Assignment One Draft

Payton Welch
Assignment One Draft for Peer Workshopping

I.

Observation
Observation One
House of Cards Episode One
Note: This observation highlights the important events that portray powerful
politician manipulating media and people in their favor.
Background Knowledge: In the Fictional world that Francis Underwood lives in, he
is the king of politics; well almost. In efforts to become the next president of the
United States, him and his wife Claire do everything in their power to portray they
have what it takes to be the most powerful people in the free world. The story begins
with Francis upset that the new president be inaugurated did not want to move him
out of congress and into the White house as Secretary of States because he was seen
as to valuable in the house to move up. This will just not do for Mr. Underwood.
Actors:
- Francis Underwood: As a powerful congress man try to fight and outsmart
both his superiors and peers, Francis is working his way up to be the next
president of the United States. His masterful tactics and word play have begun
to make everyone important around him and his judgment. His confidence and
coolness in a room are what makes him so powerful and his ability to read
body language and non-verbal ques.
- Zoey Barnes: Being an undiscovered blog writer for the Washington Harold,
Zoey has been inching to find real work to write about instead of gossip that
she is uninterested in. She then sees out Francis to big deeper into his story
and find an inside source in the politics world.
- Congressman Russo: Known for being the trouble maker of the politics
world, Russo is caught make some bad decisions with drinking while
intoxicated as well as involvement with strippers. He now has to begin to
process of make a reputable name for him self in a cut throat world known as
politics.
Artifacts:
- Franciss ring: This ring is a symbol of power to Francis as it represents both
riches, both in knowledge and money, as well as power. When he is finished
having a conversation about something he taps his ring on the table twice and
then turns and walks away with no questions asks. Also, while he is siting in a
room of others or thinking he will often maneuver his ring on his finger.

Comment [1]: I feel that something is missing in there

or maybe I'm not really understanding what they have
to portray in this specific sentence.

Comment [2]: This sentence does not make any sense.

I do not understand what "his judgment" is. Also,
maybe you should change the wording of the sentence
to make it more clear.

Comment [3]: What do you mean by "Big deeper"? Also

why is Zoey Barnes want to know about Francis?
Maybe you should collaborate more in this section for
better understanding.

Comment [4]: I think you should look over the

sentence. You said both riches and what? Maybe I am
understanding it wrong.

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Payton Welch
- Franciss cell phone: An interesting aspect of the Zoey and Franciss
conversation that the viewer get to see is the conversation come up on the
screen. We notice there is no emotion exchanged between the two showing
that Francis is a straight to the point kind of guy and wants to make sure that
the job gets done with o interference.

Observation
31:00 mins: Frank and Zoey Meeting
Zoey unexpectedly shows up to Frank Underwoods house to make a business
deal with him to better both of their careers. Zoey tries to show dominance
through sex appeal with a push up bra and V-neck T-shirt while Frank shows his
through offering her a strong drink, knowing it would be too strong for a
women. She offers to be his personally writer, only putting out information that
he wants and will mortify it to fit to what he needs. He finds her knowledgeable
about what is going on in the political world and her prediction that education will
be the first thing that will be addressed by a new president in office. He tests her
knowledge on himself and she quickly responds with the witty answer You
would have been a great secretary of state. which is the position he tried to
obtain but was told he was need more in congress and denied the opportunity to
advance.
42:00 mins: Zoey meets Underwood at the Art Museum
When Zoey meet frank in an art museum to get information from him they have a
conversation about ethics and values. Frank makes the comment while looking at
the famous painting named The Biglin Brothers Racing by Eakins We are in the
same boat now. Be careful not to tip it. I can only save one of us. This is the first
sight of Underwood trusting her with a piece of information. He gives her the bill
that another politician wrote to show Frank that he disapproved of. He would like
Zoey to write a article to show that the politicians is too far left with hi ideas on
taxing and education and to make himself look better to the people for declining
it. Zoey eagerly takes on the task to impress higher positions at the Washington
Harold.
43:00 min: Meeting with Russo
During Underwoods meeting with senator Russo after he was pulled over for
driving while under the influence he quickly makes his point that Russo has a
problem by offering him a drink early in the morning. Russo replies by saying If
youre offering which was the wrong answer. Underwood pours him the drink
and talks friendly to him as if he were not in trouble. As soon as he has the drink
Underwood takes a seat and brings up his encounter with the police and Russo

Comment [5]: Very good observation. I liked how you

described this section. Very precise on how he turn
Zoey into believing what he is telling her so she can
write an article about it.

