Publication: Amerikan sinemasında basmakalıp tipleme
Abstract
Basmakalıp tipleme, bir iç grup - biz - tarafından bir dış gruba - onlar - yönelik uygulanan olumsuz bir genellemedir. Basmakalıp tiplenen karakterler, kendi bireysel özellikleri temel alınarak biçimlenmez; onun yerine etnik kökeni, yaşadığı ülke ve dini inanışı ile bağlı olduğu gruplara yönelik genel önyargılı bakış açısı ile biçimlenir. Kızılderililerin ilkel ve vahşi, Yahudilerin cimri olmaları hep basmakalıp tipleme örnekleridir. Sinema çok etkili bir kitle iletişim aracıdır. Amerikan sineması ise bütün dünyada yarattığı etkiyle adeta 20. yüzyıla damgasını vurmuştur. Bu bağlamda, filmlerde etnik kökenlerine göre basmakalıp tiplenen karakterler, izleyicilerin bu gruplar hakkında önyargılı ve olumsuz kanılara sahip olmalarına neden olur. Basmakalıp tipleme aslında herkesin uyguladığı bir tutum, bir kategorize etme sistemidir. Bebekte, dış dünyanın kendi kontrolü altında olmadığını anlamasıyla filizlenen endişenin yol açtığı bir savunma mekanizması olarak ortaya çıkar. Bebek kontrolü altında olmayan etkenleri kötü olarak sınıflandırarak dış dünyayla ilişkilendirir ve endişelerini dışarıya yükler. Aynı şekilde yetişkinler de psikolojik, toplumsal ve ekonomik endişelerini dış gruplara, azınlıklara yöneltirler. Basmakalıp tiplenen grup üyelerinin bazıları gerçekten yapılan tiplemelere uymakta ve bu yüzden senaristler filmlerde ekonomik anlatım uğruna basmakalıp tiplemeye başvurmaktadır. Böylece kötü olan bir karakterin neden kötü olduğunu uzun uzadıya anlatmaktan kurtulurlar. Karakter farklı olduğu için, öteki olduğu için kötüdür. Basmakalıp tipleme hakim grup tarafından azınlıkta olan dış gruplara uygulanan bir tutumdur. Amerikan toplumunda hakim grup, beyaz, Anglosakson kökenli Protestanlardan oluşur. Hakim grubun elinde olan zenginliği ve gücü kaybetme korkusu bilinçaltından sinemaya da yansımaktadır. Bilinçaltı korkuların etkisinde kötülükler hep dış gruplara yakıştırılan özellikler haline gelir. Amerikan sinemasında basmakalıp tiplenen karakterleri dört ana gruba ayırabiliriz: Kızılderililer, Amerika kıtasının istilası sırasında Beyazlara karşı bir engel oluşturduğu için ilkel ve vahşi olarak resmedilmişlerdir. Siyahlar ise genel olarak önemsiz rollerde, hizmetçi olarak veya cinselliği abartılmış, suça yatkın erkek rollerinde beyaz ırkın saflığına tehdit olarak gösterilmişlerdir. Latinler, pis, tembel olarak eşkıya tiplemelerinde sinemada görünmüşlerdir. Uzakdoğulular ya beyaz insana hizmet eden rollerde veya hain olarak portrelenmişlerdir. Son yıllarda çok kültürlü bağımsız sinemanın gelişmesi, Amerikan toplumunda azınlıkların baskı grubu oluşturmaları ve bunların sonucunda daha fazla azınlık kökenli yapımcı, yönetmen ve oyuncunun filmlerde görev almaları, basmakalıp tiplemenin yol açtığı olumsuz etkileri azaltmaktadır.
Stereotyping is a generalization used by one group (the in group, us) about members of another group (the out group, them) and the generalization is usually a negative one. A stereotype character is judged according to his/ her ethnicity, nationality or religion instead of his/ her personal characteristics. Savage Indians, stingy Jews are but two examples of stereotypes. Cinema is an influential mass communication medium. Especially American cinema is widely marketed and viewed around the globe. Thus, the stereotypes that appear in American movies foster prejudiced negative opinions towards the stereotyped groups among viewers. Stereotyping is a behavioral process that every individual experiences. It stems from the anxiety a child develops when he figures that he is unable to control the outside world. The child categorizes the uncontrolled elements as bad and projects his anxiety towards these elements. Similarly grown-ups project their psychological, sociological and economic anxieties to the other groups, which are the out groups, the minorities. It is true that some of the stereotype characteristics do exist. That is one of the reasons stereotyping is used in films. Another reason is the narrative efficiency they provide for the scriptwriters; they do not need to explain why a certain character has evil characteristics. He is bad because he is from an outside minority group; he is the other. The in-group is usually the dominant majority in a society. In the US, the dominant group is the WASP society. The dominant group fears losing its wealth and power. These subconscious fears are sometimes projected on film screens by allotting negative characteristics particularly to minority groups. We can categorize the stereotyping in American films - past and to a lesser degree present - into four main groups: American Indians were portrayed as primitive savages who try to prevent the occupation of WASP's of the American continent. Blacks usually used to appear in minor roles as servants, or as slow-witted, lazy, promiscuous men, or drug dealers. The black men usually were seen a threat to the pure white race. Hispanics were shown as greasy and lazy; at other times they appeared as bandits. Asians were pictured as white man's servant or cruel treacherous soldiers in wars. The growth of independent films in the last two decades has led to multiculturalism in films. As directors, producers and actors from minority groups succeed, negative effects of stereotyping in films will become less and less.
Stereotyping is a generalization used by one group (the in group, us) about members of another group (the out group, them) and the generalization is usually a negative one. A stereotype character is judged according to his/ her ethnicity, nationality or religion instead of his/ her personal characteristics. Savage Indians, stingy Jews are but two examples of stereotypes. Cinema is an influential mass communication medium. Especially American cinema is widely marketed and viewed around the globe. Thus, the stereotypes that appear in American movies foster prejudiced negative opinions towards the stereotyped groups among viewers. Stereotyping is a behavioral process that every individual experiences. It stems from the anxiety a child develops when he figures that he is unable to control the outside world. The child categorizes the uncontrolled elements as bad and projects his anxiety towards these elements. Similarly grown-ups project their psychological, sociological and economic anxieties to the other groups, which are the out groups, the minorities. It is true that some of the stereotype characteristics do exist. That is one of the reasons stereotyping is used in films. Another reason is the narrative efficiency they provide for the scriptwriters; they do not need to explain why a certain character has evil characteristics. He is bad because he is from an outside minority group; he is the other. The in-group is usually the dominant majority in a society. In the US, the dominant group is the WASP society. The dominant group fears losing its wealth and power. These subconscious fears are sometimes projected on film screens by allotting negative characteristics particularly to minority groups. We can categorize the stereotyping in American films - past and to a lesser degree present - into four main groups: American Indians were portrayed as primitive savages who try to prevent the occupation of WASP's of the American continent. Blacks usually used to appear in minor roles as servants, or as slow-witted, lazy, promiscuous men, or drug dealers. The black men usually were seen a threat to the pure white race. Hispanics were shown as greasy and lazy; at other times they appeared as bandits. Asians were pictured as white man's servant or cruel treacherous soldiers in wars. The growth of independent films in the last two decades has led to multiculturalism in films. As directors, producers and actors from minority groups succeed, negative effects of stereotyping in films will become less and less.