Alcazar in her dreams; not her husband. Then, when she finally awoke, she was confused and felt nothing for her family, but instead had feeling for Alcazar. I think Hassel would say that this is degrading because of the vulnerability that it places on women and making them seem unstable. Hassel talked about how women are often taken advantage of and are but second to men. The fact that they have so much control over women and their power is so <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">dominant, that there is seldom something that a women can do about it. For instance, Carly has been kidnapped, drugged, shot, and <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">committed to a mental institution all at the hands of a man. The fact that she was married to the Mob King of Port Charles did not help. She was constantly a target. When her Brother-In-Law Ric kidnapped her while she was pregnant, she stayed strong and tried to remain in charge, but being chained to a bed does not allow that to happen very <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">adequately. She fought every step of the way to protect herself and her unborn child.

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Hassel also stated in her paper that women are seen as the ones who go along for the ride and do as men say. She goes on to say that “they provide love interest and give something for men to fight over,” talking about women and how they are viewed in the media. Nonetheless though, this is very true in Soaps. Carly alone is always tangled up in the lives of the men with who surround her and for the most part she always feels like she has to protect them. This just <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">illustrates the control that men can have over women into manipulating women into doing what men want them to do. However, in Carly's case, she just does whatever she wants to do regardless of the <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">consequences and what others wish. She was never the one to take orders from someone else and pretty much makes up her own rules. Hassle would say that this is a woman who knows herself and takes control of her life and does not let a man get in the way.

Lisa Hager The message that the Power Puff Girls send through there shows is very <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">empowering to young girls and the message of them being a supper hero is very prominent. General Hospital relates to this because they make one of their own female actresses seem like a super hero. Sam McCall, is your typical supper hero in many different ways. She protects <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">innocent people and goes after the bad individuals. Being a Private Investigator, she has an obligation to people and the town, just like the Power Puff Girls do.

On several occasions she has had to save the citizens of Port Charles. During the hostage situation she had to mastermind the plan to help get the people out of there alive and in doing so she had to climb out of the building wearing one of the bad guys outfits and get assistance of the PCPD. Another time, she had to save Jason from Jerry Jax, a crazy <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">psycho killer. He had shot Jason and left him to die. Sam found him buried under rubble and nursed him back to health. Hager would say that this is heroic behavior because of the actions she is taking. She is putting herself into danger to save the life of a man, which is out of text, due to the fact that women are often the ones who are seen as the vulnerable one. But women <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">superheroes challenge gender stereotypes (pg 2). Hager's statement of this shows that for most women you have to be a superhero to make a difference. When in actuality there are many women in soaps who have the non traditional role of playing a more feistier character. Sam is one of these characters. She has no problem fighting men or women, nor does she have a problem with running her own business. " Significantly, the challenges faced by these super-heroic animated girls frame current competing and often contradictory discourses about twentieth-century American girlhood in popular culture, revealing the transformational and yet deeply conservative character of American ideals of feminine strength, sexuality, and agency," (pg 2). I feel that Sam's character in-particular challenges this statement about them being a deeply conservative character, because Sam is nothing but this; she is not conservative by any means.

Soaps tend to send a different messages to girls when it comes to super heros in the aspect that they don't need side kicks or others to help them. The Power Puff Girls have three super heros that work together, to where, on GH, Sam mostly works alone. Nonetheless, she does have Jason and <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Spinelli to assist her, but most of the time she goes out on her own. Hager would say that sexuality is a huge part in female super heros. They all have a beautiful image and what is portrayed to be a perfect body. The sexual appeal that they give off is what the writers feel keeps the views attention. The diva that comes out of her in her role and the power that she <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">exhibits just shows how much of a hero she really is and all that she has accomplished, (Hager pg 1). While going undercover, Sam has portrayed a hooker and that helps keep males <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">interested in Soaps because of the sex appeal.

