Representation- TV

Question 1

Representation (PB)

Answer 1

• Theory of Representation- Hall: the idea that representation is the production of meaning through language.
• Stereotyping: applying preconceived images to someone or something, eg. gender, age, ethnicity.
  -Male characters dominate Peaky Blinders and fill positions of power
  -Accurate historical contexts of 1920s Britain where patriarchy and suppression of femininity were still apparent.
• Gaye Tuchman said that women are symbolically annihilated in the media- appear less frequently and are given less prominence
• Traditional, Post femininity, Misogyny and Androgyny
• Grace’s Sexism:
  -regularly mistaken for being a ‘whore’, via the diegetic dialogue - misogyny
  -working at The Garrison Pub confines her role as a server to the patriarchal punters, and sings for the men to maintain an ambience of peace.
• Grace’s arrival to Birmingham-
  -long shot of Grace entering small heath = clothing, bright green juxtaposes the muted working-class setting.
  -non-diegetic score connoting tranquillity suggesting enigma of the character and a sense of beauty
  -body language and walking in high heels accentuates swaying hips- dominance
  -dialogue of ‘seeking employment’ demonstrates her soft nature
  -too nice and too pretty”, emphasises her beauty and reiterates objectification
  -“they’d have you up against the wall”=sexualisation and her being hired = used for sexual gratification in the patriarchal setting
  -demanding a job, foreshadows her deceitful mission and expresses the idea that Grace is not a character to be confined to traditional femininity and misogyny
• Polly’s femininity (post-feminist)
  -MATRIARCH:
  Took on the maternal responsibility of raising Ada and Finn as well as continuing the Shelby Organisation and aiding the Small Heath community when the Shelby boys were drafted to the war in France.
  Historical context of the 1910s as women were drafted into the working roles vacated by the men who went to war
  -CHALLENGE GENDER NORMS:
  Maternal figure as it is confirmed she took on the role of raising the younger Shelby children,
  But her independent stance on how the organisation should be run + fearlessness of challenging the patriarchal family = her post-feminist construction.
• Polly confronts John scene:
  -two shots frame Polly pointing the iconography of the gun towards John -power
  -vicious slap to John emasculating him
  -low-angle shot reinforcing her post-feminist construction, + “to get up off his arse”.
  -nearly blew Ada’s tits off”, confirms a sense of androgyny with both physical violence and derogatory language.
• Masculinity (traditional, new modern man)
  -typically in a TV crime drama, patriarchal, men are self-reliant, emotionally restrictive, physically strong, and overtly sexual”.
• Tommy= Traditional and New Modern man
  TRADITIONAL: working-class gangster who embraces the traditional stereotypes of the strong, fearless patriarch of the Shelby Family.
  Costume is crucial for constructing gender, and status/power
  Expensive sharp suits (upper class) with flat caps (working class), that are also used as weapons (aggressive masculinity)- dominating, territorial and violent.
  MODERN: Tommy is a ‘tough guy with a heart of gold’. Though emotionally restrained and capable of violence, he is kind to children and the elderly and wants to support his community.
  Violence is rooted in previous trauma. This adds a layer of vulnerability to the traditional ‘tough guy’ persona.
• Arthur’s interrogation scene=
  -The intimate tight framing of Arthur strapped to the chair connotes the impending threat
  -low-key lighting creates an ominous atmosphere illustrating Chester’s ruthless delivery of law
  -close-up of Arthur’s bloodied face promotes the essence of brutal masculine violence,
  -The low-angled framing of Chester connotes his brooding presence and epitomises his intimidating threat (hypermasculine)
  -patronising and threatening dialogue, your family will be face down in the canal”.

