SU Fandom Summary

3.1 Survey

Research into the SU fandom will begin with an online survey. The survey will consist of ten questions and will be focused on where and why people watch, how they feel about certain aspects of the show, and how present they are in the online SU community [See 7.1.2]. Due to the show’s progressive nature, sexuality is asked to be defined but is not essential. The survey method has been chosen because the study is “interested in causes of phenomena” (De Vaus 2014, 5) which, in this case, is why adults are drawn to SU. A survey will allow for the collection of data about audience opinion, preferences, beliefs, feelings, and motivations so they can be compared and analysed (Weerakkody 2009, 125). The survey was

One respondent stated how SU is like a “happy place” because the episodes are so “fun and light”. Another respondent described how the show is used as a break from doing work and that it was almost “lackadaisical”. Participants also stated that they were able to emotionally engage with the show, and reflected on experiences in their own personal lives that they could relate with the characters in the show. One participant really connected with the maternal relationship between Steven and his mother, Rose, describing how even through small moments they “really [feel] it and start welling up”. They each mentioned how SU set a good example for the children the show is targeted at, as it approaches darker themes in direct but positive ways. The presence of these themes were delivered in a way that is “not jarring” and “easy to swallow”. They believed there was a good balance, as the darker themes are easily balanced out with

The textual analysis will be an analysis of the SU cartoon following the surveys and interviews. The texts being analysed will be a selection of three episodes of SU aired by the date of the analysis. Three have been chosen due to the fact that each episode is approximately 10-12 minutes long, and this many source documents will cover an apt amount of potential themes. The themes differ greatly between episodes as each episode is self-contained, and some exhibit more mature themes than others. The textual elements being examined are narrative and semiotics. Using Robertson’s (2013) research into Bronies as a guide, the textual analysis will be looking for the ways in which semiotic visual appeals, such as setting and expression signify particular themes and atmospheres to its audience. In terms of narrative analysis, Hall argues that there is a “correlation between an individual’s social position and a person’s subjectivity” (cited in Weerakkody 2009, 268). As this research is focused on why youth aged 18-25 consume and enjoy SU, the content analysis will also focus on how elements in the cartoon could reflect the responses given through surveys and interviews [See 7.1 and