I
want to use this blog post to talk more about my data discussion presentation
and the possible directions I may be going with. The clip I chose to focus on
was from the reality TV program ‘Toddler’s and Tiara’s’ and the following clip
is of a particular pageant mum Melissa. While watching this short clip keep in
mind the various topics related to Dramaturgy. Another important to aspect to
consider is that this program is highly edited and producer’s have chopped and
changed certain sections to magnify any crazy mum vibes. But even when focusing
on single clips without all the cross cuts, I believe there is some juicy
information to work with.
Within the framework of dramaturgy
social life is viewed as a drama and a game. The theatrical metaphor is evident
in this clip with Melissa presenting her and her daughter to the world
performing specific roles. Melissa’s role is not only Carly’s mother but a successful
pageant mother gives her a sense of personal identity. Another key element in this scene is that of
performance, with the ways in which we act determined by the different settings
and audience. Goffman also introduces
the idea of front stage and back stage. Front stage is where the formal performance takes place and follows
the conventions that have meaning to the audience. The actor knows he or she is
being watched and acts accordingly – Melissa acts like the happy, encouraging,
supporting, calm pageant mum as she is
aware that the cameras are recording everything she says and does. E.g. 0.31 “Get
started” fake smile for the cameras. Back stage
is where performers are present but the audience is not, so the individual can
step out of character. Things that are suppressed in the front stage
may appear – When Carly is continually defying Melissa in front of the cameras
she begins to feel embarrassed by her daughter’s actions. She takes Carly aside and begins to whisper
(thinking that the cameras can no longer hear her). Her backstage persona is
reflected as she begins to whisper threats to Carly, her “true colours” in a
sense are revealed. ["the
iPod will be gone" "you're going to be a sorry girl" "we're
on television!"] she doesn’t want to reveal her private self to a public
sphere. This
action could be seen as Impression management which can be defined as
the work on maintaining the right impression, defensive and protective
techniques.
Here are a couple of links I found interesting on this topic:
Allen,
M. 2011, ‘Living Vicariously through Children with a Twist’, A Matter of
Personality
Ralston,
J . 2001, ‘The high cost of beauty’, Parenting,
vol. 15 no. 9, pp. 132-140
A dolla make me holla honey boo boo child! 'Mama' in the pic, multiple chuckle for this chick :)
ReplyDeleteI found this a rather interesting take on the back-stage v front stage persona, as discussed by Goffman (1971).
ReplyDeleteI originally clicked on your post thinking it would have something to do with the toddlers themselves, focusing on the different persona they use when on stage in front of the judges compared to when they are at home being a "normal" kid.
Kudos to you for developing this idea, and Goffman’s sociological terms, further than just the obvious. I like that you took the focus off the children and relayed it back to the parents who appear in this reality series. Although the series loosely pretends to be based upon the miniature princesses who prance around in too much make-up and too little clothing, the real stars of this show are the dominating and often SCARY stage mums who force their daughters into competing in beauty pageants.
These ladies view themselves as royalty, as the real life queens who spawned their little princesses. They smile for the cameras, constantly acting positive and optimistic and always remind their daughters how beautiful they look.. Yet when they forget the cameras are watching, they throw tantrums to rival their toddlers, call their daughter a loser and never make a reference to their child’s personality, unless pointing out how greedy, annoying or disobedient they can be.
It is OBVIOUS to everyone else that these mothers are borderline monsters, yet they themselves are completely unaware.
They are a prime example of the actor believing so much in their performance, that they are tricked into thinking the act is real-life (I cant remember who said but I'm pretty sure I quoted him in one of my earlier blogs). Yet for the most part their audience remains unconvinced, forcing these monster/mothers to work harder at their pretense and further convince themselves there is nothing wrong.
you have made some really good points about how these women are living though there daughters and moulding them into mini version of themselves compared to there true personality and construct there own lives and physical presentation compared to being moulded and told how to act and what to where.
ReplyDeleteThis does look clearly at backstage and front stage as Maquilla has stated in relation to Goffman reading
There is a very clear representation of the front stage and back stage shown through Mellissa comments to Carly
'The iPod will be gone"
'You're going to be a sorry girl'
'We're on television!'
These lines are said in a whisper to her daughter Carly,as Mellissa forgets she is wearing a microphone which allows us as audience to see her both ‘backstage’ and then ‘front stage’ when she then stands up and moves away from Carly and back to camera to put back on her ‘front stage’ role
Ashleigh you have made me look at these show in such a more in depth way and see how these mothers are both very full on as well as putting a role as the same as they are teaching there daughter to act the way they want them to and what they what there daughters to grow up as and who they should be in future.