Characters Of Representations Research Articles

Study on Gender Ideology Evolution in the "Star Wars" Film Series

With the progression of time, female roles in science fiction movies have become increasingly significant, showcasing notable changes in both their quantity and character traits. Spanning 42 years, the "Star Wars" film series of 11 movies exhibits marked differences in female character portrayal. Over several years of development, female roles have gradually moved away from the singular identity of being "objects of gaze," no longer solely passive "desires of objects" or mere carriers for the flat representation of male characters in the audience's eyes and within the films. In the current narrative mechanism of Star Wars movies, the patriarchal center has been significantly challenged, and the "female discourse subject" with agency and independent will is gradually emerging. This study aims to explore the relevant connections between these female characters and the feminist trends of the time. By decoding the imagery of women in mainstream commercial films under the patriarchal framework, it analyzes the underlying gender ideologies and attempts to explore the future trajectory of constructing female discourse.

A Performance for Everyone? Othering and the Politics of Language in J.M.R. Lenz’s Die Soldaten (1776)

While J.M.R. Lenz has historically been considered something of an outsider in the eighteenth-century German canon, his play Die Soldaten has attracted interest from contemporary scholars due to its open-ended dramatic structure and sharp-witted social satire. However, the use of language in Lenz’s representation of a Jewish character, Aaron, in Act 3 of Die Soldaten is a stumbling block for many modern readers. The exclusion of the Jewish character from the Gentile community is underscored by the use of linguistic markers of Yiddish in the play, which resonates with Lenz’s thinking about “Jewish” physiognomy and language in a note he wrote to Lavater in the summer of 1777. Die Soldaten is a prime example of a canonical text that marks a voice of difference as noisy, “foreign” and other, as well as being excessive and abject. By taking an interdisciplinary and intersectional approach to Lenz’s Die Soldaten, we can bring the more uncomfortable facets of this text into focus, and interrogate our own problematic investments in the German canon since the Enlightenment.

Towards an Inclusive Society: De-Centering Heteronormativity in Tendai Huchu’s the Hairdresser of Harare and Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees

The portrayal of queer sexuality in African literature is something that is getting more and more attention, as a way of highlighting what happens in various societies in the world. This paper explores the portrayal of queer individuals in two African novels: Tendai Huchu’s The Hairdresser of Harare and Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees. Having observed that in the two novels queer individuals are forced to mask their sexuality and adopt heteronormative public personae in order to fit into mainstream society, this paper observes the two authors have used diaries and letters to accord agency to their repressed queer characters. The paper argues that diaristic and epistolary writing, in which individuals of queer sexuality reveal their intimate feelings for each other, are strong tools which the authors have used to accord agency to their repressed queer characters. The paper also uses Andy Alaszewski’s idea of “social suffering versus the diary.” Alaszewski (2006) observes that diaries provide a way of avoiding some of the moral dilemmas created when researchers solicit narratives of suffering and represent accounts which contextualize suffering within a personal biography. This study also observes the authors’ representation of heterosexual characters who accept the presence of queer individuals in their societies. It is in this line that this paper argues that the two authors offer a glimpse into a possibility of an inclusive society which accommodates people’s sexualities that are considered non-normative.

Women’s Devotion to the Prophet as Reflected in the Literary Construction of a Non-Canonical Mawlid Narrative: Abū al-Ḥasan al-Bakrī’s Kitāb al-anwār

The Kitāb al-anwār attributed to Abū al-Ḥasan al-Bakrī continues to be, after many centuries, a mysterious narrative, and his alleged author even more enigmatic. The work narrates the creation and transmission of the prophetic light following the tropes of popular romance. In this article we will focus on one of its most peculiar features, that is, the detailed and emotional representation of female characters and the woman’s realm. We will argue that female empowerment – a typical feature of folklore literature – could be the result of the storyteller’s will to appeal to female audience that attended the celebrations for the birth of the Prophet in medieval times. To support our argument we will compare different versions of the work, manuscripts and printed, to demonstrate how the literary depiction of women-related themes is more elaborated in the latest versions of the work, produced when mawlid festivals were a well-established practice. Popular Mawlid Narrative, Abū al-Ḥasan al-Bakrī, Storyteller, Women, Mawlid ceremonies, Folklore, Sīra Shaʿbiyya

Virtual Crowds Rheology: Evaluating the Effect of Character Representation on User Locomotion in Crowds.

