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  • Essay / Scene Analysis Using Sociological Theories on Television: Gossip Girl

    Theory on TelevisionThe scene I am going to describe is from the series Gossip Girl. The setting is set in present day Manhattan, New York, and revolves around the lives of privileged teenagers attending a prestigious private prep school. The scene features a trio with their "leader", Blair Waldorf, on the steps of their school where they often meet. Jenny Humphrey, an underclassmen freshman ready to do whatever Blair Waldorf commands, approaches the trio with handmade invitations for Blair's upcoming party that she created in hopes of receive one herself for her hard work. She in turn receives one when the “it” girl from Manhattan, Serena Van Der Woodsen, also arrives on the scene. Blair and Serena have a slight confrontation and the scene ends with the trio leaving the "it" girl all alone on the steps. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay. The attitude expressed between the characters, Blair Waldorf and Jenny Humphrey, shows that social class differences still exist. Conflict theory asserts that society is “characterized by pervasive inequalities based on class, gender, and other factors” (Smith 2013: 3.1). Jenny Humphrey was not only a freshman, but she is considered poor in the eyes of people like Blair Waldorf. Humphrey lives in Brooklyn and takes the city bus every day to school. His father is a middle-class man who sells low-level art for a living. In contrast, Blair Waldorf's mother is one of New York's most admired fashion designers, delegating herself as one of society's elites. It is obvious that the interaction exchanged between the two can be considered in two ways: the poor and the rich. Jenny Humphrey is full of hope every time she meets an elite and aspires to be a part of it and live her life. Blair Waldorf simply doesn't care that anyone below her exists, unless she thinks they are directing a relevant cause to a plan she has at that moment. This illustrates macrosociological inequalities – “the part of sociology that deals with issues involving large-scale social change” (Barkan: 3.1) – within society. Based on their social class, Blair Waldorf believes she has the advantage over Jenny Humphrey who is not as lucky. It is more likely that someone like Jenny Humphrey would immediately engage in whatever endeavor someone like Blair Waldorf offers her because Blair is considered the superior being. Blair uses his sociological perspective, the "belief that people's social backgrounds influence their attitudes" (Barkan: 1.1) to strive for wealth status. Utilitarianism, also known as exchange theory "emphasizes that when people interact, they seek to maximize the benefits they gain from the interaction and minimize the harms" (Barkan: 3.1). In the scene, Jenny Humphrey is obviously "seeking the benefits" of the "interaction" she exchanges with Blair and her two servants. She sees her chance to be accepted into their society, a “group of people who live in a well-defined territory and who share a culture” (Barkan: 1.1) of prestige and wealth. Conflict theory has an impact on this scene because the social classes of rich and poor heads clash. Although Jenny here applies the theory of exchange by collecting party invitations to receive one herself, she is still.