Decoding Lucy

Many of us have, at one point, laughed at the antics of Lucy Ricardo, arguably one of America’s most iconic female television personalities. If you haven’t, now is your chance! Let’s have some fun by donning our Marxist or feminist hats and imagining what ideologies might be lurking beneath the surface of I Love Lucy. 

Before beginning this interactive essay, be sure to first complete this week’s reading and viewing assignments on film analysis and the critical perspectives we are studying, Marxism and feminism.

When you are ready, watch the I Love Lucy episode “Job Switching” at least twice. (You’ll find it in our current module.) Your first viewing should be all about fun. Just watch it to see what happens and, when you reach the end, record your initial gut impressions. Then, watch it again—this time with a more critical eye. Reflect on what you have learned regarding Marxist criticism and feminist criticism. Also keep in mind the principles of film analysis.

Choose one critical perspective, either Marxist criticism or feminist criticism, and write an initial post in which you analyze “Job Switching” from that perspective. If you have time, you may want to watch the episode for a third time, so that you can be on the lookout for scenes and details relevant to your chosen perspective. Remember that in-depth film analysis requires multiple viewings so that the layers of a film can be peeled back and inspected.

If you choose Marxist critical theory as your lens, reflect on how this episode portrays life in a capitalistic society. Consider possible implicit messages sent about class, the life of the worker, and our relationship to material goods. Does the episode reinforce or undermine capitalistic ideals? How do you know?

If you choose feminist critical theory as your lens, reflect on how this episode portrays men and women.  Consider possible implicit messages sent about gender roles and gender dynamics. Does the episode reinforce or undermine patriarchal ideals and gender stereotypes? How do you know?

I chose this episode to serve as the subject of our discussion because it lends itself well to multiple interpretations using these two lenses. In other words, there is no right answer, only well-supported conclusions. 

Use specific details and textual evidence from the episode to support your claims. Be sure to cite your textual evidence according to MLA standards. There’s a link inside this module that explains how to cite a film or television program. Initial posts that do not contain textual evidence will not earn full credit.

Title your post in such a way so that we know what lens you are using (e.g., “Shelley Bingham: A Marxist Analysis). Feel free to reply to any post, even if the post’s author chose a different lens from the one you chose.