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This assignment involves the preparation of an essay that evaluates the portrayal of family issues or situations in a specific medium in terms of whether or not the portrayal is realistic. Findings from the literature should be used to support what you say about whether or not a particular aspect of the portrayal is realistic. Do not search for articles that discuss television or the media or the medium that you are using. The literature should tell us about the reality of family life or a family issue.Remember to carefully proofread your paper. Using a computer spell checker is helpful, but spell checkers will not catch all errors. Also remember to carefully follow APA format on the reference page and when citing references within the body of the paper. You do not need to list the medium (television show, movie, book) that you are evaluating on the reference page. The medium also does not count as one of the five required references. When referring to the medium within the body of the paper, just capitalize the first letter of each word in the title and either enclose the title in quotation marks or italicize or bold the title.
Assignment 3 Media Critique
It has been well established that the media is a powerful socialization agent that has the ability to shape our attitudes and values on a variety of issues. This includes the ability to shape our thinking about family life. The requirement for this assignment is the preparation of a term paper that critiques/evaluates the portrayal of the family in the media.
First consider how the family is portrayed in the media. This might include an examination of how families are presented in popular fictional television programs, movies, commercials, comic series, or books. Choose only one specific medium (one book, movie, or television show). The medium you choose should not be a documentary or "reality" show. You should then prepare an essay that evaluates the portrayal of the family in this medium in terms of whether or not the portrayal is realistic. The critique must be supported by references in the literature that illustrate the realities of family life.
The paper should be limited to 5 typed double-spaced pages using 12 point font and one inch margins, should be written in APA style (indent paragraphs and do not use an extra space between paragraphs)and should resemble the following format:
- Introduction (Essay of 1–2 paragraphs)
- Introduce the topic and state the purpose of the paper.
- Provide a brief description of the medium that you are evaluating. What is the plot or storyline, and who are the major characters?
- Critique/Literature review (Essay of approx. 4 pages)
- Using specific examples from the medium that you have chosen, discuss the portrayal of the family. Does the portrayal reflect reality? Use findings from the literature to support what you say about whether or not this portrayal of family life is realistic. For example, if you say that a particular program is not realistic because it does not reflect the financial reality of most families, then you should provide support for the fact that most families do not have the financial resources portrayed in the medium.
- Be sure that the literature reviewed is relevant to the component of the media portrayal of family life that you are addressing.
- Your critique/literature review must include at least 5 references, 2 of which must be research articles from academic journals. Journal of Marriage and Families, Family Relations, and Journal of Family Issues are journals that are commonly used to report on research in the field of family studies. These journals are available through the. However, you do not need to limit your search to these journals. Many other appropriate journals may be found by searching through Libraries. Refer to the information in Assignment 1 for more details. Limit your search to “peer reviewed” articles. All references used must have been published within the last ten years.
- Do not search for information about the media. Use findings from the literature and research to support what you say about the reality of family life.
- Do not merely make a paragraph for each research article that looks like one abstract after another. Integrate the results and conclusions of the researchers and relate these findings to your topic. Interpret any quotations used.
III. Conclusions(Essayofapprox.1page)
- Based on your examination of the media portrayal of family life and your review of the literature, what conclusions can you draw? For example, is the portrayal realistic? What are the implications of such a portrayal?
- References (Separate page - not included in 5 page limit) Families in Contemporary Canadian Society FMLY 1000 Assignment 3 1
- Use the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA 6th edition) as a guide to references in the text of the paper and on the reference page. Information on citing sources using APA format can be found online through the Academic Learning Centre or the Libraries. Students can also ask the Distance and Online Education Librarian to borrow a printed copy of the APA manual or purchase a copy of the manual through the Bookstore.
- The reference list should only contain works used within the text of the literature review. All references must be cited both within the text of the paper and on the reference page.
- Within the text of the paper, works are cited in the following way:
- For a paraphrased non-direct quotation: Smith (2011) noted that financial difficulties are common among families OR Most families experience financial stress (Smith, 2011). 2. For a direct quotation: Smith (2011) stated that “Families are in economic danger” (p. 70). OR “Most of the research participants had low self-esteem” (Smith, 2011, p. 206). 3. Note that only the last names of authors are cited within the text.
