Hall argued that representation is not about simply reflecting reality—it’s about constructing meaning. Media texts don’t show us the world as it is, but as it is chosen to be shown. What matters is what is present, what is absent, and what is different. These choices shape how we understand people, places, and events. Representations often reinforce dominant ideologies through the use of stereotypes, familiar narratives, and selective framing—guiding audiences toward certain values and beliefs.
1. Start with the Overall Representation
Ask: What or who is being represented—and how?
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Who is shown or talked about? Who is left out?
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Is the portrayal positive, negative, neutral, emotional, threatening?
Hall link: Representation is a constructed version of reality, influenced by power and ideology. What is shown—and what is not—helps shape meaning. Representations rarely tell the whole story.
2. Analyse the Images
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What is visually present, absent, or emphasised?
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Consider: Facial expression, body language, costume, setting, camera angle, lighting.
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Is the subject active or passive, confident or vulnerable?
Hall link: Visual codes help construct identity. Media often relies on stereotyping—reducing people to a few traits, which simplifies understanding but reinforces social power structures.
3. Explore the Main Headline and Language Choices
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What terms are used to describe people or events?
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Look for emotionally charged language or labels (e.g. “hero,” “thug,” “scrounger,” “victim”).
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What adjectives or verbs are used, and what do they suggest?
Hall link: Language plays a major role in constructing representation. It shapes the audience’s preferred reading—often encouraging them to think in ways that reflect dominant ideologies.
4. Consider Subheadings, Captions, and Pull Quotes
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What details are selected and highlighted?
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What tone or perspective do they reinforce?
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Do they clarify, humanise, demonise, or stereotype?
Hall link: These features act as framing devices. They guide interpretation and often reduce ambiguity by limiting alternative viewpoints, aligning with particular social or political values.
5. Identify Patterns and Stereotypes
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Are familiar social roles or assumptions being repeated?
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Are certain people consistently shown in one way (e.g. women as carers, youth as troublemakers, immigrants as threats)?
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Is anything different or surprising about the way a person or group is portrayed?
Hall link: Media texts often reproduce stereotypes, which fix meaning and maintain hierarchies of power. However, difference can be used to resist or subvert dominant narratives.
6. Audience Positioning
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How is the audience being invited to feel—sympathy, anger, fear, pride?
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Who is given voice or agency in the text? Who is silent or marginalised?
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Is the audience expected to accept the message or question it?
Hall link: Texts promote a preferred reading, which reflects dominant values. However, audiences can negotiate or oppose these readings based on their own background and beliefs.
Sentence Starters for Your Essay
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“The representation of [group/individual] is constructed through…”
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“Hall argues that meaning is shaped by what is present, absent, and different…”
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“The text encourages a preferred reading by showing [group] as…”
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“This portrayal relies on stereotypes that reflect dominant ideas about…”
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“Representation here works to reinforce/challenge the ideology of…”
CONTEXTUALISING WITH HALL
Hall’s theory is especially useful when analysing the social and political implications of representation. Use the context to explore the deeper meaning behind what is shown—and what isn’t.
1. Social Context
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Look for: Representations of gender, race, class, age, ability, sexuality.
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Hall link: Stereotyping reflects and maintains social power. For example, showing working-class people as lazy or young people as violent supports dominant class or generational ideologies.
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Ask: What identities are being fixed or simplified?
2. Cultural Context
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Look for: Ideas about belonging, national identity, ethnicity, or values.
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Hall link: Media texts construct meanings about cultural identity—sometimes reinforcing “us vs. them” narratives or celebrating diversity.
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Ask: Are cultural groups shown with nuance, or through repeated clichés?
3. Political Context
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Look for: Representations of power, justice, law, protest, or leadership.
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Hall link: Media often reinforces political ideologies—e.g., showing authority as strong, protesters as chaotic, or policy as common sense.
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Ask: Who holds power in the text, and how is it legitimised?
4. Historical Context
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Look for: Symbols, references, or styles that recall past eras or attitudes.
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Hall link: Representations are not fixed—they shift over time. However, old stereotypes often persist, reflecting historical power structures and attitudes.
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Ask: Is the representation nostalgic, progressive, or stuck in the past?
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