The character that I critically analyzed is Troy Bolton, from the High School Musical franchise. Troy is portrayed as the high school hunk, as he is the captain of the basketball team, a heartthrob that the girls admire and want to be with, and an idol to the other boys who strive to be as cool as him. Not only is Troy represented as a teenage jock, but he also has a passion for performing in musicals, which contrasts and contradicts many of the theories we have studied in this course. Troy’s character can be effectively analyzed using Pierre Bourdieu’s Cultural Deprivation Theory, and Becky Francis’ Gender Gap Theory.
Pierre Bourdieu’s cultural deprivation theory explains how the way individuals are raised, and the values learned from your family, shapes your taste as you age. This affects the choices that an individual makes regarding what they buy, wear, and overall daily decisions. In High School Musical, Troy’s father is the coach for the high school basketball team that Troy plays on. When his father played, he was the star of his team, and has always wanted the same for his …show more content…
Many traditional and religious families believe that an individual’s sex determines their gender. Conflict occurs when a young boy who wants to express himself in his own ways cannot, due to the judgment and ridicule from his parents. Troy expresses that you can be who you want to be, and do what makes you happy. Unfortunately, based on many studies, this is seen to not be the case. “Gender role attitudes differ vastly across societies, and consequently it can be expected that immigrants in Europe hold different attitudes from natives” (Röder, 2011). If an adolescent boy is watching High School Musical and sees that Troy is able to emit these characteristics without feeling shame from his family or friends, he might wish for the same
Pierre Bourdieu’s cultural deprivation theory explains how the way individuals are raised, and the values learned from your family, shapes your taste as you age. This affects the choices that an individual makes regarding what they buy, wear, and overall daily decisions. In High School Musical, Troy’s father is the coach for the high school basketball team that Troy plays on. When his father played, he was the star of his team, and has always wanted the same for his …show more content…
Many traditional and religious families believe that an individual’s sex determines their gender. Conflict occurs when a young boy who wants to express himself in his own ways cannot, due to the judgment and ridicule from his parents. Troy expresses that you can be who you want to be, and do what makes you happy. Unfortunately, based on many studies, this is seen to not be the case. “Gender role attitudes differ vastly across societies, and consequently it can be expected that immigrants in Europe hold different attitudes from natives” (Röder, 2011). If an adolescent boy is watching High School Musical and sees that Troy is able to emit these characteristics without feeling shame from his family or friends, he might wish for the same