Working/Lower Class - Work extreme amounts in professions that are common to us now-a-days. Low income.
Middle Class - Usually the leaders/owners of the large businesses. Large income.
Upper Class - Maybe be a owner of a business but usually don't have to work. Born into a life of wealth. (Batman.)
Analysing a TV Drama
Working class
Presented in the stereotypical context of
traditional working class communities such Eastenders and Corrie, Shameless
Community
values often praised but do not reflect reality
Working
class communities have declined with the collapse of traditional industries
such as coal mining
Often
presented in the context of trouble, undesirable welfare scroungers, unable to
cope with their delinquent children.
Representations of the working class
Newman (2006) argues that there are very few situation comedies, television or
drama which focuses on the everyday lives of working class who constitute a
significant section of society,
Newman argues that when in the media
working class are often depicted in a very non positive light dumb buffoons
(Homer Simpson) and immature machos (Phil Mitchell),
Butsch (1992) – working class portrayed as
flawed individuals (benefit cheats, etc)
The middle class.
Presented as educated and successful as
well as able to cope with problems,
Over represented in the media due to
their lifestyle,
Representation fits in with the hegemonic
ideology of the dominant class in society,
Representation justifies the existing
class structure and inequalities by suggesting people need to become more
competent and successful in order to cope with life.
Representations of
the middle class
Overrepresented on TV in dramas, soap
operas, and situation comedies,
Substantial percentage of newspapers and
magazines are aimed at the middle classes such as a Daily Mail and the Daily
Telegraph which focuses on their consumptions and taste,
Content of newspapers expresses the
concerns of the middle classes with regards to the declining moral standards
along with their pride for their British identity and heritage.
Upper class
Mainly represented through the
coverage of the monarchy,
Seen as well bred and cultured,
Represented through their accents,
estates, and a taste for shooting and hunting,
Usually represented in costume and period
drama.
Representations of the upper class and
wealth
Neo-marxist believe that the mass media
representations of social class tend to be celebrate hierarchy and wealth,
UK mass media never portrays the upper class
in a critical light,
Upper classes usually portrayed in an eccentric
or nostalgic way.
Media & Celebrities
Newman (2006)
Argues that the tabloid media dedicate a great deal of their content to examining the lives of another section of the wealthy elite,
This dedication invites the audiences to admire the achievements of these celebrities
Media over focuses on consumer items such as luxury cars, costly holiday spots and fashion accessories.
Fishtank
The film Fish Tank presents the main protagonist as an Underclass young girl through many aspects of the film. For example: Throughout the film she is seen in attire that is commonly associated with the Underclass. Many other things like her living conditions also connote to this.
Downton Abby
The TV Drama Downton Abbey is a great example of the
representation of Class and Status within Society. The TV Drama is set between
1912 and 1925. The family presented within the show are shown a high-class
status. We can tell that the family are upper class due to the denotations in
the Mise en Scene, the use of sound and also the use of camera and editing.
The family are of an Upper class background and we can tell
this through the following: The main setting for Downton Abbey is in the
countryside where a large royal manor is built for the family to live in.
Middle class or Working classes wouldn’t usually live in a large mansion like
the family of Downton Abbey are. Their surroundings also connote an upper class
background. There are many expensive items within the house: like a China Tea
set, for example. These types of things are seen within both Long and Medium
shots. The family’s clothing further proves their class status as it’s made
from materials, such as silk, that wouldn’t be associated with the middle or
lower class during that time as they are very expensive and have connotations
of royalty behind them. Another thing to link to their social class is the
family’s manor of speech. They all seem to speak in a formal register with a
stereotypical posh accent. Their body language is also very ‘posh’ as the
family stand with a straight posture. Nairn’s Theory of the Royal Family links
to the stereotypical representations of ‘posh’ people as the family are like
the working/middle class but are also very different in their lifestyle.
The relationship between the family and their servants’
separates the two different classes represented in the show. The servants are
lower class workers. These workers tend to stereotypically be spoken to in a
inhumane way. The upper class family look down upon the working class. Some of
the characters treat the servants with respect by using polite language
however. This again links to Nairn’s theory of the royals being the same as the
working class as we’re all human. The clothing of the servants also separates
the classes as the servants wear more ragged clothing than the upper class.
Many other conventions connote the class system within the
TV Drama like the use of cameras and editing. When the Medium/Lower Class are
shown living their lives and doing the family’s work, the scenes are very fast
passed. The scenes when the royals are being shown however are slower and clam.
