Stuart Hall Encoding/Decoding Model

Decoding

Decoding is an understanding of a specific media text.

Codes can be a visual (Things you can see) or an aural (Things you can hear)
They have symbolic value. For example: Glasses. Glasses can symbolise many things, such as: Intelligence.

Many media industries use codes in different texts to set a certain character type.

According to Stuart hall there are 3 ways to decode a media text: 1) Preferred or Dominant Reading = the way the producer of a text intended the text to be understood. 2) Oppositional Reading = where the preferred or dominant meaning is recognised but rejected for
    cultural or political reasons. 3) Negotiated Reading = where the reader agrees with elements of the text, but not all.


Grand Theft Auto
The main image of this Grand Theft Auto poster is an image of a woman being portrayed in a sexual manner. There are many visual codes to suggest this. Her clothing is minimal, with a strap off the shoulder, her body features are extremely revealing and like the other visual codes, it's connoting promiscuity and seduction. Many other visual codes also suggest this such as the red lollypop and her gaze. Everything about the woman is being portrayed in a sexual way and therefore objectifying women.
The colours of these visual codes are all the same. Her clothing, hair and the lollypop are all red. The colour red, in society, is a feminine colour and furthermore has many connotations of a sexual nature and seduction. Despite the negative view towards women with the use of the visual codes, the colour red also symbolises a range of other things other than seduction. Red also has connotations of love, passion and also danger.

Nico, the main protagonist, is portrayed as a powerful man. This is because of the visual codes. Nico is standing in a powerful stance, presented as the stereotypical dominant male. His gaze can be seen as intimidating and also what he is doing with his hands is also intimidation as it seems like he is getting ready for a fight. This connotes that Nico is a violent, aggressive man.


There are many different examples of visual code within this image of Lara Croft when compared to Cherry. Cherry seems more of an innocent girl where as Lara Croft seem quite powerful and intimidating, she is portrayed much like Nico from before. Lara is still however sexualised within this image with a lot of skin showing and also the large breasts. The use of the weaponry portrays Lara as being a independent woman who isn't afraid to fight, the very opposite of the stereotypical woman. Her clothing suggest her personality and trait, he is represented as quite adventurous. All of these codes enforce the idea of 'Girl Power' and how women, much like men, are powerful and can have an extremly strong role in society.

Lads Mags

Lads magazines are a perfect example of what the media thinks women's role in society is. These magazine include specific visual codes to catch their target audience. For example: as these magazines are targeting adult males, the codes used would be very sexualised, showing many female body parts and by using certain phrases that would appeal to this male audience. "Ready for Bed" is the biggest text on the cover and therefore it is the first thing people would read. Other phrases such as "MILF" and "Huge" would attract the male audience. As the background is a black, any vibrant colour would stand out and catch the audiences attention. This is why all the text colours are contrasting colours to black (Green and White.) The female dressed in minimal clothing and exposing specific body parts to attract their target audience. Not only the females body, but also her gaze would attract their desired audience as she is looking into he camera with a seductive manner.

I believe that these magazine are extremely sexist and can cause a moral issue within society. The way these magazines are portraying these women is not ideal. Many women that see these magazines and see the perfect photoshopped bodies may become disheartened within themselves and their bodies because they don't look like that, it may become an unhealthy obsession towards these women also. It also raises unrealistic expectations of women from a mans perspective. On the other hand, these women decided that they wanted to pose this way and it is their body and therefore they have the decision to do what they wish with it, within good reason.