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Payton Welch
goes white. He said it was a one-time thing and that all charges were dropped, not
knowing the Underwood was the reason for the disappearance. Once Russo is told
that it was because of Underwood he instantly became submissive Frank. The
then pledged his allegiance to Frank and said he would do whatever her needed
him to do.
52:00 mins: Article goes out
The final scene of this episode is when Frank goes to his favorite hole in the wall
rib place just outside of DC and orders a whole rack of ribs at 7:30 in the morning
while the chaos begins to happen as people are reading Zoeys article. As he is
content with his ribs everyone else is in shear panic over the backlash in which
they will face from the public. This just shows how in control he is over
everything in congress right now. His ending comment was when his friend asked
if he would like another rack he replies with, Why not, I am feeling rather
hungry today.
Observation Two
House of Cards Episode Two
Note: This observation highlights the important events that portray powerful
politician manipulating media and people in their favor.

New actors Introduced

- Congressman Donald: Donald represents the Republican party in congress
but is also known for being more liberal then most of the party. This has made
congress second guess if he is a good person to have around to make import
decisions are to keep off to the side .
Artifacts
Bourbon: Francis in almost every scene has had a glass of bourbon to either
represent power or weakness in others.
Observation
8:30 mins
Francis calls Donald into his office to talk about the bill he wrote that was
released. Underwood plays the role that he is going to take responsibility for the
leak because he is in a higher position knowing that Donald wont let him do it
because he is a martyr. He pretends to call John King, at CNN to tell him but
Donald quickly stops him and tells him that he is going to take responsibility.
Francis sits down and ask him if he is sure he wants to do that. Underwood gets a

Comment [6]: Good idea of introducing new characters

every time! This will help the readers understand who
is new. I like how you explained what is new.

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Payton Welch
quick response of yes and tell him that his heart was never in the bill in the first
place. Donald suggest that someone else takes over, which leads to Underwood
doing it. This is exactly what he wanted so that he could work closely with the
president and take over his spot as well one day.
17:30 mins
Francis gives Zoey a copy of a college newspaper article that a campaigning state
senator was the editor of that discussed the topic of Israel and Palestine which is a
hot topic in both parties during the election. His stance on the topic in college was
that the the people of Israel were illegally placed which was the opposite of what
he presently believed. Because the article came out right before the interview,
Michael Kern, had no idea of the contents that they leaked causing him to choke
on national television. This in turn makes their candidate look better to the
American people.
36:45 mins
After the writer for the college newspaper come out and said that indeed Michael
Kern did write the article about Israel chaos begins to break out and Kern is told
to step out of the race. Soon after, Underwood ask Zoey to meet to talk about
what is going on and says to release Durants name in the morning and watch her
name explode in the media. She is now the hopeful and well liked secretary of
State Nominee.
Observation Three
Background Information: I found this video on YouTube and was intrigued by
the name TeenTakes as teenagers are not a normal highly regarded reference.
Andrew Demeter is a young political activist, journalist and filmmaker who
makes informative videos about controversial topics such as media manipulation
and public policy.
Observation
Through the short video the narrator gives many examples of how mind
manipulation is done through the most complex form of communication to date,
The television. Due to the fact that Americans spend on average 150 hours a
month watching TV, we are especially susceptible to all sorts of media stunts
which molds us into how many of us think today. However, media manipulation
does not stop at just television. Any form of media that uses senses of sight and
hearing are where we get our media from. Billboards, radio, music, music videos
all represent ideas that people have and present concepts that people either stand
behind or dont. There seems to be no grey area. This is because the number of
sources that are available have decreased from fifty sources to six in less that

Comment [7]: I don't quite understand this statement. I

had to reread it a few times before I understood it. Try
rewording it.

Assignment One Draft

Payton Welch
twenty years time. This is a great thing for media creators because it become
easier to suppress information they do not want to be released due to a limited
amount of mainstream channels it can pass through, therefore it is easier to
regulate. These sources are all examples of monolithic corporations, a single large
organization, that all work together to create media and mold others into what
they should think about certain topics.
Some examples of media manipulation include gun laws and the spike of
Americans buying them once media manipulated them into thinking that they
could be the next target to stimulate the gun market. If the media had just stated
after the tragedies that they were working hard to keep us all safe people would
not have been so scared and quick to react. They did this because it has been
studied that fear is one of the hardest emotions to overcome therefore when
people involve fear, they begin to have more control over the people below them
so they will do what they are told. People begin to find comfort in conformity
because it eliminates the fear of the unknown. Many believe that they American
dream is simply a dream because you have to be asleep to believe it. which
enforces the idea of ignorance is bliss in the American people.
Some of the many things that influence how we think as consumers
include who is giving us the information, the background props and setting, and
how easily we can incorporate in into our daily lives. If a figure or organization
that you trust is giving out information about a certain topic the consumer will
feel more confident about the information at hand and are more susceptible to
agree. If you you are watching an interview with an advocate of gun safety laws
and they are sitting in front of a violent picture of a topic that they dont believe is
right or a setting with a family who lost a loved one to an act of gun violence, it
will add not only a verbal example but also a visual representation of what they
are an advocate for. These are all ways that media makes us feel about what is
important and what is not when it comes to American lives.
II.