"Berlant defines “diva citizenship” as a moment in which a previously abject citizen “stages a dramatic coup in the public sphere in which she does not have privilege” and temporarily makes her radical critique central to the dominant discourse, thereby disrupting its fictional universality," (Hager Pg. 4). This works for Sam in scene where she slept with her mother's husband. Alexis, Sam's mother, was in a relationship with Ric and during a <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">drunken night for both Sam and Ric who were both wallowing in their own <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">sorrows, <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">embraced each other to satisfy their <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">lonely graving of self-pity. Hager also discusses the lack of punishment that comes from ones actions. However, there were negative actions that took place within this storyline. For <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">instance, Alexis was pissed at Sam and Alexis' relationship with Ric <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">teetered off. Sam lost respect from many of her friends because of her actions. Just because this was not a case that was punishable by law, does not make it any less of a crime and I fell Hager would <span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidifontfamily: Arial; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">concur.

Soaps contradict the "sugar and spice and everything nice" in the super heros that they create. Sam, has her moments of being nice but for the most part she is a bad ass. She is your typical hard-headed, strong-willed woman who gets joy out of torturing others. Obviously, she made a living out of it by being a P.I. The Power Puff girls were created with this mixture, but for soaps there is way more bad then good when it comes to their super heros.

Kelly Schrum



This article by Kelly Schrum and her idea about “17 Magazines” coincides a lot with the character of Abby Newman on the Young and the Restless. The daughter of Victor Newman and Ashley Abbot, one could presume that she would be born with class and style. She is an arrogant, spoiled young lady, who mostly only cares about herself and what she wants. Schrum states in her article that in the 1940’s, teenagers began spending more money and consuming more goods. This sounds a lot like the character of Abby, due to the fact that her parents are both extremely wealthy, therefore, she is able to receive just about everything that she wants. The 17 magazine doesn't put its full attention on the sexualization of women as stated in Schrum's article, but I feel that it does place a great deal of attention on beauty, health and fashion, with the need to improve oneself, (pg 150). It also states in the article that the 17 Magazine <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">discussed a lot about women and girls wearing a girdle to make their body perfect. Not that it was already perfect; women have to wear something else to make their body look good for men. I feel that this in a sense collaborates with soaps because except for maybe three or four people, the show mainly contains thin body types and perfect looking bodies. The women are often seen as having "perfect" bodies and being thin and beautiful.

Schrum in her article also discusses that by these teenagers having more money they were able to go to school and did not have to work full-time jobs. This allowed them to receive an education and allowed them to conjugate with other peers their own age. Because of this, teenagers, especially girls, began talking less and less to their parents about their lives and problems and begun talking more to their friends. This fits Abby, because, she seldom talks to her mother, but instead talks to her cousin Noah and her friends about her situations. Schrum would say that this is very typical for teens to do this because they are more afraid of what their parents will say to them, and they know that they have more of a connective bond with their friends. Schrum said that the “17 Magazine” is trying to promote communication between women and child and I feel that she would say that there are some parts of the Soaps that try and advocate for this. That they try and show both sides of the situation and the options that teens have.

Also, in this article, Schrum talks about how teenage girls began getting their own identity and became dependent and inferior. Abby illustrates this in many different ways. She is not one to listen to others and doesn’t take orders. She modeled for the Magazine //Restless Style// which showed a sexier and sophisticated side to her. The modeling brought out her inner diva and highlighted just how vindictive and evil she is. She medals in the lives of the ones around her; especially in her cousin Noah’s. She disapproves of his relationship with his girlfriend Eden, and therefore, makes her life miserable. I feel that Schrum would say that this has more to do with self-worth and how one views themselves; that because she feels that she is missing something within her own life, she is taking her pain out on someone else.

Because of Abby’s peers, it has allowed her personality to shift a little, and has allowed her to do things that one would think would be uncommon for her to do. At times she has gone out drinking with her friends and sneaking out of her house late at night to meet up with her friends. I think that Schrum would say that this has a lot to do with the peers that she hangs around and the influence that she is receiving from them. The media I feel she would say plays a role in shaping a persons view on things and how they react to certain situations.