- Examples for reference list: Journal article Smith, A., & Jones, P. (2011). The family and divorce today. Journal of Marriage and Families 3(5), 112–118. doi:10.10.12111/j.00212344.2011.0005.x Book Smith, A. (2011). Canadian families today: How have they changed over the centuries. Chicago: Winston Press. Note that on the reference page all references are listed in alphabetical order and are not separated by reference type.
- See the APA manual for more details. You are expected to consult the APA manual to correctly format all references used.
Grading for this assignment will be based on following the guidelines provided in the assignment instructions (e.g., providing and introduction and a conclusion), the use of appropriate reference material, the content of the literature review and the critique, following APA reference format, and the quality of writing
All assignments are submitted in the assignment submission folder labeled for each assignment. The assignment must be in Word format and the file title should be Assignment 3 and your surname. For example "Assignment 3 Smith". All assignments must include a title page with the course number and your name or student number. Always keep a backup copy of your assignments. It is your responsibility to check to see that the assignment has been received and that the file can be opened. You can do this within the course website.
More information
Assignment 3 requires the preparation of an essay that evaluates the media portrayal of a family situation or family issue in terms of whether or not the portrayal is realistic when compared to the literature on this family situation or issue.
In order to do this assignment, students must first choose a specific medium that portrays family life. When I have used a similar assignment in the past, most students have chosen specific television shows or movies. However a comic series, children’s book, or fictional novel is also appropriate. Do not use reality shows, documentaries, biographies or autobiographies. In order to keep the essay focused, choose only one medium (that is, one show, book, or movie) that you will evaluate and discuss.
Students then need to RELAX and watch/read what they have chosen. As you do this, you need to ask yourself, “Is what I am seeing/reading realistic for this type of situation?” and “Why is it realistic?” or “Why is it not realistic?” Very often examples will jump out at you.
The answer to these questions is the basis for you essay. For example, say you have chosen a television show that depicts a lone-parent family situation. You think that this show is unrealistic because there is no portrayal of financial struggles, role overload, and so on. You would then examine the literature pertaining to lone-parent families and see if you can use the literature to support the point you are trying to make. What does the literature say about the financial situation of lone-parent families? Role overload?
As another example, say that you choose a movie that depicts a situation of intimate partner violence. You think that the portrayal is realistic because the perpetrator made attempts to isolate the victim/survivor. If you were to consult the literature on this topic, you would find that this is, in fact, very often the situation in “real” cases of intimate partner violence.
In some situations, you will find that certain parts of a movie/show/book are realistic while other parts are not. In that case, you can comment on both. Your evaluation does not have to be all one way or another. Your evaluation should include a discussion of three aspects of the portrayal that you argue are either realistic or unrealistic. For example, if you were evaluating a movie that portrayed a female lone-parent family where the mother was in a serious relationship with an intimate partner, you might discuss financial issues, the role overload of the mother who tries to balance work and family, and the reaction of the children to the intimate partner.
Students must use a minimum of five references for this assignment. Two of these five references must be from academic journals. One of them can be your textbook (although you are not required to use the textbook). The others can
be reputable on-line sources, books, or other articles from academic journals. References must have been published from 2008 and later. Check textbooks that you may have from other courses – you might find something that you can use. The medium that you are evaluating does not count as a reference. Within the text of your paper you can refer to your medium using a capital letter and/or italics (for example, Sunshine or Sunshine). You must remember to use the literature to support what you say about whether or not the portrayal of family is realistic.
DO NOT search for literature about the media in general, about families in the media, or about the specific medium that you are evaluating. The literature should reflect reality. For example, if you think that a particular movie is a realistic depiction of a divorce situation, you should look for literature on divorce.
Consult the marking key in the assignment instructions for details about how the assignment will be marked. Remember to use APA format for citing references within the text of your paper and on the reference page. Also remember to proof read your paper to catch spelling and grammatical errors. Do not use contractions (for example, don’t or couldn’t) in academic writing.
