Stereotypes In The Media Essay

Hello everyone! Today, I will be discussing the portrayal of adolescents through various media like TV series, books and poetry, and critiquing the accuracy of such representation. The repeated depiction of adolescents in the media in a similar manner has created many stereotypes (so has societal perception of adolescents, which for the most part are independent of media depiction). The word “stereotypes” is generally seen in a grey light- something that is not quite right, and needs to be rectified. In this speech, I will prove beyond doubt that some such stereotypes are surprisingly accurate, whilst others need some correction. More importantly, through the spoken word, I wish to throw light on what it feels like to be an adolescent- something

These two are channels of opinion and representation that feed off each other. Considering the fact that societal perception is framed only after years of experience, some of these perceptions and consequent media depictions are likely to be true. As mentioned above, irresponsible behaviour and feelings of inadequacy are indeed true of a large number of adolescents. However, some of these depictions are also a result of inaccurate observation or anecdotal evidence: for all their shortcomings and fury at the world, most teenagers work relentlessly towards social acceptance, and very few are desirous of isolation. Hence, stereotypes associated with adolescence are a mixed bag: some far more accurate than others. However, as stereotypes go, none of them even come close to really describing how an adolescent feels. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines an adolescent as a person who is "in the process of transforming into an adult". This stiff collar definition does not aid in understanding one much better though. It's like falling off a roller coaster, knowing that there's a world of pain at the end of the fall, but still trying to enjoy the journey like an adrenaline