Brumberg

Colby Chandler….. Colby, the daughter of the Liza and Adam Chandler grew-up mostly with her mother. Adam is one of the richest men in Pine Valley and Liza is one of the top-notch lawyers of the town. Because of the scandals in Adam’s life and the numerous people that were out to get him; Liza decided to leave town with their daughter. Colby was at a young age around six-years-old when they left, and upon her return back to town just two years ago, she was already a full-flesh teenager. Nonetheless, in soap operas, they tend to neglect to talk about the actual stages of puberty that these teenagers are going through. I feel that Bromberg would say that they are focusing on the whole picture and not the minor details that coincide with this. They are not concerned with what is going on at that particular moment, such as the steps to becoming a women, and the process in which it takes in order for women to be able to become pregnant. But instead, show them as an adolescent, then portray them as a women mature enough to have sex and conceive children. Colby alone has already had the scare of the possibility of being a teenage mother, but luckily for her the test came back negative. The <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">actuality is that soaps just don't give a full picture of a child to the stages of an adult, and I fell that Brumberg would agree. Brumberg would say that puberty is very seldom in a majority of shows and soaps <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">especially. They stray away from talking about it by going from a toddler to a "mature" teenager. Just making us assume that we know what happened with their body during that time.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Colby has not always had her mother to talk to about difficult issues. Of course she had her when her mother and her were hiding from Adam, but when Colby found out that Liza was keeping her away from her father she got pissed off and went on the run by herself, this time running toward her father. While in Pine Valley now she turned to her father’s new bride, Krystal Carey, (but that marriage did not last long) when she felt like she could not talk to her father. She also had her brothers that she could turn to when she needed guidance. During her pregnancy scare, they helped her by talking to her, and helped her try to get her life back on track. Brumberg would say that this is very typical for girls to turn to someone other than their mother to talk to because they feel safer, and feel that not as much judgment will be passed. They don’t have to worry about disappointing their mother, nor do they have to worry about what they might say to them. But at the say time, it usually depends on the girl and the mother and the bond that they share. Girls who are closer to their mother are more likely to talk to them, than girls who have a distant relationship with their mother. In the article they state that, "...modern mothers typically stress the modern <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">appearance for their <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; msoansilanguage: EN-US; msobidilanguage: AR-SA; msofareastfontfamily: 'Times New Roman'; msofareastlanguage: EN-US;">daughters: keeping clean, avoiding soiled clothes, and purchasing the right "equiptment ." Hygiene, not sexuality is the focus of most maternal <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">discussions with girls who have just started their periods," (Pg.4). I feel that this quote works for the soaps due to the fact that some families have the mother/daughter bond while some lack the connection. Some of them teach their children these important lessons like Colby's taught her but some teach their child nothing; and some even teach their child that sexuality is very <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">prominent and pretty much pimp their child out. Colby's mother however, thought her values and morals and what was right from wrong. Whether or not she continues with these morals is another topic. media type="youtube" key="aUBrMP7YyF0" width="280" height="232" align="right" media type="youtube" key="OJAGAaAQweU" width="291" height="230"

Colby has not had very good role models to look up to due to the fact that her parents are unable to hold down a stable relationship. Therefore, she is more forced to learn by example and have more relationship failures than successes. Adam has worked himself in to double <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">digits for <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">marriages and Liza is no saint herself. With all of this Brumberg would say that she is receiving reflecting <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">messages about marriage. Only being shown the negative sides of a marriage, that there are many good things that do come out of a marriage.

Brumberg would say that the times have changed in many different ways with discussion of this topic. In the article is talked a good deal about the role of doctor’s involvement in menstruation. How they were telling women what to do and pretty much how to do it, and what they needed to do to improve there periods. However nowadays in soap operas, they rarely show doctors involvement in this. Either the mother or another close friend handle the subject and help the girl through this, (this is if they even show the topic at all). And that goes for the products that they use, they are never discussed.

