Positive and Negatives of example answer.

Positives: 
In the example answer we were given to analyse, we feel that there were a number of both positives and negatives. Some of the positive points that we found were the use of terminology and the examples these points were backed up with. The writer of this piece named 3 theorists, Althusser, Marxist and Geraghty and Butler. The writer then explained what the theories meant very clearly and thoroughly.


Negatives:
However, we thought the analysis was poorly written due to the fact that it wasn't detailed enough seeing as you get most of your marks from the analysis. The analysis let them down as they included lots of terminology and examples which was their strongest areas.


Terminology: 6-7 Level 3
Example: 8 Level 4
Analysis: 4-5 Level 2

Practice Question Plan.

Question: 
How does the contemporary representation of a particular social group compare to representation from the past. 

Semiology within our key texts.

Key texts:
-Alfie
-Kidulthood
-Misfits


Alfie:
In Alfie the curtains in the kitchen, (the signifier) could be used to show a divide in the rooms in his flat. This could be there to separate men and women and their stereotypical roles in the home, for example women work in the kitchen and men go elsewhere. It can also mean that men and women can hide things from one another, for example when lily is having the abortion, she closes the curtains so Alfie could not come in or see her.





Kidulthood:
In Kidulthood the gun in the grit box (the signifier) could be used to show that the youths in the film hide dangerous objects in the daylight. The sign is that young children are using school facilities to make weapons and store them.







 


 Misfits:
In Misfits Nathans mum kicks him out of the house (the signifier) and this shows the type of family unit he has as being unstable. This could be there to show the audience that this family issue could be the reason as to why he is doing community service.

Lucozade Brand.

Roland Barthes Theory:
The Signifier = Lucozade.
The Signified = 
-Previously a remedy for illness
-a popular brand through the bottle
-a sponser (sport rugby challenge)
-teamed up with men's health magazine.
-engergy drink for sport
-regular drink (just for flavour)
-global company
-range of products eg. drinks, gels, bottles, tablets, pouches when doing exercise, shots for sudden energy boosts.

-training packs online to buy advertised through sporty celebrities.

Exam Question.

To what extent does your case study text represent your chosen collective identity in a positive way? 

Intro

- State the text = Upstairs Downstairs.
- State the collective identity = British people and their attitudes.


"to what extent" For and Against
- Points for:
1. Follows tradition - for example Lady P's mother in law and sister help her to find a husband - follows Stryker's theory because their behaviour continues to be a social expectation (Men dominate Women) Relate to british traditions. We believe that its good to follow traditions however people have the right to be independent.


2.Respect the separation - for example staff are allowed to upstairs and upper class people come downstairs but they both know their places in reality, when Lady P goes into the chauffeurs room - follows Strykers theory because it shows certain groups are expected because it is usual to them in that time period. We believe this is wrong however as the characters see it as good therefore we agree because they are happy.


- Points against:
1. Shows a clear separation and the audience think its bad - for example the upstairs is upper class and the downstairs is working class, maids have a bedroom that they share - Marcusse because the downstairs staff are forced to live downstairs and were told to do so therefore they followed the rules and now agree with it. We believe all people should be treated with respect and should not be separated based on class.


Conclusion:
- There is more positive than negative meaning Britishness can be show in a positive way through media representation between the time period 1930's - 2010.

Responses to Upstairs Downstairs.

1. Is the representation of the chauffeur portrayed from a biased point of view? If so why?
- As the BBC created the series in the modern day as opposed to the 1930's, we feel that their may be a chance of bias explanations in each episode. The chauffeur plays his role as a server however in his spare time he was a Black Shirt. This mean't he followed some of Hitlers beliefs and showed the viewing audience that he had his own opinion of the matter. He was also shown to influence Lady Persephone to becoming a black shirt however she didn't feel as passionate to the matter as the Chauffeur.


2. In what ways could you say the upstairs family and downstairs staff are clinging to tradition in a changing world?
- The way each level is clinging to tradition is through the way they live. As they have two floors with different people living on each they portray the fact they still believe in seperating class. The upstairs belongs to the upper class people and the downstairs belongs to the staff for example the cook, chauffeur and maids. However the world and ways of living are changing due to the war therefore afterwards they will be forced to change their tradition into religion and beliefs.


3. Why do you think Lady Persephone wants to join the black shirts?
- The reason Lady Persephone wants to join the black shirts is because she was led to it through the beliefs of the Chauffeur. As she is controlled by her sister and her mother in law(therefore told what to wear, how to speak and what to do) she was led a stray and became a black shirt. She feels that becoming a black shirt will make her an indiviual and free from being controlled. She didn't believe in the actions of Hitler as such however she felt it nessasary to join the black shirts for her freedom and exitement rather than being serious about the belief of the black shirts.