Crowd data is a crucial element in the modeling of collective behaviors, and opens the way to simulation for their study or prediction. Given the difficulty of acquiring such data, virtual reality is useful for simplifying experimental processes and opening up new experimental opportunities. This comes at the cost of the need to assess the biases introduced by the use of this technology. Our paper is part of this effort, and investigates the effect of the graphical representation of a crowd on the behavior of a user immersed within. More specifically, we inspect the virtual navigation through virtual crowds, in terms of travel speeds and local navigation choices as a function of the visual representation of the virtual agents that make up the crowd (simple geometric model, anthropomorphic model or realistic model). Through an experiment in which we ask a user to navigate virtual crowds of varying densities, we show that the effect of the visual representation is limited, but that an anthropomorphic representation offers the best trade-off between computational complexity and ecological validity, even though a more realistic representation can be preferred when user behaviour is studied in more details. Our work leads to clear recommendations on the design of immersive simulations for the study of crowd behavior.

Fictional Characters in Literary Theory — A Short History

This contribution to the special issue on “The Persistence of Character” provides a brief history of approaches to fictional characters in literary studies, from the emergence of structuralism to current explorations of fictional beings in the context of 4E cognition. By sketching the different stages in the development of character theory since the mid-twentieth century the article shows that the influential (post)structuralist conception of characters as signs, symbols, and (plot) functions, which still occupies a key position in literary scholarship today, fails to do justice to the fascination literary figures frequently exert on readers. With a particular focus on the field of narratology, the article traces the ways in which this “antihumanist” (Felski) conception of fictional characters has been challenged over the past decades. Furthermore, it demonstrates how new theoretical developments in this field tend to be closely intertwined with overarching developments in literary theory in general.

The Representation of Character Education in the Movie Sang Prawira Based on Thomas Lickona’s Theory

The film is the favorite literary work teachers adopt to teach students character education. The Sang Prawira movie (2019) contains an educational character message and motivation to reach the dreams of society, especially the young generation. The study of character education representation based on Thomas Lickona's theory has yet to be investigated by previous studies. This study aims to investigate the character education representation based on Thomas Lickona's theory that is strongly represented in Sang Prawira's movie. This study uses the qualitative method using the theory of character education by Thomas Lickona. Based on the study, the researcher found the representation of character education, such as drug education as the moral principle, fortitude in fighting for kindness, positive attitude through hope and support, humility in admitting mistakes, wisdom through the ability to make decisions, loving to god almighty and all humans, hard work to achieve the dreams, the integrity recognition as ethical consistency, the gratitude by realizing obligation, justice in recognizing the responsibilities. In conclusion, the representation of the educational character in this film should be obtained by many Indonesian students because it becomes an example and guideline for them to implement good moral knowledge, behavior, and feeling in broader society.

A Science Education for Textural Creation and Iconic Forms of Infrastructure at Medan

Medan City, as the center of the Deli Malay Sultanate and the colonial administration in the past, boasts numerous iconic forms. The distinctive characteristics of these iconic forms hold significant potential for development as references in creating contextual texture painting art. Unfortunately, this potential remains largely unexplored. Therefore, this research aims to explore the potential of iconic forms in Medan City with the goal of developing them as references for the creation of textural painting art as a tourism product for Medan City. This study employs a descriptive qualitative approach, conducted both in the field and in the studio. The methods employed include surveys and creative creation, applying Graham Wallas' theory of creativity. Research data is collected from various sources using relevant techniques, subjected to data triangulation, and analyzed following an interactive model: data reduction and presentation, verification, and drawing conclusions. The research results indicate that the potential of iconic forms as references for abstract textural painting art emerges from their representation of Medan City's character, alongside the dynamic nature they embody. The exploration of abstract textural art becomes tangible during the painting process, which, in this study, involves deformative processes, particularly simplification and stylization. Abstract textural painting art is explored based on the principles of visual art and tourist art, resulting in artworks that possess both aesthetic and technical qualities as tourism products.

