Gender in Advertising

  This is an advertisement for Van Heusen ties. Various designs of the ties are shown. They have "man-talking, power-packed patterns," making them exclusively for men. The man in the ad is wearing one of the ties, lying in bed while his wife tends to him. Not only are ties with "fine fabrics" advertised, but also ideas of societal norms. Men usually are the ones who wear ties, so the ad is directed towards them. Women typically wear dresses and are characterized by the feminine color pink, as seen with the wife in the ad. The wife's place, back in the 1960s, was in the kitchen. How the woman in the picture is serving the man breakfast refers to this claim. Though, the most striking and obvious societal norm the ad displays is the fact that "it's a man's world." The man gets to sit back and relax, while the woman serves to his every whim. The husband is above the wife, literally in the sense that he's up on the bed while she's kneeling to him on the floor, and figuratively in the sense of who has the power. Obviously, this ad is appealing to men as it shows them being dominant. Therefore, it also appeals to women, in reference to their happiness being solely their husbands' happiness. "It's a man's world," and sadly, the women are "so happy it is."

McMurphy's Journal

Dear Journal,
  
      Since I'm as "mad" as the rest of the patients, I have to sit through their group meetings too. This Harding guy had this problem with his wife and her breasts. Hoo boy, that "touch upon" joke was so funny. That uptight Nurse Ratched didn't think so, though. Telling them my records, mispronouncing my name. Who does she think she is? Then I try to bring some more fun and games into that meeting, but no one's laughing. So, I just sat and waited before I made any kind of play, like a true gambler. I wasn't a fan of these Group Therapy shindigs. They remind me of my least favorite kind of party, chicken peckin' parties. And it didn't take long for Harding to admit that nurse was peckin' at his everlovin' balls. But that guy's such a coward, sayin' we're all rabbits and Nurse Ratched's the wolf. Goddammit, I'm no bunny or no wolf. Too bad the guys on the ward act like frightened little bunny rabbits. Looks like I'm the one who needs take down Nurse Ratched. Just like my Unk Hallahan, I'm gonna get the best of that woman, without her getting the best of me. No Disturbed Ward, Shock shop, or lobotomy for me. Hoo, I can't wait to get her goat, see her fall apart, and win the bet I made with all them Acutes. I think I'm gonna like this place.

Hamlet's Office Supply Store

Gertrude can be characterized with a ruler because she's queen of Denmark. Her new husband, Claudius, also doesn't measure up to her first husband, King Hamlet. She can also be related to scissors since she cuts ties with King Hamlet by remarrying. She is also spoken to with daggers by her son, Hamlet. Despite partially causing the whole tragedy, Gertrude never wanted families to fall apart. She wanted the families to combine through what would have been Hamlet's and Ophelia's marriage, like papers held together by a paper clip. This is shown through the quote: "I hoped thou shouldst have been my Hamlet's wife; I thought thy bride-bed to have deck'd, sweet maid, and not have strew'd thy grave." 

Ophelia could be portrayed as a post-it note because she stuck to the rules. She responded to Polonius' every command, saying "I shall obey, my lord," even though she was being used. Ophelia also got hung up on Hamlet. Also, like a paper post-it note, Ophelia can easily rip and break. Just like the branch, Ophelia's mind and heart broke. Her love for Hamlet can also be symbolized by a stapler. She desired to stay attached to him, even though he hurt her, as if a staple was driven through her heart.

Laertes can be represented by a pencil, since he was away at school for most of the play because his "thoughts and wishes bend again toward France." He also wanted to erase Hamlet off the face of the earth. By planning to kill him, Laertes was writing out and controlling Hamlet's fate. He can also be seen as a ruler, since he led a rebellion against the palace. This refers to how violent Laertes is, as if he's like sharp scissors. Laertes was only vengeful because he loved his family and was attached to them (paper clip).

To plant, or not to plant

Hamlet's bouquet features purple (royalty) rosemary, for remembering his real father, King Hamlet. Anemome (purple) and double bouvardia (pink) show Hamlet's enthusiasm and anticiptation to take vengence. Unfortunately, he was a bit too patient with his revenge, so aster (purple) for patience is included.  Hamlet's bouquet also ironically contains pink king protea, to show he needs to be daring.

Claudius' bouquet contains purple (royalty) columbine, representing adultery and the affair he had with Gertrude. The snapdragon symbolizes desire, such as Claudius' hunger for his brother's throne. The snap dragon is also red for Claudius' rage against both Hamlets and his passion for Gertrude and power. This relates to the lily that means majesty. The lily is white with pink streaks, representing Claudius being "red-handed" for commiting the murder of King Hamlet.

The bouquet of Gertrude features the blue forget-me-not and yellow rue to symbolize how she wasn't faithful to King Hamlet by marrying his brother, Claudius. There is also white chrysanthemum to refer how readers/viewers never really know the truth about Gertrude: if she was an accomplice of King Hamlet's murder or not. The meaning of secret love for the yellow acacia refers to another one of Gertrude's mysteries: whether or not her relationship with Claudius was before or after King Hamlet's death.

The bouquet for Ophelia includes purple stock, red amaryllis, and purple orchids to represent her beauty. Purple anemome refers to how Hamlet abandoned her, attacking her and all women kind. This, and Polonius' death, broke Ophelia's heart. Ophelia's heart was fragile, hence the pink azalea, and soon her mind grew fragile as she became mad.

Works Cited



Karlsen, Kathleen. "Flower Symbolism with Pictures of Flowers and Their Meanings." Symbol Meaning for Hundreds of Symbols & Symbol Resources, n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

 "Meaning of Flowers" FEELINGS Florist. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.

