Representations

 Messages and values

It could be argued that The Big Issue privileges a white male perspective owing to an under-representation of people of colour and women on covers where an individual is the focus.

However this does not mean that these minorities are represented poorly and will often try to show them in positive lights.

The big issue reflects celebrity culture in a positive light as they will have a main focus to draw the reader in. It is believed that the audience will recognised the celebrity.

Social inequalities are also reflected in representation.

Representation= How someone something or somewhere is presented to someone else

for example on the show EastEnders, the character of Phil Mitchell is a representation of a white, middle age, working-class men in east London.

Who is being represented?

This image represents the street vendors for the big issue who are homeless, the image is humanizing the street vendors showing them to be happy, proud and hard working people. The main image has William standing tall looking off into the distance giving the reader the impression of pride with West Minster visible in the background of the shot. The quote using the line "Here I am" representing the journey hew has went on and the sense of accomplishment he must feel from this. This is also a positive representation of a black man with a low camera angle elevating him in the shot with his chest pushed out. Not only Britain is being represented but the queen i9s also in fact being represented s it shows Britain's approach towards and change towards the homeless.

1)Does this image follow the typical house style of the big issue?  

Yes as not only does is stay with its status quo of challenging politics but furthermore has an exaggerated art style. it uses intertextuality with reference to the sex pistol with the fount and colours.

2)What can you say about the central image and why it is important?
The central image of big ben is meant to symbolize Britain as a whole, especially for the rest of the world, it is a noticeable British landmark and it being broken will give audiences a clear understanding of what is meant by the tag line.

3)What can you say about the phrase rebuild democracy?

 this phrase means they see a major flaw with the way democracy is leading in Britain, this also means they do not believe in any other system but rather want to improve it.

4)Why are they making politics such a big issue?

Because they believe that the government are the ones who can help change and help the underprivilege.

5) why would you expect these cover lines on the front cover of the big issue?

Because they have a tendency to challenge politics and politicians for their ideals and beliefs.

6) why would Ken Loach feature on the front cover?

Because he is notorious for making films around the underprivileged with films like I Daniel Blake and Kes.

Trump holding the world in his hands symbolising the sheer power that the US president holds

Trump- They have made his head massive in order to literally pose him as big headed. His mouth is open with a humorous face in order to mock him.

The mock him because he is literally what they stand against, aggressive capitalism

'What's the worst thing that could happen' famous last words 

Vladimir Putin riding an eagle the symbol of America

A man running away from the white house

Lightning for dramatic affect

The key representation of Donald trump from the big issue is that he is a joke. They aggressively mock him and his politics and label his philosophies as a joke. There also seem to view trump as dangerous and a threat to the society which the BI wish to promote.

 This is clear through the use of media language techniques such as in the central image of trump where his head is comically large head with a humorous facial expression, showing trump to laughed at with idiotic policies and ideologies. However, they seem to be trying to warn us that his election is not just a joke but also a worry for us all. They have superimposed the world into his hand, a visual metaphor showing the power behind the position of US president and how dangerous it would be to award this to Donald Trump. In an attempt to show us his decisions and actions can impact on us all. The fact that he is surrounded by lightning bolts evoke an idea of horror and seem to suggest an disaster waiting to happen. 

The key representation of this front cover