Write a 8-10 page (of text --this page requirement does not include cover page or references) typed double spaced paper that applies a specific theory to a communication event/ artifact (worth 200 poi

Outline

Introduction

1. Hook- Begin with a thought-provoking quote or joke from the film related to changing societal perceptions of humor and cultural sensitivity.

2. Thesis- The paper aims to analyze the evolution of audience perception of humor and jokes in "Pitch Perfect" from its release in 2012 to the present day, considering the cultural hermeneutic theory.

3. Preview- Describe how the paper will explore the cultural hermeneutic theory's application to the film's evolving reception and analyze the changes in audience perceptions regarding its humor and cultural representations.

Theory

1. Cultural hermeneutics is a theoretical framework that focuses on the interpretation and understanding of cultural phenomena, emphasizing the significance of context, language, and historical perspectives in the process. Rooted in the broader field of hermeneutics, cultural hermeneutics is particularly concerned with deciphering the meanings embedded in cultural artifacts such as texts, symbols, rituals, and practices. (Geertz, 1973)

2. An awareness of historical developments and shifts is crucial. Cultural hermeneutics encourages an exploration of how cultural meanings evolve over time, considering the impact of historical events and changing societal dynamics. (Geertz,1983)

Describe Artifact

1. The artifact I chose is the 2012 comedy romance Pitch Perfect, which is a mixture of a coming-of-age movie and musical readaptation following a college student who is trying to find herself on this new journey she was forced to go on. The movie follows the main character Becca as she embarks on her first year of college she meets numerous people who are all part of or want to be a part of this acapella community at the college which then pulls her into that community as well. Not knowing that being a part of this club would bring so much love and drama into her life she finds herself making new friends and also an unexpected companion that will face challenges throughout the film. Although there are challenges and ups and downs Becca does face in the end she discovers a new sound for the Bellas and a new understanding of herself. (IMDB,)

2. Throughout the film, different types of humor and jokes appeal to the audience, and at the time the movie came out the jokes were found funny and appropriate but as time goes on looking back at the perspective that we are in now the jokes would be called inappropriate and not acceptable today.

1. “The enactment of humor as a trait, which creates individual differences within people. The trait of humor enactment has been labeled HO, and they identified individual differences between people who are highly humorous and those who are not. Individuals who are high HO enact more humorous communicative behaviors such as language, expressivity, and impersonation. (Booth-Butterfield, Maki, & McMullen, 2012)

2. Bergson represents the disciplinary approach to a mode of humor that polices social norms through cruel, corrective laughter. In contrast, Bakhtin opens up a festive or even revolutionary space in which carnivalesque laughter mocks authority and subverts sovereign tyranny. Bataille lands somewhere in the middle, emphasizing the messy materiality of the burst of laughter itself and the inherent unknowability of its social or psychological effects. (Hennefeld, Berke, & Reennett)

Analysis

1. Apply the cultural hermeneutic theory to dissect the humor and jokes in the movie.

2. Provide specific examples of sexist stereotypes, sexual assault, and culturally inappropriate jokes in the film.

1. "Here's your official BU rape whistle, don’t blow it unless it's actually happening."

• This quote pokes fun at sexual assault happening at colleges and though the words themselves don't stand out as a joke the way it's presented in the scene with the character of being very smiley and overjoyed while she delivers the line plays into the joke self.

1. “Women are about as good at acapella as they are at being doctors.”

• This quote plays along with the stereotypes that women Are not good at jobs that are considered for men.

1. “I think we have just seen some acapella history being made John, and from an all-female group gale I could never have called this one.”

• This quote plays into the stereotype that women don't usually surpass men and women in certain instances or competitions because men are typically superior.

1. “I thought of a new name for this hairstyle it's called the orthodox Jew ponytail because it's very reserved at the front but party in the back.”

• This was an example of a culturally inappropriate we're joke it talks about orthodox Jews and their lifestyles compared to one character's hairstyle which could be offensive.

1. Discuss how the jokes were perceived in 2012 versus how they might be viewed in 2023, considering changes in societal norms and attitudes.

Discussion

1. Reflect on what the analysis of the movie's jokes reveals about cultural hermeneutic theory.

• Framing what constitutes the text works with a basic assumption that we can find ourselves in conversation about a common term only to discover that we understand the communicative event so differently it ceases to be the same text. The importance of public framing of the text responds to historicity/bias. Gadamer suggests that how we perceive rests in bias, not in objectivity. Instead of arguing for some way to be objective, the key is to make bias public, both in one's question and in one's framing of the text. (Arnett, 2007)

1. Discuss how the analysis of the movie aligns with broader societal changes and evolving sensitivities.

• "How do individuals and communities use communication practices to resist and reimagine new normalcies in times of crisis and change?" (Buzzanell, 2010). People actively engage in communication practices to resist prevailing norms and envision new, more adaptive "normalcies" during times of crisis. Communication plays a significant role in shaping and navigating the process of resilience as individuals and communities challenge existing power structures and imagine alternative futures.

• A thick description forges a thick interpretation (Ponterotto & Grieger, 2007, p. 419), which in turn leads to interpretive action (Geertz, 1973, pp. 22, 27). A thick description (henceforth referred to as thick interpretation), contrary to a thin description (henceforth referred to as thin interpretation), offers an interpretive depth to a rhetorical situation, possibilizing constructive sensemaking shifts and responses to disruptions in life. The rhetorical shifts foreground the communicative construction of resilience. (Laztoo,2021)

Conclusion

1. Recap the key points discussed regarding the movie's jokes and evolving perceptions.

2. Highlight the significance of understanding cultural shifts and the role of humor in reflecting societal changes.

3. Offer final reflections on the relevance of analyzing cultural artifacts in understanding evolving societal attitudes.

References

Arnett, R. (2007). Interpretive inquiry is qualitative Communication Research. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 8(1), 29–35. https://doi-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1080/17459430701617887

Booth-Butterfield, M., Maki, S., & McMullen, A. (2012). Does Our Humor Affect Us?: An Examination of a Dyad’s Humor Orientation. Communication Quarterly, 60(5), 649–664. https://doi-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1080/01463373.2012.725006

Buzzanell, P. M. (2010) Resilience: talking, resisting, and imagining new normalcies into being. Journal of Communication, 60(1), 1–14. https://doi-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2009.01469.x

Geertz, C. (1973). The growth of culture and the evolution of the mind. In C. Geertz (Ed.), The Interpretation of Culture: Selected Essays (pp. 55–83), Basic Books, Inc.

Geertz, C. (1983). The way we think now is toward an ethnography of modern thoughts. In C. Geertz (Ed.), Local Knowledge: Further Essays in Interpretive Anthropology (pp. 147–163) Basic Books, Inc.

Hennefeld, M., Berke, A., & Rennett, M. (2019). In Focus: What’s So Funny about Comedy and Humor Studies? Introduction. JCMS: Journal of Cinema & Media Studies, 58(3), 137–142.

IMDb.com. (2012, October 5). Pitch Perfect. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981677/ 

Latzoo, C. (2021). Communicative Resilience as Interpretive Response: An Existential-Phenomenology of Reintegration Southern Communication Journal, 86(3), 189–200. https://doi-org.libproxy.library.unt.edu/10.1080/1041794X.2021.1901303

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