2. How does the contempory representation of a particular social group compare to representations from the past?

Introduction.

We are looking at Britishnes through analysing film and tv.
The films we are looking at are, Alfie, An Education, Fishtank, kidulthood.
The tv programs that we are analysing are, Inbetweeners, Misfitts, Corrie, Upstairs Downstairs

Main.
The key scenes we have chosen to analyse of An Education is when David is stealing the painting and tells Jenny to stay in the car as its his business. The way in which Jenny is portrayed is typical for this genre and time. She is seen to be more vunreble than David. 

catfish

what does the film have to say about the way technology has affected our construction of identity?

The film shows how easy it is to make multiple different identitys through social networking sites, the film also shows that you can make someone believe that you are multiple differnt people just using the technoligys of the online world through differnt accounts.

Past Exam Question

Positives

• Each example was backed up by good analysis.
• Well structured
• Good use of terminology/theorists

Negatives

• Didn't explain some terminology
• Didn't have time for some points/explanation
• Could have expanded on examples/key scenes

Green Street

 What impact could your case study have?

The negative impacts of Green Street it that is promotes voilence and implies that football hooliganism as heroic. The film also shows that teenagers and young adults turn to gangs for safty and protection. The gangs are shown as a family unit. Films such as Green Street show that being in a football firm can have a positive effect on your life with a good social life, it also has positive effect on showing the negatives to being in a football firm where the main leader dies at the end which shows that being in a firm isnt always good. Additionally, these films show a realistic side to football hooliganism and portrays how familys can be effected through this. 

Responses to 'Upstairs, Downstairs'

1. Is the representation of the chauffeur portrayed from a biased point of view? If so why?

The chauffeur is shown as being a facist as he is a supporter of Hitler, the audience has sympothy for the jewish woman who is obviously upset and frightend as she believed she escaped the nazi's by coming to england, but she didnt! The key scene that shows this view strongly is where the chauffeur comes in and sits down at the dinner table with evreryone wearing the distinctive facist uniform. This ties in with strykers theory, by the audience idenity with the facist movement as evil, and that people that support it are. Through this the  audience develop an collective idenity and not and indivual identity.

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

The family in upstairs down stairs are clinging to traditional living through mainly keeping the service staff and the family mainly seperate. Also having living quaters in different areas of the house. However when this tv series was made the British soceity was changing and people started to have equal rights. Also the views of the upstairs family are the same as most of the society which is against hitler.

3.Why do you think Lady Persephone wants to join the black (navy) shirts?

Lady Persephone seems like a upper class woman stuck in the society and has a desiere to break out from that society. She has to listen to what her family tell her to do and act in a way which is proper for that class. Lady Persephone is shown to be in a social prison.

How Do contemporary representations compare to previous times? Essay Plan

• In Inbetweeners and Are You Being Served gay people are represented very different. In Inbetweeners explicit jokes are made and gay people are represented in a derogatory way. However in Are You being Served its not mentioned and hints are made around the subject. This is because at the time it was not entirely acceptable. However we know it is the case because of the preconceived stereotypes we have. This is what Althusser believed; that the media has the ability to create stereotypes of a person which are then taken to be reality.

• In Alfie, An Education and Fish Tank masculinity is a strong theme. In all three, the men are unfaithful. In Alfie, an older film, the males behaviour is glamorized. However in An Education and Fish Tank they are punished and looked down on. This is because 'Hollywood' films made now are made to have morals in the story, so a 'bad' character can't go unpunished.

• In Corrie the women are seen as outspoken and independent. However in Alfie the women are walked over by the men. For example Gilda is treated as a servant and is always preparing meals/cleaning for Alfie. This shows the growing equality of men and women from Alfie, to Corrie and now Fish Tank.

• Stryker - Characters changing in order to fit in with social expectations. For example. Gilda in Alfie - she decides to marry Humphery because it is socially acceptable. Jenny in An Education wants to be cultured and grown up and tries to fit in with the adults. In Inbetweeners all of the boys want to lose their virginity as soon as possible because it is supposedly the social expectation.

Conclusion

The films/TV we have studied show the changes in representations of people from the 60s to the present day. Specifically representations of masculinity, homosexuality, and female status. Overall we have improved our representations of equality, but in some cases (Inbetweeners) we reverse this and make fun of stereotypes.