3D Modelling: A Review

Three-dimensional (3D) modeling is a transformative process in the digital realm that involves the creation of virtual representations of objects, environments, or characters. This multifaceted discipline plays a pivotal role across diverse industries, encompassing animation, gaming, virtual reality, architecture, product design, and more. The fundamental components of 3D modeling include vertices, edges, and faces, forming meshes that define the object's geometry. Techniques such as polygonal modeling, NURBS modeling, and subdivision surfaces offer varying approaches to sculpting digital forms. UV mapping ensures precise texture application, while rigging and animation breathe life into models through skeletal structures and movement. The integration of textures, materials, and lighting enhances the realism of rendered images or animations. Computer-Aided Design (CAD) modeling caters to engineering precision, and sculpting tools enable intricate detailing for characters or organic shapes. As technology advances, 3D modeling continues to evolve, influencing the way we visualize, design, and interact with virtual worlds. This abstract provides an overview of key concepts in 3D modeling, highlighting its significance in shaping digital experiences and pushing the boundaries of creative expression and technical innovation.

BUDDHIST MYSTERY «TSAM»: ITS STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS

The Buddhist theatrical mystery tsam is an artistic structure in which all the elements are functionally interconnected with each other. According to its features tsam shows commonality with the universal specifics of the folk thea-ter, where the audience often fulfills the function of an artist and a director, and the stage space is created and expanded by involving the spectator into the action. The costume, mask and dance-pantomime are functionally connect-ed with the ritual in the performance, and the dialogue − with representations of comic character.

Collage Poetry from a Postmodernist Perspective

The main feature of postmodernist literature is the self-referential nature of the text, so that the form of collage poetry can be seen as its new discursive paradigm, and its anti-logical form reveals a reflection on the traditional character representation system. While introducing three-dimensional objects into the two-dimensional plane, "things" freely appear in the expressive form of collage poetry, and the "sense of things" embodied by rupture and heterogeneity leads to the proposition of contemporary art. In the open space of meaning constructed by collage poetry, the viewer interacts with the author, presenting a contemplation and rebellious innovation in the era of mechanical reproduction, thus achieving "art towards philosophy".

Perjuangan Kesetaraan dalam Novel Fatatu As-Sajair Karya Ratih Kumala (Kajian Kritik Sastra Feminis)

Abstract: This study explains the struggle for gender equality of female figures in several of its parts. The novel Fatatu As-Sajair presents a female characters who has an influence on the development of cigarettes in Indonesia. The representation of female characters in this novel not only places women in an inferior position, but can also be in a superior position. The purpose of this study is to explain the socialist feminism contained in the novel. This study uses a qualitative descriptive analysis method with a type of literary criticism approach, namely feminist literary criticism. The research results from the novel Fatatu As-Sajair show that the novel contains female characters fighting for gender equality by working in the clove cigarette sector.

Analisis Semiotika Terhadap Tokoh Utama Perempuan dalam Film Perempuan Tanah Jahanam

Horror is still a popular genre in the growth of Indonesian films. Female characters are often featured iconically in the narrative of a horror film. However, there is a negative stigma about the presence of female characters in horror films who appear as antagonistic characters. Female characters often play the role of ghosts, victims of crimes, and other complementary characters. This study uses qualitative research and Roland Barthes semiotics to analyze the representation of female characters in Perempuan Tanah Jahanam. This research focuses on the main female characters in the movie. The results of this study explain the denotation that describes the female characters in Perempuan Tanah Jahanam as women who become the main characters in filling various important roles in horror films, while in the connotation there are various meanings that the main female characters have social strengths such as courage in fighting patriarchal culture, supporting fellow women, working hard and being independent, from the denotation and connotation that the author found formed a myth in the form of elements of feminism that were constructed on the four main characters in the film. Researchers found that the main female character is no longer represented as a victim or a seductive and sexy ghost. Female characters are also not used as a means of supporting the success and interests of commercialism in a horror film.

Tenacious Stereotypes and Inflated Expectations. Review of the Book “Admiring the Academic Class: Reflection of the Social History of Soviet Science in Literature, Art and Public Rhetoric” by K. Frumkin

The review notes the significance of the monograph. In his book, the cultural studies scholar Konstantin Frumkin has collected unique materials on the evolution of the theme of science and scientists in Soviet (Russian) culture throughout the 20th century. The author develops two parallel story lines. The first line presents an analysis of the historical development of Russian science in the 20th century. The second line presents a detailed list of templates and stereotypes of the academic environment that have developed in art. It is shown that the most widespread and iconic in Soviet art is the representation of the positive character of scientist as a self-sacrificing enthusiast. Other stereotypes under discussion include scientists’ self-sacrifice and their fighting qualities which allow them to resist impostors in science. The themes of struggle with academic plagiarism and careerism were developed. Under the sign of state impatience and inflated expectations, the obligatory theme of the connection between science and production was elaborated. An important conclusion is drawn about the tenacity of stereotypes which were not hindered by the evolution of Soviet society’s attitude to science.

