Responses to 'upstairs, downstairs'

Is the representation of the chauffeur portrayed from a biased point of view? is so why ?

Chauffeur is represented in some respects in a fair way as the program shows how easily it is to be seduced by the propaganda of the Black shirts.  Chauffeur is shown after the rally he attends to get out of control with the protest against there views turns into a riot. He is seen in a mid shot, after taking of his black shirt which identifies him as one of them. This suggests he is ashamed of what he is following and doesn't want to be identified with them. This is a fair representation of a Black shirt which shows chauffeur having regret and shame. A typical hollywood film would have a biased point of view suggesting Black shirts are the "baddies" with little emotion or any back story to how easily it is to get caught up in an deceiving political following. On the other hand it could be argued chauffeur is portrayed in a very biased way, this could be shown through his little regard to other people feelings and his poor manners. This is shown in the scene where he sits down to have a staff meal wearing his black shirt uniform. the rest of the staff are horrified as he has no emotion to there concern,he expresses his freedom of choice in a rude way. The question is where all 'black shirts' rude with no regard to other people feelings ? This could be an biased pre conceived view the director had.

In what ways could you say the upstairs family and downstairs staff are clinging to tradition in a changing world ?

There is a separation between the upstairs and the downstairs, the downstairs like to keep to themselves downstairs and do not expect the upstairs to interfere with their world, the upstairs don't expect the downstairs people to go upstairs unless called upon. A scene which shows this is when the lady persephone is having the affair with the chauffeur, she is mixing with the downstairs which really annoys the old butler who wishes to keep the way things are exactly the same.

why do you think Lady persephone wants to join the black shirts ?

I feel Lady persephone wants to join the black shirts due to her wanted her own identity, as she says in the film, she says nothing her owns is hers and is tired of being told what to do. This adds to her frustration and therefore needed a way out. Her way out was partly due to her relationship with chauffeur as she takes a like to him she is also influenced by his views of the black shirts. As there relationship progresses so does her view of the black shirts.

Can you find similarities between lady persephone and jenny from An education ?

Similarities we have identified are they are both victims of there surrounding, this is shown through both there family's who are pushing them to behave in a certain way. This is shown through An education where jennies father pushes her to go to oxford. In upstairs, downstairs Lady persephone is forced to socialize with those only seen fit for her. This makes her rebel by falling in love with the Chauffeur, a man who wouldn't be deemed fit for her. In an education jenny rebels by falling in love with an older man who is a thief and throws money at her to keep her intrigued.

Whose british collective identity do you think is the strongest and why ? The downstairs staff, upstairs family and Black shirts ?

We feel that the strongest collective identity is the downstairs staff. This is because we feel the downstairs staff are closer as a collective group, they all know their place and all follow the characteristics of their collective identity, they do not step out of line, apart from the new girl who speaks to the indian guy and the chauffeur who has an affair with lady persephone. The upstairs family are a broken family, and do not have a solid identity, this is because there is so much conflict within the family. The black shirts are hardly accepted within society, and after the protest against them the chauffeur removes his shirt which is almost abandoning the black shirts all together.