Heilman and Donaldson

Heilman and Donaldson’s analysis on the Harry Potter series has many valid points that coincide with the Characters of Maxie and Spinelli on the Soap General Hospital. Heilman and Donaldson state that, “__Harry Potter__ is a long and complex out series with much going on and with multiple, contradictory and transgressions representations of gender,” (Pg. 140). I feel that they would agree that a Soap Opera is pretty much the same thing. Soaps are very repetitive and have many storylines interacting within them, and having many people coincide with multiple stories. The characters of Maxie and Spinelli seem to be involved in everyone’s lives. In terms of gender, Spinelli is often criticized because he is more of a “nerdy” character. Heavily into computers and a brilliant man, he is often put down because of his intellect. His cyber language sets him apart from everyone else, and they often make fun of him for how he speaks. I feel that Heilman and Donaldson would say that this is the writer’s way of inserting ideology into the show. Showing things that are out of the norm and highlighting them to make them more dominant. For example, Spinelli is often looked down upon by the other male character on the show, <span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">especially by Sonny, who is the head of the mob. He often makes fun of Spinelli because of the way he talks, and because of the knowledge that he posses. It is as if Sonny doesn't hold Spinelli as a equal and therefore puts him down.

The topic of gender seemed to be very prominent for Heilman and Donaldson as the analyzed the book and pointed out the lack in female characters. However, in General Hospital, I feel that there are a lot of very important women who have very dialogue heavy stories and who are show for either being good or not as good, (unless you’re Helena Cassadine then you’re portrayed as the devil!) Maxie herself works for one of the best know Fashion Designers, Kate Howard, and they are very well know and respected for what they accomplish in this field. Heilman and Donaldson would say that this is women who are shown to be intelligent and respected by others for what they accomplish because of their ability to do such fabulous work. The soap stresses female ambition within ones own self, and show when you set your mind to something that you can get it accomplished.

The chemistry that Maxie and Spinelli have together set them apart from the other on the show like it does for Hermione, Ron, and Harry. These three often are running of trying to figure out what the situations are and why things are going wrong and this is the same for Maxie and Spinelli. These two are always on a mission trying to protect Sonny and Jason from there mob business to Maxie helping Spinelli with his P.I. career. They are always going out and risking their lives to protect others and often putting themselves in harms way. For instance, just this last adventure they went on, they got locked in a storm drain and Maxie got hypothermia and Spinelli ruptured his achilles tendon. Then, they had to be saved by Johnny. I feel that Heilman and Donaldson would say that they are showing patriarchy by them having to be rescued in the first place, then by making it man that has to come and save them. Due to the fact that they portray Spinelli in a more “weaker” role compared too many of the other men on the soap and for that matter the women. Spinelli feels like he has to always prove himself to Maxie and be a more stronger person. He doesn’t feel that Maxie can accept him for the man that he is. I feel that this goes against what Heilman and Donaldson state in their writing that all of the men are portrayed to be braver than the women and more powerful, because Spinelli is the smart, sensible one, but lacks in strength and muscle. He is more of a “weaker” force but what he lacks in strength he makes up for in intelligence.

Emotions running high for females can be an adequate statement for some but not for others. There are many people who “waterlog the T.V.” on soaps and Maxie has had her share of tears. Heilman and Donaldson’s statement on the emotions getting the better of many females in the series of __Harry Potter__ and how they are gossipy, emotional and vulnerable does not hold true for many women in the soaps. Ya, they all have had there moments, but doesn’t everyone at some point, weather it be male or female? Many women on the soap are very powerful and do not need a man to look out for them.

Appearance, I feel is very important in the show as is for the female character of __Harry Potter__, as stated by Heilman and Donaldson. Maxie, because of her line of work is always properly dressed, and so are many of the other women. However, the men too are often seen in suits and ties, therefore making this unique and go against what Heilman and Donaldson’s assertion is. I do not agree with their statement when they say that, “There message to girls is: get a makeover. You are not ok,” (Heilman and Donaldson, pg. 152). I think soaps illustrate the inner beauty that one has, and emphasizes that you should go with that, and that you don’t have to change yourself to make you more appealing. This statement has a lot more to do with Spinelli, more than it does Maxie, due to the fact that Spinelli is trying to change himself to be more appealing to her. Trying to make himself more strong and manly, not the soft and kind caring person that he really is. media type="youtube" key="Gb-R_t9OamM" width="235" height="183" align="right" media type="youtube" key="8qB_L4ZWb4Q" width="226" height="183" align="left"

