Exploring how representations are constructed and how audiences can construct identities from the A Present For You Kitchen DPS

• The constant lexis of capitalist and consumerist ideology reinforces the notion that in order in be a better woman, one must buy a better kitchen
• At the time this magazine was produced, household finances would typically be earned by the male partner, yet women would make decisions regarding household finances and general admin. This slight bit of freedom is exploited by the journalists at the time, offering the female audience an opportunity to express themselves and construct their own identity 
• There are many different price ranges offered, from £1 (20 in today’s money), which allows the magazine to target and position a working class target audience. This allows the target audience to identify with and construct a working class identity
• “Ideal for a kitchen that’s so narrow you bang your back bending down” - a relatable mode of address for the working class target audience, yet also encourages the audience to improve their lives 
• Both of the women in the images are smiling, which reinforces the ideology that women are happy to cook, clean and to accept their existence. This cultivates patriarchal hegemony 
• In the bottom image, a glamorous woman washes up. She is positioned to the right of the sink, allowing the audience to focus on the sink itself. Additionally, the MES of her smiling face is highly exaggerated, reinforcing the message that women adore to wash up and do chores. Finally, she is dressed in a glamorous dress and with full makeup, a highly conflicting message that suggests that washing is as exciting as going out
• Anchored through the MES and setting, we see a stereotypical and hegemonically situated representation of a mother. Confirming her status is the proximity of the mother to her son. This image constructs through media language a positive representation of a mother son relationship. The mother is clearly teaching her son to cook, and in doing so is going against gender norms. Additionally, they are smiling, indicating a positive and loving relationship. Furthermore, both parties are enjoying listening to the radio together, constructing a complex and even challenging representation of femininity. 
• There are fairly complex instructions for home improvement activities that suggest the target audience are expected to understand and to be adept at these instructions. 
• Yet elsewhere, we see gender roles that form a complete binary opposition. The lexis “so any girl can assemble it quickly” constructs a sexist ideology in many ways. Firstly, the dismissive attitude constructs a reality where women are largely incompetent. Furthermore, the target audience are working class and middle aged women. The use of the lexis ‘girl’ constructs a belittling mode of address, cultivating a stereotypical and hegemonic representation of women. In doing so, this reinforces patriarchal hegemonic standards that were typical of the time. 
• “The man in your life” - a significant assumption is made that not only can the target audience not do the hard tasks, that they are straight, and married. For non-married women, there is a clear expectation that getting married is significantly important. 
• The three main images construct an illusion of choice, where the female target audience are deceived into being an active participant in society. However, this choice is an illusion: the only choices they can make are in the domestic sphere
• In the lower image of the woman washing up, an idealised representation is constructed . The model’s hair makeup and dress are perfect, functioning as a proairetic code, suggesting an exciting event. Yet this clearly conflicts with the mundanity of the setting. Once more, this reinforces the dominant patriarchal ideological perspectives of the time it was made.
• The lexis of the headline “a present for your kitchen” reinforces a blunt and sexist ideology that women should be situated in the kitchen. This is reinforced through the contents page, where the only entry under the ‘home’ folio is this article on kitchens, suggesting that only this room is important. The idea of giving a present is symbolic of love and affection. Here, a present is given to a room, ultimately personifying it. This symbolically infers a romantic relationship with the kitchen further cultivating the sexist ideology that women belong in the kitchen 
• Shopping, cooking and getting ingredients was a situation where the stereotypical housewife would have a relatively high degree of control. At a time when women were limited to such simple actions and expectations, there were fewer ways to construct a meaningful identity. Yet in some rare cases, a meaningful and even positive lifestyle is constructed. The top image of a woman shelling peas with her young son constructs a happy and cosy representation of household chores. The warm colours anchor this idea of an idealised home life, and the proximity of the two suggests a bond being made. The fact that she is with her son, and sharing skills subverts stereotypical assumptions of gendered roles. Additionally the MES of the radio depicts an interaction with media, and a shared moment that itself constructs a more complex and well pounded representation. 
• There are frank and blunt explanations of DIY activities that infer the female target audience have a level of skill and ability to construct things themselves. Many aspects of this article actively encourage the female target audience to do things themselves, implying a sense of agency and aptitude. However…
• “Get the man in your life to assemble it” - cultivates an ideological assumption that the target audience are married, that they are heterosexual (homosexuality being illegal at the time), yet it also infers the inevitability of marriage from a hegemonic standpoint. The woman’s job now is to paint the result, which reinforces a stereotype that women are more crafty and creative
• “It slots so any girl can assemble it quickly” reinforces the ideology that women can only complete easy tasks. The word ‘girl’ also reinforces the hegemonic notion that youthfulness can only be preferable and good. Yet it is of course demanding, reductive and even othering