It Has been argued that all genre texts promote a set of values related to the contexts in which they are produced. How far do you agree?

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Stephanie Gadsby Media Studies Mrs Wright

It has been argued that all genre texts promote a set of values related to the contexts in which they are produced.

How far do you agree?

I think it is correct in saying that genre texts promote a set of values directly linked and related to the contexts they were produced in but I don’t think they can just be boxed off as being related to that specific context. Some values related to context have continued throughout genre. Genre is an ever-evolving thing as is the audience who consumes it so this may lead to different values being highlighted and different conventions of the genre being added over time but some values have definitely stayed present.

For instance if you look at science fiction films, the values have changed through time to what was the focal point of worry or concern of humans at the time. Horror films from earlier years are still identifiable as part of the sci-fi genre but the values may be different from more contemporary films.  Producers of science fiction films often use their films as predictions or social commentaries of the time. The values associated with the film have changed from fear of technology, fear of natural disasters and what the future beholds for the human race as well as others.

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Genre changes through time because audiences and society changes. Issues arise and decrease all the time in the world so it’s only natural that films do also so audiences can identify more with the film making it appeal to more of a mass audience.

Some of the values promoted through genre texts have stayed through time and are not only specific the context they were made in. For example in gangster films iconography is similar today to what it was when they were first made such as the gangster being smartly dressed in a suit, cigars showing status ...

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