Zipes



In Zipes’s article on, “The Phenomenon of Harry Potter,” he discusses a lot on how the writing is very mundane and not at all that spectacular. That it is very simplified and easy to follow with very common storylines that we have already seen just being told in another story. Zipes in his article states that, “… if you’ve read one, you’ve read them all: the plots are the same, and in my opinion, the story lines become tedious and grating after you have read the first.” I feel that Zipes’ analysis on this coincides with soaps in that same way. For any soap, no matter what one we watch, we are going to see the same storylines being told, but tweaked in some areas. He would also say that the writers who write these shows have to be exceptional in some part of their field, or why else would viewers keep tuning in? Zipes would want to analysis what makes this such an interest to people and what makes them keep watching? There is a certain formula that makes the soaps so popular and successful. They use storylines that are relatable to the viewers and that make them want to tune back in and watch. They build relationships with their viewers; a bond that makes them keep tuning back in. Through their storylines they discuss the more challenging topics such as A.I.D.S, abortion, rape, abuse, and many other topics. They allow the viewers to relate to these storylines to work through their own problems and allow them to see the different ways to handle a certain topic.

“For anything to be a phenomenon in Western society, it must become a conventional; it must be recognized and categorized as unusual, extraordinary, remarkable and outstanding,” (Zipes pg 3). I feel that this fits soaps in many different ways. There are a lot of unusual things that we witness in soaps that are not drawn attention to in normal everyday life. But, because of soaps, we become more exposed to these situations. They are also extraordinary, remarkable, and outstanding, due to the fact that they are more of a, “how-to-do-pamphlet.” Zipes also talked about the, “vulnerability and powerless feeling that children feel,” (Pg. 8). As true as this statement is, I feel that many adults feel this way too. They are uncertain of how to fix this dilemma, and therefore, become stuck in this state of mind. But soaps can help individuals deal with their current situations and show them directions in turning their life around. Soaps can send very powerful messages, and can have many different influences on people. Zipes would agree in this aspect that soaps are phenomenal and kind of dictate the lives of many individuals. <span style="color: gray; font-family: 'Smudger LET'; font-size: 26pt; mso-color-alt: #de9928; text-effect: engrave;"> Beavis and Charles <span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Times New Roman; mso-color-alt: windowtext; msocoloralt: windowtext; text-effect: engrave; texteffect: engrave;">In this article by Catherine Beavis and Clair Charles they discuss they lack of involvement of women and digital media. They state in there that there is a significant difference in the amount of time women engage in digital media compared to men. I feel that soaps in a way challenge this because they do have very savvy women and girls that are very intelligent when it comes to technology and mechanical things. For instance the short-term character of Winifred was very intellectual in this field. She played an F.B.I agent who was very into computer games and the hacking into others files. There wasn’t a thing that she couldn’t do on the computer. I feel that she goes outside the norm of “domestic space” by becoming this powerful character and by interacting with more technological games that challenge the mind. However, I agree with Beavis and Charles when they discuss that the majority of the games are created by males, due to the fact that the games that Winifred was playing were created by Damian Spinelli the cyber genius on the show. Winifred idolizes Spinelli and often mimics his actions on the computer. She wants to be like him when it comes to his cyber skills.

I agree with Beavis and Charles when they say that women tend to have more responsibilities then man, and therefore have less time to play these video games and less time for digital media. They lack the time to sit and figure out how to conquer the game like men do; it’s more competitive for them and it’s like they feel obligated to finish it. Beavis and Charles also discussed how males are more likely to need companionship while playing games. They used the example of the boys they studied in a school that played the Sims compared to the girls who played. The boys always wanted to invite people over and were more likely to let strange people come over. To where the girls were more content being by themselves and not needing people over. This coincides with Winifred because she often goes off on missions by herself and for the most part, works alone.

Molly, another character on the soap, is a young teenage girl, who is very intelligent with just about everything. She, like Winifred, has grownup with a very bright future. She differentiates from the article because she has always been into tech things and is very into the scientific aspect of things. She is able to solve problems quickly and correctly and has no problem with tough problems that come her way. In the article, it talks about how girls “typically” do not excel in this field because of the lack of time that they put into it, but Molly, unlike other girls, really enjoys these things and likes to work with technology. But like other girls, she likes to fantasize and indulge in fairy tales. Therefore, for this point I would agree with Beavis and Charles when they talk about the “domestic space”, do to the fact that this is seen as a normal thing that girls would do.

