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This article presents a study of the image of social workers in the media, based on interviews and an analysis of twenty films and twenty-one novels. Five categories of persona are identified: hero, positive character, negative character, neutral, and ambiguous. Most of the figures studied were women. Contrary to expectations, very few characters were described negatively. There were also few “heroes.” The author has constructed a typology of these characters, showing why it is important for social workers to develop strategies to influence media representations and to be aware of the stereotypes they perpetuate.