Représentations du monde et de la société

Exercice 1 — Compréhension de document — Affiche de propagande
Corrigé :
1. The poster conveys a united, strong, multiracial America working together for the war effort — an optimistic and idealistic representation of national unity.
2. Any two of: (a) Heroic imagery — the muscular soldier symbolises strength and leadership, inspiring pride and duty; (b) Diversity — showing workers of different ethnicities implies that all Americans are equal contributors, making the war effort seem universal; (c) Direct address — the pointing gesture and 'we' create a direct, inclusive appeal to the viewer; (d) Colour symbolism — a bright sky suggests hope and victory.
3. In reality, the US was racially segregated during WWII: African Americans served in separate military units (e.g. Tuskegee Airmen) and faced discrimination both at home and in the military. Japanese Americans were interned in camps. The poster therefore projects an idealised, aspirational vision rather than a truthful one — it is propaganda aimed at boosting morale, not a documentary representation.

Exercice 2 — Maîtrise de la langue — Voix passive et modaux
Corrigé :
1. Women are always shown / portrayed as secondary characters by Hollywood directors. — Effect: the focus shifts to women as objects of representation, making the systematic nature of this choice more visible.
2. This image might / could / may suggest that media are biased. — Effect: the modal introduces nuance; the claim is presented as an interpretation rather than an absolute fact.
3. Accept any coherent example, e.g.:
Passive: In this advertisement, elderly people are portrayed as dependent and frail.
Modal: This image might suggest that society tends to undervalue older generations.

Exercice 3 — Expression écrite — Paragraphe argumenté
Corrigé :
Critères d'évaluation :
• Topic sentence claire (ex. : Art has arguably been more effective than mainstream media in challenging stereotypes, as it offers a space for counter-narratives free from commercial constraints.)
• Argument 1 avec exemple : L'art peut subvertir les stéréotypes de façon durable (ex. Banksy, Toni Morrison, postcolonial literature)
• Argument 2 : L'art atteint l'émotion et crée l'empathie plus efficacement qu'un article de presse
• Nuance finale : Cependant, l'art touche un public plus restreint que les médias de masse — ex. : However, one could argue that art, by its very nature, reaches a smaller audience than mass media, which limits its social impact.
• Langue : fluidité, variété lexicale, précision grammaticale (passif, modaux, connecteurs)

Exercice 4 — Analyse lexicale — Champ sémantique des représentations
Corrigé :
1. To reinforce a stereotype = to make it stronger, to confirm it: « This film reinforces the stereotype that all scientists are socially awkward. »
To challenge a stereotype = to question, subvert or break it down: « Black Panther challenged the stereotype of Africa as a primitive continent. »
2. Bias = a systematic preference or prejudice that distorts judgment: « The newspaper's pro-government bias was evident in its coverage of the protest. »
Framing = the specific angle or presentation chosen to convey a story: « The framing of the article, which focused on violence rather than causes, shaped reader response. »

Exercice 5 — Culture et civilisation — Question de réflexion
Corrigé :
Exemples de groupes acceptables : femmes, minorités raciales (Afro-Américains, Latinos, Asiatiques), peuples autochtones, personnes handicapées, communautés LGBTQ+, classes populaires, pays du Sud global.
Structure attendue : Introduction identifiant deux groupes → explication du type de représentation manquante ou distordue → impact sur la perception sociale.
Exemple de réponse : « Indigenous peoples have long been misrepresented in Hollywood as primitive or exotic, erasing the diversity of their cultures. Similarly, working-class communities in Britain are often stereotyped as uneducated or criminal in tabloid media. These missing or distorted representations matter because they shape public attitudes, reinforce inequalities and deny these groups their full humanity. »