Molly sets apart from others in terms of she does have masculine aspects about her. She handles pressure well and tough situations. I feel this challenges what Beavis and Charles statement where girls lack the masculine aspect. I partially disagree when they say that males are perceived to be the “experts” when it comes to “what is required and how it is perceived,” (Pg.4). I feel that soaps challenge this by giving female characters very intelligent roles, and making them tech savvy. But on the other hand, there are times when males tend to dominate this area, especially when it comes to the character of Damien Spinelli. His whole character is based on this idea of being a computer and genius. Therefore, because of this being the foundation to his character, we see him more than anyone else at the computer.

__<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Highlight LET'; font-size: 22pt; text-effect: outline; text-shadow: auto; text-transform: uppercase;">Pretty in Pink: What Girls Wear __ This article in terms of Soap Opera’s for the most part coincides with it. Soaps tend to keep to the neutral terms of what each child should look like in terms of if they are a girl or boy. The character of Kathy Martin on All My Children is seen in a lot of pink clothing. Although she does not have a developed character, we often see her playing with dolls and doing other things that a stereo-typed girl would do. She is portrayed as being quite and adorable, but when she first came on, her storyline made her seem like the spoiled, vindictive child who was not concerned about others. She is an eight-year-old little girl on the show who was confused and angry when she came on. Locking her step-mom of the house and doing other mean things to her. Then when her dad, Tad, would talk to her, he would refer to her as “princess” or “sunshine” and often babied her when he talked to her. His wife Krystal then told him, that if Kathy were to understand what she did wrong she needed be talked to in a manor that was comprehendible for her and f or it to not be made into as a joke. I feel that the article, __Pretty in Pink: What Girls Wear__, would say that this soap goes with the traditional views of how boys and girls are to be presented and often stick with what is seen as the norm.

Another character on the show, Emma Lavery, who too is also only eight-yeas-old, is often portrayed in the same manor that Kathy is. The typical ballerina lessons and playing with her dolls but we also see her being the outdoorsy type. Being daddy’s little girl and mommy’s little princess. However, I disagree for this character at least because we often see her many different variety of clothes ranging from dark to light colored. Also, I disagree with the article when they state that they are trying to dress little girls years before there actual age, because soaps dress them as the little kids that they are and do try to age them in that aspect. I also disagree when they say that kids are getting less time at play, we see these kids going to the park, going outside, and playing a majority of the time. The boys on the show are also portrayed in a very gender neutral role. We see them wearing skater clothes and blue jeans. Being more engaged in sports, fishing and hunting to where the girls on the show could care less.

Crossing shows, on General Hospital, we see many different things. We see Molly who acts twenty-years-older than she is at times with her mind and knowledge, but dresses in many different styles. In one of the storylines revolving around a carnival that came to town, Molly, and her sister Sam and her boyfriend Jason, along with her two half-brothers and her older sister were throwing baseball to try and dunk a person in the tank. Molly was the only one who was able to do it out of all of the guys that were there. She explained that she used simple geometry and mathematics to calculate where to throw the ball. I feel that this goes against what the article is saying when they discuss the way boys and girls are portrayed and the way that they are to act. Nonetheless, they do make the girls on the show more interested in shopping and accessorizing than they do with the male characters. However, the soap does go with the article in many other ways, for example with the male characters. The character of Morgan is always seen in skater apparel and a more of a gutsy and outgoing character. He loves baseball and is very engaged in the whole concept of the game. We are more likely to see him sporting a Yankee’s jersey than we are to see the girls on the show sporting and sports team, male or female.

Kristina, Molly’s older sister who is 15, often dresses as a person of a much older age, which fits the articles description of girls. They try to act like someone else instead of being who they are. They are more interested in being someone else. The article also says that they try and make them off to be sexier which is very true for Kristina. She is often see wearing revealing clothes and doing inappropriate things for a sixteen-year-old. She feels as if she has to impress the guys she associates herself with and do what they want, not what she feels is right for her. media type="custom" key="6063757" width="334" height="252"