Read the passage carefully and answer the following questions. Popular culture influences every aspect of our daily lives as we listen to popular music, read the press, and watch television and even go to movies. The images portrayed in popular culture influences our perspectives of people, of places, and of cultures. Mitchell in That’s Funny You Don’t look like a Teacher (1995), suggested that images of teacher in the media influences the ways in which students and the public conceptualise what is it to be a teacher. Thus, critiquing images of teachers in films such as Mona Lisa Smile is of considerable importance. A critical review of Mona Lisa Smile is a place to open a dialogue about teachers’ images in films. The film opens in the socially conservative setting of the 1950’s drawn from the experience of Katherine Watson, a teacher of art history who relocated from California to work at Wellesley College, a prestigious New England women’s school, the screen play casts Julia Roberts as Watson. Thus, the film embraces the ethos of the days in which young women in prestigious schools are expected to memorize course contents as they prepare to become exemplary mothers who oversee the education of their children, and wives-to-be for the nation’s elite males. The ideas about the schooling of girls in that time were persistently influenced by the dominant ideologies regarding the role of women in wider society. The dominant ideal upheld by the middle classes for women was that of the good wife and mother, so girls were “offered a curriculum that would make them attractive in marriage market” However, Watson challenges the College’s status quo and presents more liberal feminist ideas that are taken especially by students, Elizabeth (‘Betty’) Warren (Kristen Dunst), Joan Brandwyn (Julia Stiles), and Giselle Levy (Maggie Gyllenhaal). These girls “had everything and she showed them more.” Their stories intertwine with Watson’s eagerness to teach about life and choice. Joan Brandwyn, a bright, enthusiastic young woman, is torn between her dream to become a lawyer and the social pressure for women her age to marry and have children. Warren, a fragile, malicious gossip and the editorial writer for the school newspaper is the greatest opposition against Watson’s feminist perspectives. The post war era, and the incompatible tides of progressive thought versus tradition, is reflected in the struggle between Watson’s and Betty’s tense discussions. 2.Which of the following are part of popular culture? (1 Point) Movies and television Music Press All of the above 3.Based on your understanding of the passage, read the statement and choose the correct option. Mona Lisa Smile is a movie which discusses (1 Point) Movies' influence on popular culture Teachers' image in films Art in films The portrait of Mona Lisa 4.The name of the art teacher is (1 Point) Julia Roberts Catherine Watson Elizabeth Warren 5.Wellesley College is a prestigious (1 Point) girls college in California Women's school in New England co-ed school in California Co-ed school in New England 6.Women's dominant role in wider society in 1950's was that of a mother and wife (1 Point) True False 7.The subject taught by Watson was (1 Point) English Philosophy History Art History 8.Pick the statements which apply to Wellesley College. a. It prepared the women to become exemplary mothers who oversee the education of their children, b. The curriculum prepared the boy to be perfect husbands c. It prepared women to be perfect wives-to-be for the nation’s elite males. d. The college expected the young women to memorize course contents e. The school appreciated the career oriented women f. College supported liberal feminist ideas g. Its curriculum was to make women attractive in marriage market (2 Points) option a options b, c and f options b, d, e and g options a, c, d and g 9.Pick the sentence(s) which are correct a. All the students were against Watson b. Watson taught them about life and choices c. Watson was in favour of institution's ideology regarding women's role in wider society d. Watson represented progressive thoughts and liberal ideologies e. Betty was the biggest opposition against Watson's perspective f. Joan aspired to be a lawyer. (2 Points) only options c and d only options a, b and e only options b, d, e and f only options a, c, e and f
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The term ‘popular culture’ holds different meanings depending on who’s defining it and the context of use. It is generally recognized as the vernacular or people’s culture that predominates in a society at a point in time. As Brummett explains in Rhetorical Dimensions of Popular Culture, pop culture involves the aspects of social life most actively involved in by the public. As the ‘culture of the people’, popular culture is determined by the interactions between people in their everyday activities: styles of dress, the use of slang, greeting rituals and the foods that people eat are all examples of popular culture. Popular culture is also informed by the mass media.
There are a number of generally agreed elements comprising popular culture. For example, popular culture encompasses the most immediate and contemporary aspects of our lives. These aspects are often subject to rapid change, especially in a highly technological world in which people are brought closer and closer by omnipresent media. Certain standards and commonly held beliefs are reflected in pop culture. Because of its commonality, pop culture both reflects and influences people’s everyday life (see eg Petracca and Sorapure, Common Culture). Furthermore, brands can attain pop iconic status (eg the Nike swoosh or McDonald’s golden arches). However, iconic brands, as other aspects of popular culture, may rise and fall