Ugly Betty detailed analysis

Media Language: A medium shot showing Betty with her hands on her hips. Her costume is bright and bold connoting her uniqueness and it suggests she stands out. However as the costume is not stylish it suggests she stands out as an outcast. Her glasses suggest she’s a nerd.

Ideology: The ideology promoted with this image is that you should be confident regardless of the appearance (the exterior make-up), as although Betty doesn’t look attractive, her hands on her hips suggest she’s confident and doesn’t care how she looks.

Genre: comedy/romance

Representation: Although ‘Ugly Betty’ tries to break down the two different roles of females put forward by the media- of being a sex symbol of a mother, Betty is represented as a mother figure to her boss Daniel as she is always taking care of him when he’s in a situation. Even her pose (hands on hips) seems to suggest she’s mother-like and is telling someone off.

Narrative: Betty saving the day by helping her as well as helping her family. It shows the challenges she faces day to day.

Ana Ortiz

Hilda is a single parent who is young and attractive. This is shown by the way she dresses and although she takes on the mother role her costume makes her seem attractive as well. She is unemployed and is overshadowed by her sister Betty.

- Vanessa Williams

This image shows that Wilhelmina a very classy and glamorous woman who is very career focused and will do anything to succeed. She is confident and has authority over the other workers. She is stylish and is attractive so does not have a mother role but is viewed as a sex object. She is portrayed as a mean evil woman who doesn’t care about anyone.

Becki Newton

Amanda is the receptionist at Mode and is portrayed as a stereotypically ditzy girl who is not very caring but is cunning and sly. She is concerned much about her image and is viewed as a sex object as she is attractive.

America Ferrera

Betty is represented as a typical geek-as she usually is shown with her glasses and her braces are revealed when she smiles. Her clothes are not stylish whatsoever hence she is not portrayed as a sex symbol but instead she takes the mother role, as she usually takes care of the mess her boss gets himself into. She shows motherly characteristics as she is warm and caring.

Media Proposal

Title: To what extent have the representations of women changed with particular reference to ‘Ugly Betty’ (2006, Silvio Horta)?

Hypothesis: The role of women has changed as in ‘Ugly Betty’ the protagonist is independent, working and she also challenges the idea of conventional beauty.

M: usually features a close up of Betty’s face
I: women should be feminine and attractive
G: comedy/romance
R: Betty is represented as a geek while Amanda is represented as a stereotypically blonde ditzy girl
I: channel 4
N: tends to be Betty saving the day and her boss always relying on her

Wider Context
Social: relates with the issue of image obsession
Historical: women were discriminated against in the world of work but this has changed. Also, before females had a passive role yet ‘Ugly Betty’ shows the protagonist Betty to have a more active role.
Economical: more females are the breadwinners and this is reflected in ‘Ugly Betty’ where Betty takes on the breadwinner role as she is the main source of income.

Theories/Theorist:
Feminist: idea of patriarchal society
Functionalist: idea of female staying at home and having the more traditional role of being a housewife.
Laura Mulvery: ‘male gaze’

Other text:
Desperate Housewives
Sex and the City
Kill Bill
The Devil Wears Prada

What to research:
‘Representing Women’-MacDonald, Myra (1995)
Laura Mulvery
Debates on ‘Ugly Betty’ focusing on image
‘The Changing Role of Women’- Loon, Borin Van and Sardar, Ziauddin (2002)