What does the representation of class mean?
Representation of class in Media means the status or positioning of a person in society based on
products like; income, housing, area, attitude/manners, appearance, cleanliness etc. By looking at each factor of these products, you are able to determine where that person is in terms of positioning i.e. lower class, middle class or upper class.
In this Media clip, the representation of class in constructed in a manner which can easily be deconstructed by looking at the factors that determine people's class. The representation of class is easily noticeable and has been created well in this clip by the producers.
Initial Thoughts -
From watching the video for about 10 seconds, it was clearly established what the class of these people were from the behaviour of the man - his drunken attitude and messy appearance indicated a lower class status. The way in which the people in the room reacted also indicates that they do not have much class due to the continual swearing that was found in this clip. This showed the lack of class demonstrated by these people. This lower class establishment straight away makes it easy for the audience to understand what kind of class these people are.
Camera shots:
Within the first few seconds of the clip, class is seen through clothing. At 0:03, a medium shot is taken of the man. The man's clothes indicate that of a lower class due to his messy appearance. The stain on his shirt indicates that he doesn't wash his clothes much maybe due to the fact that they don't have a washer or that it's too expensive to continually wash their clothes. This gives me the impression that they're that of a lower class. He also seems to show that he cannot dress himself properly due to the fact he's been drinking (shown in shot 0:45).
At 0:31, a close-up is taken on the man. By looking at his facial appearance, you are able to see that he has been drinking and hasn't had much sleep. You can tell that he isn't particularly fresh and doesn't keep himself clean because of his hair. His hair indicates that he doesn't wash it regularly due to the level of greasiness seen. This could possibly be to do with the fact that he doesn't have enough money to afford enough - to pay the bills for water and the basics. He has 5 other people in the house to look after so may not be able to do it because of money.
As referred to earlier, shot 0:45 indicates that he's been drinking due to his eyes wandering while he is being spoken to. His overall impression shows that he is drinking and that of quite a regular drinker. This might indicate that any money he is getting, goes straight towards drink for himself. This may be the reason why he is living like a lower class citizen because he is using the money on drink rather than using efficiently.
At 0:48, a master shot is shown of the surrounding room that everyone is in. In this room, there are 6 people (including a baby) seen. The size of the room does not justify the amount of people. The room is too small to fit a large amount of people while giving them space to move around. They all seem to be crowded in the corner of the room. This indicates that the house they're living in is small and they cannot afford anything bigger so all have to fit into one house. This shows that they're that of a lower class who struggle to cope in a small house.
At 1:05, 1:06, 1:07, 1:08 and 1:09 there are close-up shots of the man as he acts in a way that is not seen as normal. He begins going slightly crazy and acting out of the blue when talking to the people he's with. This would not be seen in a house that is of a higher class/status because it would be seen as inappropriate behaviour. This shows that they're definitely not a high class due to the actions of the man.
At 3:03, a medium shot is taken of the man when he is talking to the seller of the caravan. The clothing of both the man and the seller indicate a difference in class. The man is seen to be wearing old clothes - the same as seen before (with a strain on the top) whereas the seller is seen to be wearing a very clean suit. The difference in clothing indicates that the seller has more class compared to that of the man.
Sounds:
Sounds found in the clip that are diegetic are: the trainers as they hit the floor, the dog barking, the man as he goes crazy and makes noises, the baby as she is being fed, the caravan being unloaded, the turtle being squished and the ruffling of the papers. These are diegetic because they occur naturally.
Sounds that are non-diegetic are the music tracks played in different parts of the clip. The first of which starts at 0:01 and finishes at 0:05. The second music which starts at 1:24 and finishes at 1:48. The third piece of music that starts at 2:07 and goes right through until 2:53 and the final piece of music played at 3:16 till the end of the clip. These are non-diegetic because they don't occur naturally.
Sounds that are synchronous are the man making noises, the baby making noises, the caravan being unloaded, the turtle being squished and the ruffling of the papers.These are synchronous because they can be heard and seen onscreen.
Sounds that are asynchronous are the dog barking and the trainers being dropped on the floor. These are asynchronous because they can be heard but cannot be seen onscreen.
Throughout the clip, sound that can be heard is the speaking of the characters. I noticed that the majority of time someone spoke, a swear word was used. This to me indicates that they do not have a sense of how to speak appropriately or sensibly due to the use of those words. This therefore shows their lack of maturity and class demonstrating that they're a lower class.
