Sample Response to Tony Blair (1997) and Rita Hayworth (1946)

Analyze, compare and contrast the following two texts. Include comments on the similarities and differences between the texts and the significance of context, audience, purpose, and formal and stylistic features.

Text 1:Labour Party (Tony Blair) election poster (1997)

Text 2:Rita Hayworth, still image, from the film Gilda (1946)

The term photograph is derived from ancient Greek words photos and graphos, which in combination mean ‘to write with light’. The two given texts are photographs of two prominent public figures of their time: Tony Blair and Rita Hayworth. Although both of the texts are designed with a similar purpose to attract public attention, this purpose is achieved in the texts through vastly different means. Whereas the Labour Party poster projects a sense of optimism and reverence through its portrayal of Tony Blair – the face of the party in 1997 – the still image of Rita Hayworth from Gilda (1946) makes use of the ‘sex appeal’ often associated with attractive women to entice public interest. In addition, the texts differ in terms of context, audience and structure. The still of Rita Hayworth is in black-and-white, providing contextual information of the mid-twentieth century time period in which the image was taken. Also, because of the nature of the image, the text is bare and monomodal, using only the visual mode of communication to emphasize Rita Hayworth’s sensuality. The poster, on the other hand, is not only multimodal, but the colour scheme parallels that of the Britain’s national flag: red, blue and white. Thus, the poster creates a sense of national identity for the target audience of mainly British citizens, and helps to portray Blair as a patriotic figure.

Both texts are ‘bounded’ by a rectangular portrait frame, which encourages the viewer to focus on the image at the center. Hence, the functions of the frame are to remove any peripheral, distracting detail, and ensure the viewer is directed to the text’s intended focus. In addition, in each text, the setting is designed to be bare and insignificant, ensuring that nothing obtrudes from the viewers’ appreciation of the central theme. Whereas Tony Blair, the election candidate of Britain’s Labour Party in 1997 is the focal point of the poster, the still-image depicts the female actress Rita Hayworth during a scene in Gilda. The fact that the two figures presented in the images differ are of different sexes/genders seems contextually relevant as society has developed contrasting perceptions of men and women. We live, today, in an age of male patriarchy, in which men are often regarded as the ‘dominant’ gender and have thus been designated the role of ‘breadwinner’ in the ‘traditional’ family. Women, by contrast, have been handed the supporting roles of homemaker and mother. This notion of the male-female gender dynamic may alter the way in which the reader regards the two texts. For example, in the poster viewers may connote Blair as an ‘honorable’ man. At a glance, the man we see is a provider, a ‘family man’, and someone that ‘ordinary people’ can empathize with. Moreover, the image connotes power and authority through its portrayal of Blair, characteristics we often associate with male figures as they are represented in contemporary media texts. Looking at this text, viewers are unlikely to question Blair’s ability to lead the nation, because men are, by cultural definition, trustworthy, rational, able-minded individuals. This is far from the public’s conception of women. When the viewer sees the image of Rita Hayworth for the first time, he will neither be drawn in by her personality, nor by her circumstance, but he would rather appreciate Hayworth on a purely physical level. This is because women have, throughout history, almost without exception, been viewed by men as ‘objects’ of desire, and so have been judged purely based on their physical beauty and in terms of their relationships with men.  This difference in the way the two public figures are perceived by the viewer can be attributed to the gender stereotypes that are rooted in, and now govern modern society. Because of these stereotypes, by simply altering the gender of either of the two figures in the texts, one could significantly change the text’s meaning and purpose. Therefore, the context in which an image is constructed is closely related to the way in which the text is received.

Whereas the poster makes use of the dramatic mediums of facial expression, posture, spatial behaviour, clothing and appearance to create an air of optimism and rally public support, the still-image employs the mediums to evoke an atmosphere of sensual pleasure. In the poster, Tony Blair is seen smiling, as if he is excited to take control of the nation and is optimistic for success in his position of authority. His gaze is directed upward, as though he is looking to the future, which leaves the viewer with the impression that he has his eyes on future reform to better the current situation in Britain. Through his posture, Blair conveys his persona of confidence and self-assurance, which is often regarded as desirable in a leader; however, although he stands tall, he also presents himself as a man that working-class families can relate to through his relaxed body language and apparently ‘hands on’ approach to work. His selection of clothing and accessories is another method intended to sway public opinion: dressed somewhat formally with his sleeves rolled up and his crisp white shirt tucked into his trousers, Blair communicates that he is ready to work and willing to get his hands dirty. The black and white tie that he wears around his neck suggests conservatism, modesty, and professionalism, revealing that he is not corrupt, but rather a decent man that the people can rely on. The unbuttoned shirt, tie slightly askew, and hands in pockets adds to a sense that Blair is self-assured, but also industrious. Finally, the low angle of the camera in combination with the white light shining behind him portrays Blair as a powerful, even angelic figure. In fact, the light resembles a ‘halo’, thus putting him up on a pedestal; in the poster, Blair is regarded not just as a mere mortal, but as a ‘hero’ or ‘chosen one’. The white colour of the light is also a symbol of purity (in British culture), righteousness and wisdom, and can even be taken as a biblical allusion as it is believed that the rider of the ‘white’ horse is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ who will overcome all that is evil and set up the Kingdom of God upon earth. Thus white is a symbol of victory, which is Blair’s ultimate aspiration.