I hope that these examples have provided some clarification. I think that there is no other part of this course where open communication is as important as it is as when it comes to the time that students are preparing assignments. You must feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns about the assignment.
| Subject | Essay Writing | Pages | 11 | Style | APA |
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Answer
The portrayal of Military Families in Fauda
Various media portray the family in different ways. Some present families as ideal while others are realistic about the problems which are faced by families in contemporary society. In the media, the military family is presented in a different light compared to the civilian family. One of the mediums which portray the predicaments of a military family is Fauda, an Israeli thriller that portrays the human and family side of Israeli undercover army units and the Palestinian militants. Fauda, an Arabic word for “chaos”, features Doron (Lior Raz) married to Gali and their two children; a son, Ido, and Noga, their daughter (Netflix, 2018). The other primary character is Abu Ahmad (Hisham Sulliman), married to Nassrin and with one son and daughter, Ahmad and Abir respectively. The movie series demonstrates how military men and militants have to jungle between playing their roles as husbands and fathers while also fulfilling their roles in the military fields. Fauda is realistic in the presentation of the military family as one which is full of fear and anxiety, emotional distress, parenting problems, financial difficulties, and even separations. This paper provides an evaluation of the various ways in which the military family has been portrayed by the media, with a particular focus on Fauda.
Fauda realistically portrays military families as populated by fear and anxiety, especially for the wives of the military men during the times of deployment. According to Karney et al. (2012), military families have to cope with” long hours, unpredictable schedules, frequent relocations, and separations from loved ones due to deployment” (p.1574). Lester and Flake (2013) add that deployment of the service men and women “undermine family communication and members’ ability to rebuild closeness after each deployment separation” (p.218). Such concepts have been effectively demonstrated by the various ways in Fauda whereby the families of the military men and militants have had to cope with the absence of their family members due to deployment. For instance, when Doron is called back to the unit, he is forced to leave his family unexpectedly, work for long hours, and be separated from not only his wife (Gali), but also his children, Ido and Noga. Additionally, Abu Ahmad’s wife and children had to cope with his absence as he is forced into hiding during the Israeli-Palestinian war which then demonstrates that military families are populated with separations. Additionally, the wives of both Doron and Abu Ahmad have to stay in fear that their husbands might be harmed during their duties and are thus anxious for them to return home safely.
Military families, as realistically portrayed by Fauda, face the challenges of not only separation, but also financial difficulties and emotional distress, aspects common in actual marriages. Notably, when Sheikh Awadalla’s son, whose wife was expectant, engages in the mission to avenge for the death of his father, his wife is left without any money (Netflix, 2018). As such, the Hamas organization realizes this and sends some amount to her to ensure that she can continue with her life. Such a portrayal is real because, according to MacDermid Wadsworth (2010), financial difficulties for military families, especially during times of deployment, can lead to their “children [being] susceptible to interruptions in infrastructure (e.g., education, health care, food supplies)” (p.548). Emotional distress is displayed where Abu Ahmad’s wife confesses to how she misses her husband to return home. Additionally, she has various intimate encounters with her husband in hiding which demonstrates that the emotional connection suffers because of military engagements. Baptist et al. (2011) underscore the emotional distress present in military families by describing how military couples’ “different sexual needs was stressful on their marriages and that re-engaging sexually was challenging after having had to “turn off” sexually during the deployment.” The portrayal of the emotional problems in Fauda realistically demonstrates the emotional distress of couples in military families.
Fauda has effectively and realistically demonstrated that husbands in military families are short-tempered and even angrier after deployment because of the atrocities which they have encountered and thus making their families lack the happiness required. A perfect example in the medium is that of Doron who has had to argue severally with his wife because of his temper and anger (Netflix, 2018). According to Baptist et al. (2011), some of the service members are “more short-tempered or angrier post-deployment” (p.6) which makes their partners be careful when around them as they fear to startle them which might lead to arguments. Saltzman et al. (2014) confirm the presence of temper and anger in military families by arguing that they experience “increased rates of marital conflict and domestic violence” (p.214). Similarly, Karney, Loughran, and Pollard (2012) agree that “military service is highly stressful for service members and their families” (p.1576) which might make them become angrier as they seek to balance their roles in the family and their responsivities in their military unit. Families in the military are different from those in the civilian world because of the emotional difficulties and stressful situations faced which then increases their anger and temper and thus domestic violence.