This connotes the importance of class as the upper class are getting more
attention within the Drama rather than the Middle and Lower classes. Within the
scenes, the characters of a lower status than the royals are usually framed so
that they’re to the sides of the scenes or so that they’re hardly in the scene
at all. This also connotes the implied importance of the different classes as
the Upper Class is getting more screen time. Furthermore, the camera angles
differ depending on the characters that are within the scene. For example, if
the characters are of a higher class, the camera would usually be in a
medium-long shot position. This may be to show their importance and also their surroundings,
which contain many wealthy objects. It also emphasises their class because of
the things that we see around them. If the lower class were in frame, they
would be with the upper class in a corner of the frame or the camera angles
would be medium shots to just show what they’re doing, which is usually the
royals work. This connotes the importance of the different classes further.
The sounds within the scenes also differ depending on the
classes of the characters present. For Example: If a royal is in frame, the
music, if any, would be a stereotypically royal piece of music, usually from
and orchestra. However, if a lower class character is in frame there isn’t
usually any music, only sound effects of things like pots and pans. This
connotes both the importance and the roles of the different classes within
society.
Overall, the different classes and statuses are established using
the Mise-En-Scene, the Sounds, the Editing and the use of Camera Angles.
Shameless - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOg9RNVFAXA
Shameless - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOg9RNVFAXA
The TV Drama Shameless is another example of class
representation. As opposed to Downton Abby, Shameless focuses on a full working
class environment where everyone is of the same class and nobody is outcast as
much as they are in Downton Abby. Shameless is set in a Council Estate within
Manchester.
Throughout the episode watched, there is a range of
different camera angles used to portray and present a range of different
things. There were a few establishing shots used within the episode to
establish the settings and environment around the characters. Furthermore,
there were a range of other camera angles used to depict different emotions and
reactions within the characters. For example: Close-Up shots were used in the
Pub scene to establish the adult male’s emotions and reactions. Other Camera
Angles such as the Long Shots were used to allow the audience to capture a
better idea of the character’s appearance and surroundings. From this we can
establish some elements of the Mise-En-Scene, like the setting and the
verisimilitude of the characterisation. This includes the clothing, body
language and attitude. A lot of the clothing hints towards the working class
representation. The clothing consists of stereotypical ‘Chav’ Clothing. This is
where Lawler’s theory comes into play. Lawler’s theory (2005) states: “Chav is used as a term of disgust and contempt. Argues that
the media use the discriminatory and offensive language to vilify what they
depict as a peasant underclass symbolized by stereotypical forms of appearance.”
This links perfectly to the entire Mise-En-Scene of Shameless as the appearance
and attitude of the characters is that of a ‘Peasant lifestyle.’
The sound of the scenes within shameless vary depending on
the scene’s location and what’s happening within the scene itself. For example:
Within the home scene, you can hear background noise like pots and pans
clanging. This adds to the verisimilitude of the scene and crates a connection
to the audience in terms of escapism. The dialogue throughout the entire
episode includes some vulgar language that is not language you would expect to
hear from some of the characters. From this we can gain a better understanding
of the story and background of the characters and possibly gain a better
connection to the characters. Furthermore, depending on the scene and tone of
the scene, there may or may not be atmospheric music to link to the mood of the
scene. For example, during the pub scene, music began to start as one of the
characters realised something important in their life. The music was used to
make sure the audience knew that that is an important part of the story.
The Mise-En-Scene of the scenes allows the audience to
determine specific things within the story of the show. For example, during the
home scene, we can see an older sibling taking care of the younger siblings
with no parents around. From this we gain information about their culture and
lifestyles. The audience may compare this to their lifestyle in a positive or
in a negative way. Either identifying with the characters or shaming them
because of the way they live. In another scene, an underage male is seen
getting alcoholic drinks for an older man at a public bar. This also informs audience
about their culture and how a people don’t care very much about the younger
generation and their health. However, this could be questioned with the home
scene as the sister quickly helps her younger sister with an outfit for her
drama class so that she doesn’t get in trouble. Where the characters live also
tells us a lot about the characters and their background. For example: The
characters live in a council estate which is stereotypically known as a dirty
area to live in and also is associated with certain cultures that abuse deadly
substances. With this in mind, we can use Lawler’s theory once again to gain a
full understanding of the characters and their background.