Tenor timbre images in the Giacomo Puccini’s operas: the experience of systematisation

The relevance of the article. An essential requirement for a musician-performer of any specialty is a deep understanding of the stylistics of the works performed, based on an analysis of the artistic and figurative foundations of the musical language. For opera singers, an important factor of professional level is knowledge of the basics of opera drama, the style of the era, possession of appropriate means of vocal expressiveness. Addressing the chosen topic determines the relevance and scientific novelty of the issues of this article, in which arias for tenor in the operas of Giacomo Puccini are considered systematically for the first time, in the context of the evolution of the composer's work. The main purpose of the article was to determine the criteria and implement the systematization of tenor arias in Giacomo Puccini's operas through the prism of their dramatic role in the focus of imagery, genre-stylistic and form-creating features, for further typology of the role of "Puccini's voice" — the tenor-spinto. The research methodology is based on the methods of complex-historical, typological, structural-functional and comparative analysis, which allows us to understand the individual approach of Giacomo Puccini to the creation of his "own musical theater", the dramaturgy of the image of an operatic character, and to determine the criteria for the systematization of operatic arias of the tenor role.
 Results and conclusions. The tenor timbre corresponds as much as possible to Puccini's "vision" of a theatrical character, so almost every opera has a main character with this type of voice. The tenor-spinto (lyrical-dramatic tenor) attracts the composer's special attention, which testifies to the composer's clear imagination of a certain timbre-image as a carrier of artistic and meaningful meaning. Aria, as a fragment of an opera that focuses the attention of the listener on the image of the hero and the voice of the performer, in the history of opera-drama has always created a dilemma between the need for continuous action and its stopping in solo episodes of the performers. Puccini's ability to combine thorough musical development with fixation on dramatically important moments is a special feature of his author's vision. The article proposes a systematization of tenor arias in Puccini's operas according to their place in the action of the play. Two large groups are distinguished: musical portraits of the hero and arias of spiritual elevation (the culminating episode of the character's development, often the climax of the opera). The criteria for the systematization of tenor arias are defined: artistic content (differentiation according to the emotional and figurative criterion); compositional and structural features (identification of common and individual features of the construction of musical forms); the predominant type of means of vocal expressiveness (features of Puchchin's melodism). This approach allows the performer to better understand the principles of Puccini's thinking as a playwright. A deep understanding of the stylistic principles of the composer's work, the stylistics of the author's writing, gives the singer the opportunity to create his own performance interpretation, which evokes a response from the audience and becomes a real artistic asset. Further research in the proposed scientific field will contribute to the expansion of ideas about the author's theater of Giacomo Puccini, will help to better understand the principles of Puccini's thinking as a playwright and the degree of his innovation.

Emerence from The Door, and the ‘Dog Woman’ as ‘Manly-Woman’ from Sexing the Cherry

This paper explores the concept of feminism and the representation of female characters in Hungarian and English novel, pointing out their similarities and dissimilarities regarding the period and different cultures in which they were written. Consideration is given to Magda Szabó’s The Door (1987) in Hungarian literature, and her contemporary Jeanette Winterson’s Sexing the Cherry (1989) in English literature. The ways in which these significant female authors deal with women’s problems, their position in society and their attributed roles and identities from different perspectives, are examined in detail. In each of these works, the female protagonist takes a stand against the identities and expected duties imposed on her as a woman and the abstract barriers constructed between female and male that aim to control her life. These works of fiction enable the female voice, so often disparaged and disregarded by men, to be heard; and enable us to observe how female writers characterize women. Therefore, these selected novels escape the precedent of male patriarchy and the representation of women in the works of male writers. What differentiates this study is to allow women’s voices from different cultures to be heard and their stories’ being transmitted from female authors who could provide an insight into the minds of women both in Britain and Hungary. Finally, critical points of feminism and the position of women in Hungarian and British society are compared so as to illustrate the persistent exclusion of women from active social life.

