Four Definitions of Representation

1.As re-presentation; i.e. presenting reality over again; reality is mediated through forms of representation available in culture.
2.As “being representative of” in the sense of being “typical”. This raises the question of what is “typical”.
3.In the sense of speaking for and on behalf of somebody or a group, i.e. representing them.
4.In recognising the existence of different audience responses to different kinds of representation

Richard Dyer (1985)