Upstairs, Downstairs...

1) Is The Representation Of The Chauffeur Portrayed From A Biased Point Of View? If So Why?

We think that the portrayal of the chauffeur is biased because the programme is made by the BBC which is a British company. The programme was made recently therefore the people making the programme know how bad Hitler and the Nazis were and the awful things they did so the BBC wanted to influence their audience to be against the Black Shirts. The chauffeur was shown to influence Lady Persephone to follow the Black Shirts even though she didn't know much about it. So he was thought of badly because he influenced a young girl into the Black Shirt's ways.

2) In What Ways Could You Say The Upstairs Family and Downstairs Staff Are Clinging To Tradition In A Changing World?

The Upstairs family are oblivious to the happenings that are going on at the time. They are more interested in the monarchy and their personal situations i.e the pregnancy. This is possibly their way of distracting themselves from facing the terrible truths. The Downstairs staff are more aware of the political situations and they face reality because they are lower class and it will effect them more. Lady Persephone and the Chauffeur are the people in the house who are most concerned about the current affairs and they are the people who talk about it the most.

3) Why Do You Think Lady Persephone Wants To Join The Black Shirts?

Lady Persephone takes an interest in politics and reads the paper to keep up with current events. She is also influenced by the chauffeur and his beliefs in the Black Shirts therefore the combination of her interests and his influence lead her to join in the Black Shirts. Another motive is the appeal of rebelling against her family as they always tell her what to do and what to dress like.

4) Can You Find Similarities Between Lady Persephone And Jenny From 'An Education'?

Both characters are quite similar as they both feel frustrated with their families holding them back and telling them what to do. Both characters are strong minded and opinionated therefore want to choose their own future. Jenny rebels by lying to her parents about why she is going to Oxford pretending that it is an educational visit when actually it is just for fun. Similarly when Lady Persephone turns up to a Black Shirts rally without telling her family where she is.

5) Whose British Collective Identity Do You Think Is The Strongest And Why? The Downstairs Staff, The Upstairs Family Or The Black Shirts.

We think that the strongest collective identity is the Black Shirts because they are a purposely a group that have come together to follow the same beliefs. They wear the same clothes to show that they are a very tight unit because they all feel strongly about the same thing. They are a very large group of people spread over a wide area and they come together at arranged rallies to put their views across.