Female Images Constructed In Entertainment News Reports In American Mainstream Media -A Critical Discourse Analysis Approach

As a new branch in linguistic analysis, Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) aims at exploring the hidden ideology embedded in language in the service of power, especially media discourses from the perspective of linguistics, sociology and psychology. In the study of language use, CDA approach can serve as an effective tool to reveal gender stereotype in media discourse. Therefore, this thesis is designed to conduct a critical discourse analysis of entertainment news reports selected from American mainstream media to find how woman images are constructed through news discourse. Based on the theoretical framework of Systematic Functional Grammar, the samples are analyzed through the analytical tools such as lexical classification, transitivity and modality system. Its significance lies in the following: Firstly, there are not many researches on women images construction in entertainment news reports from the angle of Critical Discourse Analysis especially in China. It provides a relatively new angle seeking into this field. Secondly, this thesis adopts Critical Discourse Analysis as the theoretical basis and Systemic Functional Grammar as the analytical tool to disclose women images via news reports, which proves that they can be applied to dig out the hidden ideology in discourse. Thirdly, by uncovering how gender inequality is created by discourse and how discourse is shaped by power, it will arouse the public awareness on women image construction in our society and lead them to have a deeper look into gender ideology and social culture.This thesis reaches the conclusion that news discourse is not objective and neutral all the time, it is determined by the social ideology and context, in turn contributing to shape and reproduce ideologies. The major findings of the woman image constructed are as follows:In career, women are thought as dependent, passive, incompetent, incapable and fearful of responsibilities; In life, they are likely to commit wrong conducts and lack the sense of self-discipline. In love relationship, they have much more mental activities, abundant emotions and are more sensitive; Also, female are more inclined to be evaluated and commented in entertainment news reports by the public. They are easily to be the targets of the media and the news about them are less objective. Hopefully, this thesis aims to arouse people’s consciousness of gender issues and being conductive to the further study in public discourse.