Critical Perspectives

Dissertation Proposal
OGR
Eleanor Spence
Enquiry:

The Representation and

Portrayal of Mother Figures
in Videogames
Synopsis:
My dissertation will investigate the portrayal and
representation of mothers in of fairy-tales and folklore,
showing how certain tropes and story arcs continue to
be used in the present day. Following this, my
dissertation will look into gender theory and the overall
representation of women in videogames, before
discussing the BioShock series. This will enquire into how
the mother figures in this game series are written and
treated, and whether or not they continue to adhere to
the tropes and story arcs of old folktales.
Chapters:
Chapter 1: Chapter 2: Chapter 3:
History Gender Theory The BioShock series.
Folklore/Fairytales Judith Butler Discuss main mother
Origin of Evil
Representation of figures: Jasmine
Stepmother women in Jolene, Brigid
videogames. Tenenbaum, Sofia
Modern media that
Show existing issues Lamb, Lady
adheres to these
rules. both in society and Comstock.
media. How they continue to
Dead mothers in
use/go against how
childrens media.
mothers are
Effect this has, what it traditionally written.
says about attitudes
to women.
Research Proforma:
Book: Morphology of the Folktale Vladimir Propp
Identifies and breaks down common themes in folktales, including the representation of
mother figures.
Propp, Vladimir (1968) Morphology of the Folktale. United States: University of Texas Press.

Book: Gender Trouble Judith Butler

Looks at gender as a performance.
Butler, Judith (1990) Gender Theory. United States: Routledge.

Book: The Reproduction of Mothering: Psychoanalysis and

the Sociology of Gender Nancy Chodorow
Discusses gender roles in parenting and differences between mother and fatherhood.
Chodorow, Nancy (1999) The Reproduction of Mothering: Psychoanalysis and the Sociology of Gender. United
States: University of California Press.
Research Proforma:

Book: The Monstrous Feminine Barbara Creed

Has some investigation into how mothers are represented in film and the relationships
they have with their child/children.
Creed, Barbara (1993) The Monstrous Feminine. United States: Routledge.

Journal: Wicked Women: The Stepmother as a Figure of

Evil in the Grimms' Fairy Tales
Looks into the death of the biological mother, role of stepmother as evil character.
Behrooz, A. Wicked Women: The Stepmother as a Figure of Evil in the Grimms' Fairy Tales In: Retrospect
Journal.co.uk [online] At: http://www.retrospectjournal.co.uk/latestarticles/2016/4/6/wicked-women-the-
stepmother-as-a-figure-of-evil-in-the-grimms-fairy-tales (Accessed on 04.02.2017)
Research Proforma:

Journal: Gender and video games: How is female gender

generally represented in various genres of video games?
Looks at representation of women in video games.
Kondrat, X. (2015) Gender and video games: How is female gender generally represented in various genres of
video games? In: Journal of Comparative Research in Anthropology and Sociology [online] At:
http://compaso.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Compaso2015-61-Kondrat.pdf (Accessed on 04.02.2017)

Documentary: The Codes of Gender (2010) Sut Jhally

Investigates effect of American popular culture on gender ideals, as well as looking into
sociologist Erving Goffman's claim that gender ideals are the result of ritualised cultural
performance.
The Codes of Gender. (2010) Directed by Sut Jhally [DVD] United States: Media Education Foundation.