The Interview

1. How do you think media influences campaigns and/or politics today?

They focus on the major candidates and major issues without giving the new less known
people a chance. Most political media are misshapen to advance themselves, such as the
version commercial, just instead they use their opponents.
1.

Do you think that politicians are influencing media still or have they ever?
Yes, I do believe that politicians influence media today.

1.

Have you ever notice and modifications that you think may have been influenced?

Comment [8]: Great explanations! I like how you

worded this sentence. It explains what you are most
interested in.

Comment [9]: Try breaking this sentence up a bit, it is

very wordy and long. Maybe put a period after violence
instead of a comma.
Comment [10]: Very good questions that relate in so
may ways to the TV Show "House of Cards"

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Payton Welch
Yes, Towards Ben Carson lead campaign manager tweeted out that he was going to drop
out after the Iowa Caucus then another tried to use the information during a debate to
change people's opinions about him to lose votes.
1.

Do you think it is a good idea for them to have soon control over media?
No, it is not fair because in reality money controls the media, and if you arent Donald
Trump you wouldnt get the same amount of media attention.

1.

If we didn't have media, how do you think politics would change?

If we didnt have media, we would have uninformed voted with limited knowledge about
their candidates and ideas.
III.

Analysis

Summary
In the political world that the powerful Underwood family lives in, they break the
rules and become even more powerful then they ever would if they played fair. Francis
the head of congress and intends on becoming president anyway he can and well destroy
anyone in his way. He does this through power plays with both words and actions ad does
favors only if they benefit him in the long run. An example of this is when he bails out
congressman Russo so that he will pledge his unquestionable loyalty to him whenever he
needs it.
He is not only a powerful man by words but also in actions. His ring that he always
wears in a symbol of riches and power as he moves it around hi finger as he makes a
point or while just engaging in conversation as he carefully plots his next move. He is
always sure to tap it on the desk twice before he leaves to signify he is done with the
conversation. His strong voice and way of thinking is one that is very left brain and
logical while he shows almost not emotion and and is very mater-of-fact in his tone when
explaining situations to the viewer. He knows what he is doing. Although she is not
portrayed as strong as Francis, his wife Claire is a backbone to Francis whenever he hits a
road block that he needs help with. It seems as if Claire is his strength and his weakness
because she is the only one that he trusts fully and tells everything to. She would be the
best target to hot if anyone wanted to take him out.
This how is a great representation of what media and politics are all about. Who you
know and what is said about you is always important in the peoples eyes because you
can not talk to everyone personally when you are in such a high position and Francis is
very aware of this concept. With the help of Zoey, he has successfully demonstrated just
how media manipulation is used and impact peoples decisions today.
Searchable Terms
- Media Manipulation
- Major Effects of stress
- Attempted social manipulation

Comment [11]: Good job for connecting everything at

the end of the analysis. This helps explain your overall
topic in your research.

Assignment One Draft

Payton Welch

VI. Chart
Source

Link to Source

The Activist
Post
House of
Cards
MainStrea
m Media
Ted Talk

6 Examples of Media Manipulation. (2014). Retrieved February 13, 2016, from

http://www.activistpost.com/2014/03/6-examples-of-media-manipulation.html
House of Cards. (n.d.). Retrieved February 09, 2016, from
http://www.netflix.com/watch/70248290?trackId=200256151
Mainstream Media: The Mind Manipulation Medium. (2013, March 16). Retrieved
February 09, 2016, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccFRPbisCPo
Let's design social media that drives real change. (2015, December). Retrieved February 09,
2016, from
https://www.ted.com/talks/wael_ghonim_let_s_design_social_media_that_drives_real_chang
e
IV.

Propose
Through many examples of power, we begin to see how powerful people play in the
political world and how dangerous and twisted it can become. As people turn a blind
eye towards the subject the power stuck politicians become even scarier and
truthfulness is even harder to find in what is said.