class and status3

7/30/2019 Class and Status3

1/15

COLLECT HMK

Storyboards and commentaries


2/15

Marxism

What can you remember?


3/15

Marxism

Core Marx idea = all societies have an economicbase.

Central core and focus of any society

= what makes it function

In Western cultures economic base = capitalist

(capitalism: based on the pursuit of wealth)

Marx = problem: does not benefit all rich get richer and the poor poorer

Leads to social inequality


4/15

Marxism = capitalist society is a split society

Those who control/have power: bourgeoisie

Those who do not and who have to sell their labour

(or work) for minimal pay with little/no share of the

profit:proletariat

Marx = institutions that exist in a society (such asthose linked to the law, education, politics and the

media) do so to support, serve and legitimise

the ruling elites base to society they partly exist to convince people that the way the

country works is the right way.


5/15

The peasants are revolting? Bourgeoisie are outnumbered by the proletariat

so why dont they simply rise up and overthrow their masters?

Marxism = elements ofsocietys internal structure, eg the Media, areused to brainwash the proletariat into seeing the existing structure asnatural and right

Create a sense of false consciousness

promote a fake view that the world is exactly as it should be.

Reassures the proletariat

Stops feeling that anything should be done about the situation

Unaware of the true nature of their exploitation and unfairness

Do not question inequality = normalised

Most powerful ruling group = stay in power to preserve privilegedposition. Use media to keep society the way it is

preserve the status quo


6/15

Marxist developments

Gramsci and Hegemony

Ruling classes, through power and control of

media, promote theirideologies

Repetition and the absence/marginalization of

other views, the proletariat eventually accept

these as common sense and the natural way

to view things.


7/15

A Marxists view the media in a

capitalist culture = agents of the rulingelite

Media used as a more subtle, less

objectionable control mechanism thanthe Army.

Gain peoples agreement to the way

society is, rather than having to beatthem into submission


8/15

PRACTICE WRITING EXAMPLE SENTENCES USING

EXAMPLES THAT GROUND THEORISTS


9/15

Representation (Hall), is to display or re-present a

version of reality to the audience; this version

displayed here (Coronation St), is one that is not

only palatable to the dominant patriarchy but

significantly does not also not challenge the

status quo or hegemony (Gramsci), conformingwith Marxist perspectives.

In this image the working class male is

represented as a simple creature, simply

satisfied, with simple pleasures. Surrounded by

close friends, raising a pint towards the camera ina friendly gesture, expressions of pleasure and

contentment are clear.

The mise en scene shows beer pumps and the

backdrop of a room, signifying a pub a

significant reinforcement of the working class

male stereotype as a basic creature with basictastes; he accepts his place in society (Marx) and

does not seek to better himself with books,

through sport or spend time with his family. In

contrast, after a day of manual labour he can be

found in pubs, drinking and dulling his senses

with friends who share his values and beliefs.

The costume of casual wear in grey

colours connotes a dreary, unexciting

monotony of working class life; an

existence only made enjoyable by thetime spent with friends (significantly

male) in a (significantly) male dominated

environment.

From a Marxist perspective, the straight

camera angle combined with thecharacter's direct gaze could reinforce the

concept of desired (but false) equality.

However, as the characters look to the

audience accepting their lower social

class, simple beasts, simply satisfied, any

challenge to dominant patriarchynegated.


10/15

Larkrise to Candleford

Hustle

Inspector Morse

Dr Who


11/15

Verisimilitude

The appearance of reality or truth, artificial but

appears to be real

Deliberate choice of plot and characters that are

used to create a believable and plausible plot


12/15

Realism British Soap Operas tend to focus on more everyday characters and

situations

Frequently set in working class environments

Contrast with the typically attractive, seductive, glamorous and

wealthy characters shown in US daytime soaps UK Soap Operas explore social realist storylines such as:

- family discord - marriage breakdown

- financial problems

UK Soaps also tend to use and celebrate their location- an important ingredient of the programme

Deliberately play to stereotypes: accent, occupation, costume

eg: EastEnders - tough, grim life in Londons East End

Coronation Street - Manchester, "Northern straight talking


13/15

TaskFocus on the TV drama you have been assigned,

(extract approx 4 minutes)

Use the worksheet to create a detailed analysis

of representation ofclass from four technicalareas

Be ready to presentto the class

Groups:

1) Georgina, Matt, Ellie, Tom

W

2) Harpreet, Connor, Tom H

3) Sophie, Jamie, Megan,

Sam


14/15


15/15

How is the representation of class

constructed in this extract?

Camera Shot/Movement

Mise en scene

Sound

Editing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_videohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZdHx1jQZo&playnext=1&list=PL5E4F6FBC08F7A7E7&feature=results_video

class and status3

Documents