The Portrayal of Women in "24"

Paper Summary:

This paper attempts to analyze how women are portrayed in the television series, "24." It analyzes this series that exemplifies the equality of men and women in their portrayal of roles of authority and leadership. The paper suggests that the series is atypical of real-life settings of typical individuals and therefore portrays women narrowly, but equal in stature to men.

From the Paper:

"These events, while atypical of real-life settings of typical individuals, portray women narrowly in the sense that the situations are not only atypical and for all intents and purposes, extraordinary, but also portray them in extreme circumstances, equally atypical of real-life. The reactions of the characters are somewhat restricted in this sense. On the other hand, the genre of this series inherently restricts the amount of variability that can be shown, especially with the time constraints imposed by the structure of the series. The 24 series, while its portrayal of women in a 21st century setting and culture is fairly accurate, particular nuances pertaining to womanhood are left out. In the same light, the series reflects the equal stature of women and men in this present age, particularly with regard to positions of command and authority."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Council on American-Islamic Relations. "Fox Says 'No Ethnic Group Has Been Singled Out' on '24'." Cair.com. 17 Jan 2007. 17 April 2007. <http://cair.com/default.asp?Page=articleView&id=2526&theType=NR>
• Elasmar Michael, Kazumi Hasegawa and Mary Brain. "The Portrayal of Women in U.S. Prime Time Television." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media. 43 (1999).
• Parry, Wayne. "'24' Under Fire From Muslim Groups: They're Upset That This Season's Villains Are Islamic Terrorists." Associated Press. 17 Jan 2007. 17 April 2007.<http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/18/tv/main2371842.shtml>
• Poniewozik, James. "The Evolution of Jack Bauer." Time [Online]. 14 Jan 2007. 17 April 2007. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1576853-2,00.html>
• Poniewozik, James. "The Coming Fight Over TV Gore." Time [Online]. 15 Mar 2007. 17 April 2007. <http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1599719,00.html>

More papers on The Portrayal of Women in "24":

• Persuasive Essay # 134861 : "The Portrayal of Women in the Media"
• Comparison Essay # 129229 : "The Portrayal of Women in Literature"
• Analytical Essay # 16229 : "The Portrayal of Women in "Middlemarch"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: