David Gauntlett's theory of identity is the idea that the media provide us with 'tools' or resources that we use to construct our identities. He also says that whilst in the past the media tended to covey singular, straightforward messages about ideal types of male and female identities, the media today offers a more diverse range of icons and characters from which we can pick and mix different ideas from. Finally, these icons become role models for the audience. However, it is not someone who the audience wants to be but someone with who they may share a similar ideological outlook. The Big Issue has various representations throughout the magazine that the audience would be able to relate, depending on their personal situation.
Representation of the elderly
One of the social groups that I have chosen to explore the representation of is the elderly and how The Big Issue generally makes an effort to portray them in a positive light. There is various code which convey this positive representation, this is shown a lot in the article 'My Pitch'. For example, the main image is a medium long shot, and it shows the vendor selling The Big Issue and he looks proud to be doing so. He is smiling and looks genuinely pleased to be doing his job, even as an older man.
The background makes it clear that he is selling in the streets, signified by the blurred-out shops in the background, and this could possibly be to suggest the struggles that vendors face and how elderly vendors in particular might be affected. 'Donato Barbieri,70' acts as anchorage to the main image and the inclusion of his age could possibly encourage people to help support older vendors as he is working past the age of retirement. However, regardless of this, he does not appear like a stereotypical homeless vendor, he looks to be in good, healthy condition, demonstrating how The Big Issue betters' people and gives older people the opportunity to provide themselves with a working life. Furthermore, having Donato tell the story himself in the first person connects him closer to the reader and makes him and the representation of him seem more authentic.
In the article, emotive language is used to describe the 'troubles' he faced and there is a repetition of him being 'beaten up' throughout his life. However, he talks about how when he began selling The Big Issue, he was given a 'purpose' again. The lexical field of violence shown previously before this demonstrates how the magazine has turned his life around. This represents the elderly as strong, determined and resilient. David Gauntlett's theory of identity can be applied here as audience members of an older age would be able to identify with Donato as he acts as role model here. He is happy, resilient and inspiring.
Representation of addicts
In the article 'Moving On' it provides examples of some of the greatest success stories from people selling The Big Issue. The direct mode address is straightforward and holds no sense of prejudice against this man which can sadly be common when the media represents addicts of any kind. Instead of focusing on the hardship they have gone through, the magazine has chosen to show us that he has been able to ‘turn his life around’. The direct address also suggests that this magazine doesn’t shy away from hard-hitting topics and that they don’t belittle or segregate others in life therefore playing into their ideology of breaking down boarders within society.
The semantic field of ‘new beginnings’ is shown through words such as ‘change,’ ‘empowering,’ ‘recovery’ and ‘turning point’ and the images that sit alongside which show two seemingly happy and healthy men. All of this not only subverts stereotypical representations of addiction (often where the actual mental illness is disregarded and subsequently the blame is placed onto the individual themselves who, as a result, are often shown to be a ‘lost cause’ with no future ahead of them) but allows for an ideology to be pushed across: that lives can turn around – that there is help there (and The Big Issue can be part of that help). This provides a positive representation for addicts who might identify and relate to these stories.
Representation of gender and ethnicity
The Big Issue prides itself on providing a fair and balanced representation of differing social groups, whilst also providing a voice for the voiceless in society. In the 'Moving On' article we see a diverse range of people included and therefore a number of different representations. There is people of different colours, men and women and a variety of ages. This demonstrates the fact that homelessness can truly target and effect anyone. Furthermore, these representations are positive and present these people as successful and resilient, again making them act as role models.
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