Siri Hustvedt’s "The Summer Without Men" and "The Blazing World"

This paper aims to analyse Siri Hustvedt’s The Summer Without Men (2011) and The Blazing World (2014) from the perspective of the female Künstlerroman or Künstlerinroman to show the convergences and divergences between Hustvedt’s contemporary artist heroines and twentieth-century ones. Through the methodological framework, I discuss Linda Huf’s study of the female artist novel and Evy Varsamopoulou’s subsequent revision of it, focusing on the protagonist’s interpersonal and social relationships. It could be concluded that Hustvedt’s portrayal of the artist heroine is still a result of living in a patriarchal system, but it opens the way for complex representations of female characters, establishing strong emotional bonds between women.

Representation in Media Accessibility

This article is a theoretical essay discussing the potential for the analysis of media accessibility contents and practices (AD, SDH, Sign Language Interpreting, etc.) through a queer feminist lens, which makes it possible to tackle the representation of diversity and non-normativity. Based on a literature review of previous works on the intersection of Queer and Feminist Studies, and Media Accessibility and Disability Studies, it shows the need for this approach based on the nature of media accessibility services, which primarily cater for people with disabilities, a historically excluded minority actively involved in the claim for socio-cultural space and representation. It then proposes a method of work and analysis that combines queer and feminist translation strategies – a method, which is subsequently applied to commercial instances of audio description of diversity. The conclusions highlight the need to bring accessibility closer to contemporary concerns in research, i.e., gender, queer, feminist, and postcolonial issues. Some future lines of research are proposed, such as the expansion of this model of analysis to other accessibility services or the call for interlinguistic studies. Lay summary This article presents theoretical essay which describes the potential of the analysis of media accessibility, those services for the visually impaired and the Deaf, such as audio description, subtitling and Sign Language Interpreting, through a queer feminist lens able to tackle the representation of non-normative characters and narratives: racialised or queer individuals, for instance. Based on a literature review that gathers previous works on Queer and Feminist Studies, and Media Accessibility and Disability Studies, it shows the need for this approach based on the nature of media accessibility services, which target people with disabilities, a minority actively involved in the claim for socio-cultural representation. It then proposes a method of work and analysis that combines queer and feminist translation strategies, which is subsequently applied to real excerpts of audio description of series. The conclusions highlight the need to bring accessibility closer to contemporary concerns in research, i.e. gender, queer, feminist, and postcolonial issues. Some future lines of research are proposed, such as the expansion of this model of analysis to other accessibility services or the call for studies combining different languages.

Exploration of the Character Representation of DNA Chiral Conformations and Deformations via a Curved Surface Discrete Frenet Frame.

While undergoing structural deformation, DNA experiences changes in the interactions between its internal base pairs, presenting challenges to conventional elastic methods. To address this, we propose the Discrete Critical State (DCS) model in this paper. This model combines surface discrete frame theory with gauge theory and Landau phase transition theory to investigate DNA's structural deformation, phase transitions, and chirality. Notably, the DCS model considers both the internal interactions within DNA and formulates an overall equation using unified physical and geometric parameters. By employing the discrete frame, we derive the evolution of physical quantities along the helical axis of DNA, including geodesic curvature, geodesic torsion, and others. Our findings indicate that B-DNA has a significantly lower free energy density compared to Z-DNA, which is in agreement with experimental observations. This research reveals that the direction of base pairs is primarily governed by the geodesic curve within the helical plane, aligning closely with the orientation of the base pairs. Moreover, the geodesic curve has a profound influence on the arrangement of base pairs at the microscopic level and effectively regulates the configuration and geometry of DNA through macroscopic-level free energy considerations.

Where Have All the Girls Gone? Examining Gender Representation Within Children’s Picture Books

ABSTRACT The underrepresentation of women and girls in children’s picture books and the use of gender stereotypes persists, as seen in a sample of 335 books published between 2010 and 2020. Previous research showed a significant lack of female representation in children’s picture books and stereotyped presentation. A pilot study was conducted to establish stereotypes for coding gender representation of characters in children’s picture books. This article shows that children’s picture books continue to be a significant source of gendered stereotypes, specifically that females should engage in domestic tasks and care while males should be aggressive and breadwinners. Additionally, this article identifies an ongoing disparity in numerical representation, with a female-to-male ratio of 1:1.35 in the picture books sampled. Future research should address the impact of this underrepresentation and stereotyping in picture books on a child population.