"The Meaning Behind Your Flowers." Wedding Blog. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012.
 "Ophelia's Flowers and Their Symbolic Meaning." Index of /. n.p., n.d. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. 

Sonnet

Life is a show. See the curtain rising.
They are all players with their very own roles.
They perform, they pronounce, they dance, they sing,
Expressing deep thoughts of characters' souls.

Theater's all an act. There's nothing more?
ACTION! They are told, but how do they act?
Truth is what we, the audience, look for.
But, what's real in a staged life so abstract?

Life a play? Play with other's emotions?
They're in character, but is it their own?
Lines of a script, or lies with false notion?
Pretending is where deception is grown.

Truth exits stage right. Where's the honest mark?
With the bright spotlight, we're left in the dark.

Barnyard Hamlet

ACT 1

(Scene 1)
Enter Barnardo and Francisco

Barnardo: Who's there?

Francisco: I think I hear them. Give you good night

Francisco exits

Enter Horatio and Marcellus

Marcellus: Horatio will not let belief take hold of him touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us.

Enter Ghost

Barnardo: Looks he not like the King?

Ghost exits

Horatio: Our last king, did slay this Fortinbras, who by sealed compact, did forfeit, with his life, all his lands to the conqueror. Now, sir, young Fortinbras sharked up a list of lawless resolutes to recover of us those foresaid lands.

                                                                         Enter Ghost

Horatio: If thou art privy to thy country's fate, O, speak!

The cock crows

Ghost exits

Barnardo: It was about to speak when the cock crew.

Horatio: Let us impart what we have seen tonight unto young Hamlet.

They exit

(Scene 2)

Flourish. Enter Claudius, Gertrude, Polonius, Laertes, Hamlet, Voltemand, and Cornelius.

Claudius: Our sometime sister, now our queen, have we with mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage, taken to wife. Now, Young Fortinbras hath not failed to pester us with message importing the surrender. We have here writ to uncle of young Fortinbras. You, Cornelius and Voltemand, for bearers of this greeting to old Norway.

Giving them a paper

Cornelius/Voltemand: We show our duty.

Voltemand and Cornelius exit 

Claudius: And now, Laertes?
Laertes: My thoughts and wishes bend again toward France.

Polonius: I do beseech you, give him leave to go.

Claudius: But now, my cousin Hamlet, and my son—

Hamlet (aside): A little more kin and less than kind.

Gertrude: Cast thy nighted color off. Do not forever seek for thy noble father in the dust.
Hamlet: 'Tis not alone my inky cloak that can denote me truly.Gertrude: I pray thee, go not to Wittenberg.

Hamlet: I shall obey you, madam.

Flourish. All but Hamlet exit.

Hamlet: O, that this too, too sullied flesh would melt. A little month, all tears—why she married with my uncle. It cannot come to good. But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

 Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo.

Hamlet: Methinks I see my father. In my mind's eye.

Horatio: My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. A figure like your father.

Hamlet: I'll speak to it. I pray you all concealed this sight.

(All but Hamlet) exit.

Hamlet: I doubt some foul play.

He exits.

Farm Animals

Hamlet would be played as a donkey. Like a donkey, Hamlet bears burdens, like the promise of avenging his father. Referring to Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh, Hamlet is depressed about his mother's and uncle's hasty marriage. He also calls himself an ass at the end of Act 2 for not being hasty with his vengeance.


Horatio would be represented by a barn owl. Owls are seen as intelligent and knowledgeable, like Horatio being a scholar. He also was up at night to see the ghost, like the nocturnal owl. An owl's acute sight also refers to Horatio seeing the truth, that there is a ghost.


Marcellus, Barnardo, and Francisco would be horses. Horses are used in battle, such as the reason these guards are needed in the first place (Denmark's preparing for war against Norway). This also refers to how they try to strike the ghost with a weapon. Horses also tend to get spooked.


Cornelius and Voltemand would be dogs. They are loyal to the king and fetch news from Norway.


The ghost would be a goat. King Hamlet acted as a scapegoat. He was a sacrifice and a victim in Claudius' ploy to steal the crown.


Claudius would be depicted as a cat. He was sneaky when he poisoned his brother by his ear. Cats also relate to mystery, refering to the mystery Hamlet's trying to solve (Did Claudius kill King Hamlet?). Claudius' hunger for power also makes him a fat cat.


Laertes would be presented as a duck. He wants to go, or rather, fly away to France. His absence from most of the scenes can be seen as him "ducking" away from all the events.


Polonius would be symbolized as a goose. He's very foolish, not understanding Hamlet's wit. His advice is a bit obnoxious and long-winded, like a goose's honk.


Gertrude would be seen as a rooster. She tells Hamlet to wear brighter clothes, bright like the morning. She also remarried too "early." Gertrude doesn't seem to care for King Hamlet anymore, referring to the cock that scared his ghost away.

The American Dream

Today's vision of the American Dream is to live a better life than the one you have now. With the gifts of freedom and opportunity the U.S. gives to all, people have the ability to change things for the better. America is a rich and diverse country, so their citizens are exposed to more, and thus, want more. With the mind thought that anything can happen, Americans keep alive the dream that things will get better. So, a "rags to riches" story is truly American. The picture depicts a man leaving behind his rags and obtaining money. The rags symbolize previous poverty being left behind. The money is positive symbol. It stands for happiness and hope for a better life in a capitalist world. How the man instantly achieves his dream represents how Americans often seek the easy way, rather than work hard and patience. The American dream is to improve one's life effortlessly and instantly through money.