The caravan that can be heard being unloaded from the tow-truck indicates a slight perception of class. The women who owned the caravan lived in there until it was given to the family. This shows class in the fact that she may have been lower class as she was living in a small caravan and therefore didn't have much room or space like she would've if she had a house like the majority of people.
Editing:
From 1:05 till 1:09, short shots have been taking with a duration that is quick to show the audience the man's reaction ensuring they are focused on him. These quick shots convey action that can occurs on screen. This action that is used through short shots are to show the behaviour of the man. The man's behaviour/actions indicate that he doesn't act in an appropriate manner towards his family which could possibly show the fact he has no class.
The order of shots indicates the main character who is present throughout the clip. The clip has been edited to ensure that this main character gets the majority of screen play to show his personality, appearance and gives the audience an insight into his behaviour and everyday life. These shots shown can show his behaviour which is that of a class that is low because he doesn't have respect for his family and can be quite rude towards other people.
Mise-en-scene:
When looking at the clip and analysing what was seen in terms of props and scenery, I found out that the state these people live in appears to be lower-class. At 0:02, the stairs can be seen in the background which he came down. By looking at the stairs, you can see that the have lost a bit of paint and are therefore looking tatty. This shows that they're located in a house that doesn't get looked after very well which can be linked to class because they may not be able to afford to keep looking after their house and make it look presentable because its too expensive due to the fact they're lower class.
At 0:17, bottles and cans can be seen on the table in the centre of the scene. These indicate that the family are drinkers and they have no where to put these alcoholic drinks so put them in view of the children. This shows that the area in which they're in (the house) is lower class due to the positioning of the bottles and the amount of bottles shown.
At 2:11, you are able to view the fence that seperates the two houses. By looking at the fence, you can tell that the fence has been made up from smaller fences to create a larger fence so that the next door neighbours cannot see through their house. The exterior of the house also shows a bit of damage to it - dirt/stains can be seen present on the house. Both of these indicate that the neighbourhood they live in appears to be quite rough and not well looked after. From looking at the surroundings and area, this indicates that they're that of a low class status.
The last indication that they're lower class is that seen in 3:18. This shows a downwards view of their front of their house. In this shot, old furniture, broken items and rubbish can be seen laying in front of their house. These props can allow for the audience to conclude that this family are living in conditions that are not usually seen in middle class or higher class houses but instead those who live in poverty and struggle to fund for the basics to survive on a daily basis. This shows that they're lower class because their house is left in a mess of which they struggle to clean because of the cost.
Stereotypes:
A working class stereotype that was confirmed in this clip was the behaviour and attitude of the man of the house. A typical working class person is seen to be quite aggressive and disrespectful. This was shown through the way he spoke to his children/family - using an aggressive tone in his voice and he complains to them. Working class attitude tends to be seen as swearing - which is also confirmed through the clip when swearing is heard from the people in the clip. This has been used to help show the audience that the people who feature in the clip are typically stereotyped as working class.
A stereotype of the working class is that their living arrangements consist of living in an attached house. Even though the house that these people are living in isn't particularly big or nice looking (appearance wise), it is a detached house. This challenges the stereotype of the working class but the producers have ensured that the house doesn't look like a 'middle class' house so people are still aware that the people are working class.
A stereotype of the working class can also be the association of crime and drugs. Although no criminal behaviour is shown, the mention of drug taking is. When the girl says to her dad about him taking 6 Es, this shows behaviour/lifestyle of the man which indicates he's working class. This has been done to represent the lifestyle of the man and to give the audience an insight into his life.
A stereotype of people who have high status is that they have authority. Although he is the man of the house and the father of the children, this is slightly challenged during the clip when his children seem to challenge his behaviour and attitude. The boy then comes into his dad's face and begins to talk to him. This shows that the dad doesn't have as much authority as expected and that the boy - who would have characteristics of a low status person, stands up to his dad and begins to show higher authority which is different. This has been done to show that authority within a working class family can be varied and challenged by different members of the family.
Overall, this family's behaviour and presentation indicates that they're of the working class and that the family consists of both high and low status. It is also shown that the authoritarian personalities differ throughout so everyone changes between high and low status characteristics.
No comments:
Post a Comment