The Inbetweeners + AYBS

Are jokes still being aimed at the same groups of people?

The inbetweeners is aimed at the same group of people as "are you being served". The charecters in the Inbetweeners are aiming the jokes at the teenage population, you can tell this through the grammer and lanhuage which is used. For example the direct use of sexual language and swearing.

Are strereotypes still being used for non 'PC' comedy?

when they call neils dad is called a gay and a peadofile this is no polically correct in today society. The reason is this is that some people may take offence to this. Also in AYBS there is a gay man in this but it never refers to him being gay, this is the differnce between the two.

Has our sence of humour really advanced?

Since AYBS the british sense of humor hasnt changed to a great deal. You can see that the jokes are still basicly the same but the ounch lines are much more obviious and have more swear wordds in it.

1. Are there any cultural or fashion movements taking place in Britain now, that you think we be strong enough to form a ' Collective Idenity'.

Football Hooligans - they all wear casual clothing to fit in with the public, stone island for example. The may change there fashion sence and public behavour to fit in with there crew! They fight in numbers which     is another trait of the hooligan life. Many people join these gangs to fit in with there football teams and feel safe in numbers. Additionally, there a particular football teams which are associated with Hooligans for example West Ham and Millwall.

2. Argue ways that you could relate each theorist arguments to one of our case study texts. ( use key scenes to support your answer)

In the film Fish Tank, Stryker's theory of behaviors that become social expectations, are visable in the way which Mia dresses and the way in which she composes her self. Mia's behavior is common on most council  estates in Essex, the  scene where you see her headbutt another girl on the estate is normal and does not look like it is throwned upon by the other characters. Additionally Mia dresses like other people on the estate, for example in cheap clothing such as trackies and strappy tops ( Chavy clothes).

altheusser

 1. Initially do you think Mia see's Connor as a father figure?

Initially Mia see's connor as an fatherly figure because from the actions you see that she looks up to him. Additionally you see that Mia goes to him about advice and money which shows that she looks apon him as fatherly figure. As the movie drew on you saw that she looked apon him as more of an sexual object than a fatherly figure for examlpe when she videos him while changing.

2. What does the film say about family in Britain today ?

This films shows that familys of today have issues that might not have been present in older Britain, for example the dancing, and the pedofillic acts that were present. Furthermore in this film you see and middle class man having an affair with an lower class female. This shows that there is not as much of a gap between classes.

3. have your opinions of the charcters changed since watching the film?

Questions in class

1) Jenny has some similarities and difference to teenagers today, in the film An Education she dreams about being in a sophisticated environment with well spoken people, this is quite unlike teenagers today as they like partying and think that being well spoken is uncool. She also works hard to go to university and actually really wants to go, again this is quite unlike most teenagers today as most people aren't bothered about university and most people feel forced to go instead of wanting to go like Jenny.
She argues with her parents about everyday problems, school etc and she is quite sarcastic towards them as well which is quite similar to today's teenagers.
She waits until she is 17 until she loses her virginity and even then she waits until the moment is right with David and she loves him, this is very different to today's teenagers as most of them want to lose their virginity as soon as possible.

2) In all three films women are treated like second class citizens, in An Education Jenny is treated badly when David and his friend go to steal the map as they speak down to her and tell her to stay in the car, in Alfie he shouts at Gilda for asking what time he will be home "I'll be home when I'm home!" and in Kidulthood

All the films have different portrayals of abortion and how it affects people in Alfie abortion is a very serious thing and is a decision not taken lightly as it is illegal and very expensive, whereas in Kidulthood the teenager gets pregnant and they just joke about at getting and abortion and make light of the situation e.g "mabye if I get drunk enough this baby will kill itself". 

3)
Positive:
Unfortunately, as the repercussions of their on-the-fly life catch up with them, the film morphs into public service announcement territory and an OTT ending that shuns subtlety for "Just Say No" sermonising. All of which is a shame. As, until then, in refusing to ask whether the blame lies with the government, society or the parents, Kidulthood works just fine as a snapshot of Brit teen life. After seeing it, you'll never look at the kids on your bus in the same way again...

Verdict:

Give them all ASBOs! An ultra-realist snapshot of Britain today, let down by a preachy ending, but maintained by its punchy dialogue and kids.