In contrast, the still-image presents Rita Hayworth as a ‘woman of desire’ particularly through her body language, facial expression, clothing and appearance. In the text, Hayworth is depicted in white against a black backdrop, thus bringing her to the forefront of the image. Her facial expression is one of playful confidence, pleasure and satisfaction; she seems rather carefree holding a cigarette in her hand whilst her eyes remain closed, almost as though she herself is dreaming of her own erotic fantasy. Her clothing and posture combine to achieve the similar function of accentuating her ‘hourglass figure’, which in many cultures is the ‘ideal’ body shape for a woman, enlarging the arms, chest, hips, and rear to make her seem more ‘desirable’ to men. Hayworth’s dress fits tightly around her body, helping to shape her curves and bust, especially considering that the dress is strapless. She also holds a fur coat in her hand, which, it appears, she has purposefully taken off to communicate to the viewer her ‘corrupt’ intentions, as well as to create an image of raw sensuality that will attract male viewers. The presumably expensive fur, it seems, is being dragged across the floor, symbolically highlighting Hayworth’s decadence. Finally, the smoke from the cigarette creates an air of mystery around Hayworth, as there is no context given as to which scene of Gilda that the still was taken from, and thus no information on her circumstance. The fact that she is even ostentatiously holding a cigarette, an accessory that now connotes illness and death, contributes to her ‘temptress’ appearance. Whereas Tony Blair is presented as an honorable and righteous man, Hayworth is seen more as a metonym for seduction and desire.

Whereas the poster makes use of both the visual and written modes of communication, the still-image relies entirely upon the visual mode to satisfy the intended function of the text. The Labour Party poster makes use of the phrase “because Britain deserves better” in combination with the image of Tony Blair to engage the viewer. Because in the English language the dominant literacy practice is to read from left to right, the text is situated to the left of Blair, perhaps suggesting that it should be read first. However, the written text overlaps the image of Blair, creating a symbiosis between the man and the text’s message. The bold, red text used for the written mode stands out against the monotone colour of the image to draw the viewer’s attention. With regard to the actual content of the text, there is a certain ambiguity with which the phrase is written. The phrase begins with the conjunction, ‘because’, which although is most often used to connect two clauses, is being used as a bridge between the written and visual texts. In essence, the photograph of Tony Blair is the first clause of the text, presenting him in all his glory. However, because the first clause of the text is not evident, understanding of the text requires a certain degree of knowledge of the national culture, specifically the failures of public policy, and that the British citizens deserve “better” than the incumbent government. The phrase is elegant in its simplicity, and is very coherent due to its plosive alliteration, thus complimenting the visual text nicely. The other written text that is used on the poster is the logo of the Labour Party in the bottom right-hand corner. This, I believe, is written for branding purposes, as it ties Tony Blair to the Labour Party, thus raising his reputation as the Labour Party’s candidate for election. The still-image of Rita Hayworth, on the other hand, is not intertextually manipulated, but rather taken from a time period when media technology was only a shadow of what it is today. The text is therefore more ‘authentic’ in design, and though less complex, is able to fulfill its intended purpose of garnering public attention with relative ease. This distinction between the texts is an important one to consider, as it reveals that body language and positioning can be a valuable tool when attempting to ‘create a statement’.

Although the two texts are similar in construction, as they both employ images of prominent media figures as the central feature to attract the attention of the public, they differ in terms of audience, context and style. The first text, the British Labour Party poster, is targeted at a national audience, as an understanding of the text requires contextual knowledge of Britain’s current political situation. Consequently, the poster is designed to inspire patriotism and evoke empathy from British nationals suggesting that Tony Blair embodies Britain’s national identity. The still of Rita Hayworth, on the other hand, is acquired from the film Gilda, and thus is targeted towards a more international audience. Furthermore, the sensual atmosphere that is evoked from the text is universal, as in modern society it has become accepted knowledge that women, rather than men, are the symbols of beauty, passion and temptation.

Oppositional or negotiated readings are, of course, possible. Viewers may reject the dominant, hegemonic reading of both texts. Some (feminists) may reject the overt objectification of Hayworth for the titillation of the male gaze. Also, Hayworth’s material extravagance may be repelling to some in the immediate aftermath of World War 2. Similarly, in responding to the election poster, it is not hard to imagine the cynicism of readers who are fed up with politicians and their broken promises.