Military families in Fauda have been portrayed as full of separations and divorces as the couples fail to agree on some aspects, especially with regard to balancing between work and facility. For instance, due to loneliness and subsequent unfaithfulness of Gali; Doron’s wife, they are forced to separate (Netflix, 2018). Additionally, Uri Gavriel (Gideon Avital) admits having three divorced wives which then demonstrates the high prevalence of separation and divorces in the military families. Karney, Loughran, and Pollard (2012) underline the rates of divorce in military families by arguing “service members are still no more likely to be divorced than comparable civilians” (p.1591). However, according to Saltzman et al. (2011), the sources of the separations and divorce can arise from an “abrupt shift in emotions, or withdrawal from family activities by a parent or spouse” (p.216). Lester and Flake (2013) argue that separation can be due to “posttraumatic stress, including aggression, irritability, or unpredictable responses to reminders of trauma” (p.127). As such, the portrayal of the military family in Fauda as one which is susceptible to divorce is not only realistic but also akin to the events in the society.
Children in military families are correctly presented as being affected by the military activities of their parents resulting in various emotional and psychological problems. in Fauda, Ido, the son of Doron, learns about how to hold a gun and even saves his father from being killed by one of the Hamas group members (Netflix, 2018). Lester and Flake (2013) confirm the realistic portrayal of this aspect by staying that children of military families have psychological problems as they have to have to say “goodbye with the pervasive worry that their mother or father might return injured, or might not return at all” (p.122). However, Saltzman et al. (2011) state that mental problems of children from military families arise from the “shortfalls in parental availability and monitoring, inconsistent or coercive discipline, inadequate or developmentally inappropriate care routines, and child exposure to marital conflict or domestic violence” (p.218). Despite these differences, they agree with Fauda that children who come from military families have to deal with emotional and psychological problems.
In conclusion, Fauda is realistic in the presentation of the military family as one which is full of fear and anxiety, emotional distress, parenting problems, financial difficulties, and even separations and divorces. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the portrayal of the family in Fauda; an Israeli thriller. A review of literature coupled with the examination of the portrayal of the family in the movie series has shown that # various aspects of the military family demonstrated in Fauda are realistic. For instance, the fear and anxiety of couples whose members are deployed is real and is the norm in most families in the military. Additionally, the financial and emotional difficulties displayed by the wife of one of Hamas’ militants is an event evident in real life. Due to the atrocities witnessed by members of the military in the battleground, they are likely to be short-tempered and angrier towards their wives or husbands. The separation of Doron and Gali as portrayed in Fauda is realistic considering that there are increased rates of divorce among military couples compared to the civilian populations. The implication of this portrayal is that various measures should be put in place to address the issues faced by military families and thus ensure their stability.
References
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Baptist, J. A., Amanor-Boadu, Y., Garrett, K., Goff, B. S. N., Collum, J., Gamble, P., & Wick, S. (2011). Military marriages: The aftermath of operation Iraqi freedom (OIF) and operation enduring freedom (OEF) deployments. Contemporary Family Therapy, 33(3), 199-214. Karney, B. R., Loughran, D. S., & Pollard, M. S. (2012). Comparing marital status and divorce status in civilian and military populations. Journal of Family Issues, 33(12), 1572-1594. Lester, P., & Flake, E. (2013). How wartime military service affects children and families. The Future of Children, 121-141. MacDermid Wadsworth, S. M. (2010). Family risk and resilience in the context of war and terrorism. Journal of Marriage and Family, 72(3), 537-556. Netflix. (2018). Fauda. Retrieved from https://www.netflix.com/watch/80113577?trackId=200257859 Saltzman, W. R., Lester, P., Beardslee, W. R., Layne, C. M., Woodward, K., & Nash, W. P. (2011). Mechanisms of risk and resilience in military families: Theoretical and empirical basis of a family-focused resilience enhancement program. Clinical child and family psychology review, 14(3), 213-230.
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