Friday, 15 January 2010

Representation of Social Class in a clip from 'Monarch of the Glen'

Clue to region (Scotland): Location, accent, title of the show, aspects that are within the mise-en-scene, the soundtrack which goes with the clip which are pipes (non-diegetic)।
Genre of the television programme: Family drama because it is clean with no violence, no sex, no swearing and realistic problems like the girl who runs away from school.
Girl coming up to the Boy sweeping, shows social class because of the job he is doing. The Boy is in a grey jacket, and the colour pallette is dull, dismal and drab.
Within the mise-en-scene there is a washing line with towels which shows that the people are not wealthy, but the terraced housing and a lot of the objects within the mise-en-scene are working class signifiers.
(00:23) The washing line is a symbol of social realism which is always associated with working class. Casting two teenagers for Monarch of the Glen attracts a wider viewing audience for the show.
(00:32) Low angle shot of the boss makes him seem more dominant, and that he is from a higher class because he gives the orders and he stands over everybody else.
(01:34) The headteacher comes looking for the girl which shows she has runaway from a private school because if you ran away from a public school the headteacher wouldn't come looking for you but just contact your parents by letter/telephone. The headteacher coming to look for her also shows she has lied to everyone.
(01:45) Old fashioned representation of the headteacher - tweed jacket, jumper, tie and patches on his jacket which all point to him being traditional.
(01:53) Archie MacDonald is of Upper Class Gentry because he has a lot of money and objects within the mise-en-scene point to all of this. Crystal glasses, well-bound books, panelled walls. Archie MacDonald portrays wealth and authority. Archie MacDonald doesn't fit the 'Monarch of the Glen' because he is dressed down and previous shots show him to be very 'hands on'. Modest dress sense shows Archie is of old money, and doesn't like to show off the money he does have.

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