4. Can you find similarities between Lady Persephone and Jenny from An Education?
A main similarity we found between Lady P and Jenny is that they are both egar to become indiviuals and independent. This is shown through they're behaviour as they both allowed themselves to be directed in a certain way by men. Another similarity is they were both previously controlled by their families as Lady P was told what to do by her sister and her mother in law and Jenny was told what to do by her dad and her mum.


5. Whose British collective identity is the strongest and why?
We believe that the strongest collective identity is the Black Shirts. This is because their attitude towards the beliefs of Hitler was inspiring therefore their behaviour was determined by this. It led to the Chauffeur getting in trouble with an upstairs character because he drove Lady P to the parade where she wasn't supposed to go.

Blog Task.

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

A fashion movement which is taking place in Britain now is the 'Indie' style. This has turned into a collective identity as people can recognise the style themselves and they can adapt to it. They see it as a nowadays trend which is acceptable and popular. This involves high street trends which have come from fashion runways. Male and female indie style usually is skinny jeans, checkered shirts, military boots, labels such as Jack wills and high street shops such as All Saints. However, in previous times this style would be seen as too feminine and people who dressed this way would be seen as unsuitable. Also, their hairstyles and music interests give the impression of the indie style.




2.  Argue ways that you could relate each theorists arguments to one of our case study texts.

A point that can be raised from Strykers theory on Identity negotiation is we interact with others to create an identity group. An example of this is the teenagers shown in "Kidulthood." They were shown as a group of people who could be seen as common due to the language they use, their behaviour and their costumes. Their behaviour fits in with this theory as its been learn't through the social group of young people in that area. A scene within the film that supports this is the scene with the shopkeeper and one of the teenagers stealing some alcohol. In this scene he uses informal language providing evidence that adults in this film don't understand the teenage way of speaking.

A point that can relate Althussers theory to an Education is Jenny's behvaiour. Althussers theory is people's representations are taken to be reality, therefore the media can portray someone depending on current affairs. This can influence people's opinions really easily. This is supported by Jenny's character in an Education as she begins as a naive young girl and becomes more confident over time in the film. This is shown through her costumes, posture and language. A scene that can provide evidence of this is when they were in Paris and Jenny is more comfortable in David's company.

A point that can relate Marcuse theory on binding the consumer to a mindless media mass and the film Fish Tank is the sterotype of Britain. The way Britain is shown in the film is non-working class and informal. This is a steorotype as not all areas within Britain are like this however non-british people will take this literally and believe what they see. A scene that supports this is when Mia is first seen approaching her home. We see the personalities of her family (mum and sister) who are rude and not well mannered. This provides evidence of the theory Marcuse created because it shows the media binding the consumer as a Passive Audience.

Fish Tank Analysis.

This film has won many awards and been viewed abroad
1. How might a non-British audience view this representation of British collective identity?
If this film was to be viewed by a non-British audience, they would more than likely believe that all British people fit this stereotype. They will be easily influenced by what they are watching and be able to put a negative spin on the British population. They will take it literally however we know it has been exaggerated and doesn't apply to all British Citizens.



2. From your point of view, is this film realistic?
We believe that this film is realistic to certain lifestyles to a certain extent. We feel it could be applied to real life as some people can experience these issues however some aspects of the film are exaggerated to how it can be in real life. This would have been done because it enhances the films entertainment levels and encourages publicity.
A way this film is unrealistic is because it suggests that the stereotype shown in the film can be applied to all British people in real life however all people are unique and come from different backgrounds. We feel it is only one aspect of life in England.
In a typical Hollywood film, the ending would show Mia's family being happy and sorting their problems out as this could allow people to relate to the film and believe they can achieve things from a low level as well. The real ending to the film shows Mia leaving to Wales leaving her lifestyle behind without solving her life problems. For example her relationship with her mum. This is a realistic ending because it tells the audience that not all lives have a happy ending as shown in most Hollywood Films.

Answers to Fish Tank Questions.

1. Is Connor a father figure to Mia?

At the beginning of the film, Mia is shown as a child brought up in a family without a father therefore when her mum gets a new boyfriend we immediately think he will be the father in her life. This is true throughout the first half as he takes care of her and her sister, Tyler. They go fishing together, he helps her when she cuts herself and he loans her money, this is why the audience are led to believe he has become a father figure to her. The moment in the film whereby the audience question his behaviour is when he carries her to her bed and starts to remove her clothes. This suggests that he has become too comfortable in such a short space of time. The scene in the film where we know he isn't her father figure is when he watches her dance then asks her to sit closely to him, this suggests he is behaving inappropriately. They then became intimate allowing the audience to instantly realise he isn't a father figure to her.

2. Do your decisions from the article change after seeing the film?

After watching Fishtank our decisions on the film stayed the same and we still agree with the review as we agree with when the reviewer mentions the variation of emotions  including humour and sadness which the audience can witness for themselves. We contradict with the statement in the review about the film not being just another British film set on a council estate which we thought it was as this was shown view the setting, language and mainly the story line and the point of the film.