Question 2

PB rep- Theory

Answer 2

• Gender Performativity- Butler: things that you do to express your gender, which is not innate is the result of human cultural ideas of gender - you are “performing” your gender (clothes, body language, chosen title of address)
• TOMMY: Tommy’s performance of brooding, stoic coolness and violence, when provoked, confirms his masculinity.
  -Patriarch so makes key decisions and is feared and respected by other characters.
  -Expensive suit + smoking + drinking hard liquor adds to stereotypical masculinity
  -Tommy’s ideologies- paternal care particularly towards children, challenging his younger brother finn smoking.
  -Cares for the working-class community and gives back financially or via empathy (Danny)
  -Vulnerability via suffering from display of emotion and lack of control but at the same time his masculine ego forces him to hide this weakness.
• CAMPBELL: hyper-masculinity
  -The vicious method of taking down the Shelby family is confirmed via Arthur’s torture. Sadistic pleasure shows gratification for aggressive violence.
  -Thick moustache, dark suit, gravelly voice and menacing facial expressions= hyper-masculinity
• GRACE: Initially she is a fish-out-of-water, ‘too pretty’ for the area, who can calm a bar with her siren’s song
  -Later it is revealed she is a ruthless and dedicated undercover agent who has adopted a ‘pretty’ disguise to get closer to Tommy.
• POLLY: challenges the stereotypical representation of women as weak, submissive or timid.
  -Has more backstory to her character than a superficial crime family matriarch, including a problematic relationship with motherhood
  -female empowerment through her subversion of patriarchal gender norms

Question 3

Representation- The Bridge

Answer 3

• Representation- Stuart Hall: production of meaning through media language
• Saga: ruthless detective who abides the law and remains loyal to ethics, Socially challenged due to high functioning autism, so struggles to work with others
• Lillian: chief inspector of the Copenhagen police, position of authority in both the work place and her domestic life, challenges Hans on several occasions, forcing him to choose where his loyalties stand.
• Morten: ex-soldier who served in Afghanistan, estranged son of Helle Anker, represented as an emotional, impulsive and chaotic masculine character who is suffering from PTSD- internal diegetic sounds of warfare.
• Sweden stereotypes: leads in gender equality, accustomed to the cold and dark, blue-eyed blondes, unemotional, depression is diagnosed in high numbers
• Denmark stereotypes: ‘tough’ exterior’, conform to traditional ideologies and reluctant to accept contemporary ideas, justified via Hanne who completely dismisses the idea of non-binary.
• Show conforms- Nordic Noir conventions = Sweden as cold, darkness, as well as depression and a great surge in equality as women are in higher authority.
  -Show subverts- serial is written by men and the female characters persona all bare some troubling personal issues, punished for their empowerment and oppression of patriarchy?
• Saga’s Representation:
  -COSTUME: “tough” leather, boots, military-style coat-
  androgyny. Rejects feminine stereotypes- no make-up and she has a large scar on her face – conventionally masculine and connotes violence.
  -PERFORMANCE: the active protagonist – constantly moving and perceptive, gathering evidence for the criminal investigation, embraces contemporary feminine attributes eg. , independence, brave and empowered.
  ‘Masculine’ stance and walk.
  Androgynous and assertive- direct questioning and challenges her superior Hans for his tardiness.

Question 4

The Bridge Rep- Theory

Answer 4

• Theory of Identity- Audiences use media to construct identities.
  -identify with Saga’s commitment to abiding the law and ethics- audiences own personal ethos.
  -role model for autistic demographic as disabilities are under-represented in TV
• Feminist Theory - bell hooks: race and class determines the extent of discrimination (rejects white feminism)
  -Challenges male domination through women’s roles in police force, against historical political contexts.
  -But - absence of ethnicities other than white implies social inequality.
• Feminist Theory- Van Zoonen: there’s a “variety of feminist discourse”,
  LIBERAL: scandanavian ideology and attitudes to gender and sex, Women are not marginalized but are central to the narrative and hold positions of authority (Saga & Lillian)
  RADICAL: Gender roles are rejected by characters. Written by men so may have patriarchal viewpoint. Is Helle Anker punished for her ‘radical’ approach to gender neutrality?
  SOCIALIST: “superwoman” figure is middle-class Lise, wife of a rich man – implies that women still reliant on males financially.
  Her attitude is right-wing rather than socialist and is portrayed negatively. What socialists are trying to highlight.