Unit 2: The Greater the Power…

How does the representation of politics in TV shows impact our understanding of power?

Axis: Art and Power

The Top Five White House TV Shows

A Brave New Beautiful

Group 1: The Rise of the Noodle Boys

The document under study is an article extracted from the New York Times, published in 2024. It describes a vision of masculinity based being skinny and young, having an angular jawline. Hence, masculine power no longer comes from the body, but it comes from elsewhere.

It differs from the mainstream beauty standards as they look for men built like a fridge, tall with a deep voice, with defined muscles. Chalamet is the opposite.

The journalist does not sound to agree with the new trend. This is highlighted in his use of unflattering words such as comparing his hair with pasta and describing him as if he were a child (child-like appearance).

(We will continue the study of these texts next time)

Homework: Learn the lesson.

A Brave New Beautiful

Group 1: The Rise of the Noodle Boy

The document under study is an extract from an article published in The New York Times in 2024. The journalist is depicting a more feminine vision of masculinity. Masculine power no longer has to emerge/come from the body but can from elsewhere. It differs from mainstream beauty standards, indeed people see as masculine a man with a broad and built body with defined muscles. Here Timothée Chalamet is the opposite. The journalist is describing the new trend using unflattering adjectives when he describes Chalamet, in fact, he does not seem to like it.

Group 2 K-Pop Models

The document under study is an article from the BBC published in 2021. The article id presenting a vision of masculinity, from Brad Pitt to the BTS (K-pop group). Brad Pitt was the blue-eyed man with defined muscles; masculinity has evolved now to more androgynous form of male beauty with colored hair and make-up. It differs from traditional beauty standards which the references were DiCaprio or Pitt, now we can see men with more feminine traits.

In the past, it was not easy for these people to show up as they wished to. However, nowadays, the Asian market provides more and more interests in these people.

(We will continue the study of these texts next time)

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Unit 2: The Greater the Power…

How does the representation of politics in TV shows impact our understanding of power?

Axis: Art and Power

The Top Five White House TV Shows

The document under study is a video about the top five TV shows/ TV series that take place in the White House.

The first one is entitled “The West Wing”. It deals with how people work in the White House and how the juggle with their personal and professional lives. Moreover, it explores the balance between political strategy and public perception.

Homework: Watch the video again and complete the lesson.

Why do you think so many TV shows take place in the White House?

Pretty Hurts Analysis

The document under study is a video clip for the song entitled “Pretty Hurts” by the famous African-American singer Beyoncé.

In the video, we can see several women taking part in a beauty pageant.

In the backstage, every woman seems to be rival for example, we can see some fighting to have a blow-dryer. Besides, they are not supportive to one another at all. They seem to eat as little as possible to stay fit. We can even see one of them eating cotton balls to trick her stomach into being full. Some even go through surgery. Moreover, they are constantly measured and weighed. The goal of all that is to stay fit and look beautiful.

On stage, they look happy and beautiful, smiling fully. Nevertheless, in reality they are miserable, they had to suffer to be where they are.

Beyoncé’s message through her song is that she is denouncing the impact of the beauty industry that is conveying stereotypes and beauty standards that are painful to young girls and women in general. People should change their mentalities and accept and love their differences.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Moonlight and Magnolias

The two documents under study are extracts of articles, the first one comes from The Conversation website, published in 2025. The second one was published on Equal Justice Initiative website, in 2024. They both deal with plantation museums controversy.

In the first article, we learn about the fire that burnt down Nottoway plantation, Louisiana in May 2025. This tragic event triggered two types of reaction: historians and activists in favor for the preservation of the real history of slavery grieved the loss of this milestone monument. On the other hand, the people who prefer a whitewashed version of history celebrated the destruction of this building.

In the second document, we learn about how plantation tourism started: the former enslavers/slave masters were bankrupt right after Civil War (1861-1865) since they lost their free workforce with the end slavery. As a result, they decided to open the doors of their mansions to visitors and make money out of these visits. They would promote a gentle way of life in the South and would embellish the truth without mentioning the atrocities of slavery.

They would hide the lifestyles of slaves and how they were treated. In fact, the enslaved were dehumanized, treated as mere objects and properties and were deprived from their human rights. Slavery was a crime against humanity.

To conclude, plantation tourism is a burning issue/ heated controversy because there are two popular opinions: the first one is about people who prefer to sugarcoat history presenting and idealized version of the antebellum era; the second one is about people who want to tell the history as it really happened.

Homework: Learn the lesson.

Moonlight and Magnolias

The documents under study are two articles, the first one is taken from The Conversation website, published in 2025. The second one was published on Equal Justice Initiative website in 2024. They both deal with plantation museum controversy.

In the first article, we learn about the fire that destroyed Nottoway Plantation, Louisiana in May 2025. There were different types of reaction: historians and activists for the preservation of the real history grieved the loss of this milestone monument, while others were thrilled to witness the destruction of this building. These were the people who prefer a whitewashed version of history. It reveals tensions between two groups of people: the ones who would prefer an idealized version of history, and another who are fighting to tell the truth as it really happened.

The second document, we learn that plantation tourism started right after the Civil War (1861-1865) when the former enslavers/slave masters who were bankrupt because of the end of slavery decided to open their doors to paying visitors to showcase their houses and make money out of it. They tried to promote gentle life in the South, presenting the lives of the owners and their family without ever mentioning the atrocities that were happening in these same houses through chattel slavery.

Indeed, what was missing and hidden was all the terrible things that happened during slavery and all the lives that were destroyed. In fact, the slave masters were extremely violent to the enslaved and they would consider the enslaved as mere objects and property deprived from human rights.

To conclude, plantation tourism is still a burning issue/ a heated controversy as plantation museums should be used as memorial rather than vacation sites.

Homework: Learn the lesson.