3. What does this film say about the state of British family?

This film showed us that families of today in that area may not be close to each other as opposed to a British family in the area that we live in. They're not a family unit as they don't show a built relationship or show emotions or structure as when the mother and daughter say good bye, their way of saying bye is by dancing. This is instead of showing a connection and behaving like a real family. This suggest their family doesn't have any structure this is shown through Mia never mentioning her dad and Connor being like her dad in the beginning then breaking the fatherly relationship by being intimate with her.

Fish Tank Review

 The Review: 

"I can understand why some people might recoil at the thought of another British film set on a council estate. Is it worthy? Condescending? Grim? Is it more evidence of a young filmmaker awkwardly exercising their Mike Leigh/Ken Loach fetishes? Well, banish your fears: Andrea Arnold’s follow-up to ‘Red Road’ is a film that brilliantly and sensitively buzzes with life and offers its very own take on our world and our city. It delivers in spades attitude, humour, sadness, love, anger and hope – all wrapped up in a way of telling stories that is very much the director’s own."

The review given by "Time out London" is a positive review stating that this film is highly recommended to people who may be of interest.  From this review we think the film sounds appealing because of the variation of words describing the film. For example the review says that the film has humour and sadness which makes it sound entertaining because it contradicts its self. By the wording and the overall feeling given, the film doesn't sound stereotypical as its suggested to be a fresh start to the previously used storyline, this is supported by the phrase "directors own." This means its not stereotypical as it has the directors own ideas and originality.

Reviews of Kidulthood.

Negative Review:

"Gritty, shocking drama with a disturbing ring of authenticity in spite of its obvious sensationalism – you’ll never let your teenager out of the house again." - The View London Review.

Positive Review:

"It is an excellent piece of film-making with a cracking script, fine performances and imaginative direction. A real eye opener that deserves a wide audience." - Wildsheep (IMDB.com)

Personally we agree with the positive review as we believe it is also an eye opener too, it makes people aware of the behaviour of teenagers today. Even though we feel the film is a good piece of work, we feel it was slightly exaggerated to create an intense film however we have never been to a school in London therefore we are not sure whether or not this is true and how believable the behaviour is.

Selecting Scenes.

1. Choose a key scene from Alfie and An education and kidulthood that...
- shows similarities in British values
- shows differences in British values

 The scenes that show similarities=
Alfie- He is introduced as a man on his own without any family therefore wasn't steered in the direction of Education.
An Education- When Jenny's dad suggests she should marry David therefore doesn't need an education by going to Oxford university.
Kidulthood- The scene that shows one character making a weapon and also the scene where some characters (girls) abuse another girl in the film.

The scenes we have chosen from Alfie, An education and Kidulthood to show similarities in British values is the carelessness of education in each film. For example in the film Alfie, the characters do not care about the education they have as it isn't vital to have an education to do well as we can we see with Alfie's character. Similarly, in the Education,  we see how the character, David,  he doesn't have an education however he is seen as a respectful male as he has a lot of money from his career that now, would not be acceptable. In the film kidulthood we immediately notice that the aspect of getting an education isn't their number one priority. We know this because their behaviour is rebellious and disrespectful.

All the films have a different reaction to all the pregnancies and looking after children. A difference in Alfie from the other films is when Lily becomes pregnant with Alfie's child she has an illegal abortion which people would frown upon in Britain in the 60's.
In An education, David has a child with his wife which in the film you don't see him raising and providing for his child which shows Britishness as stereotypically women are usually looking after the children.
In Kidulthood one of the girls becomes pregnant and reacts to the situation in a negative and careless way as she carries on drinking. This shows Britishnesss in present time as it shows teenagers are reckless.

An Education.

How is Jenny a typical British teenager?


Jenny can be seen as a typical teenager as she rebels against teachers and believed she knew best and what she was doing. She was smoking and drinking which shows she is following the trends of her friends. The way it was portrayed was Jenny was the leader of her friends which she influenced them to follow her example of smoking and drinking too.\

During the film, we get the sense she is naive as she believed that marrying David would complete and perfect her life. also the way she acted when she received her gift of a Latin Dictionary, she reacted like a typical teenager of being unenthusiastic.

What are the similarities and comparisons to Alfie of the representation of Britishness?

A similarity of the two films that represent Britishness is the roles of men and women. The women are portrayed as secondary and the women do the cleaning as in Alfie, the women look after Alfie and he's controlling towards them. Similarly, in An education the mother is Jenny is playing a womanly/motherly role which back in the 60s was what expected in Britain.
Another similarity is how both the film Alfie and the film An education shows britishness as it shows poor weather. In the film Alfie it rains in a number of scenes as well as in An education.

A comparison in the two films is the roles of Jenny's dad and the role of Alfie. Both characters are male role models to their children however they behave very differently. Alfie has a child with Gilda however he doesn't behave like a family man by providing and raising his son. However, in An education, Jenny's dad is usually at home showing he provides for his family and makes suggestions that he feels will be good for her future.