Media Representation Theory Pack One: Representation/Hall:

Extract from SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE OPENING SCENE (2019), March 29, 2019

The pressure from society based on race is the scene's central idea. As he attends Vision's middle school and tries to blend in with the social class he has joined, Miles struggles with his sense of belonging in this new life. His "ordinary" existence and being at school with his buddies are what he longs for. There is an apparent distinction between Miles' father and his uncle Aaron; while his father wants him to go to a famous school, Miles wants to follow in his uncle Aaron's footsteps, who embodies a way of life that differs from his father's goals and is more in line with Miles own. One example of nontraditional representation is Mile's father. Since police officers are typically depicted in the media and in reality, as having racial relations issues, the fact that he is shown to us as a police officer defies many common stereotypes about them. In contrast, Miles' dad, who is Black, sets aside racial assumptions. Because he conforms to more traditional male black stereotypes, Mile's uncle Aaron is a prime example of appropriated representation. He is living a considerably more relaxed lifestyle, as seen by the bright lights and music he plays on loudspeakers in his room. Miles serves as an example of deconstructed representation as a result. He struggles between his father and his uncle, two black men in his life. The scene's circumstances suggest that Miles and his uncle are more alike in terms of their shared musical preferences, wish to walk to school, and other characteristics. He constantly wants his father to be proud of him; therefore, he always strives to live up to his standards and not disappoint him.