Theories Flashcards
Todorov - Narratology
Narratives follow a pattern of Equilibrium > Disruption > New Equalibrium
Todorov - The Bridge
Todorov - Peaky Blinders
Neale - Genre Theory
Genre can be recognised but over time borrows from other genres in order to allow them to progress. Genre is important to institutions as it allows them to market texts
Neale - Genre - The Bridge
- Crime dramas have recognisable elements but have to display difference to set them apart from repeating the same codes and conventions to stay appealing to audience.
- Shown in the bridge due to being hybrid genre, combining typical crime with Nordic Noir, enhancing audience appeal. ( Low key lighting close up shots)
- The bridge is a modernised Nordic Noir with progressive views on pre presentation of women (Saga - Dominant intelligent driven women) - Typical crime codes and conventions - props locations plot.
Neale - Genre - Peaky Blinders
- Hybridity - has characteristics of both a family from drama and a historical drama - mainly shown through setting of Birmingham in the early 20th century and the crime family and their attempts to escape the working class life through crime ( overlap in genre)
- Repetition of the gangster genre shown through Tommy Shelby’s character, as he is shown as ambitious and violent as well as holding strong family values
- Change in the gangster genre can be shown through the strong female characters such as Polly, to provide for a more modern audience
Levi Strauss - Binary Oppostition
Conflict between binary opposites drives forward the narrative (Meaning, underlying structure)
Levi Strauss - Binary Opposition - The Bridge
- Range of binary opposites in the bridge including those between two protagonists Saga and Hanne
- Also range presented in the show in themes, character and location to create meaning for the audience
(Some examples include nuclear vs alternative families, loyalty vs betrayal, domestic vs professional.)
Levi Strauss - Binary Opposition - Peaky Blinders
-Binary opposites exist between Tommy and Inspector Campbell, reinforced through the use of modern en scene in the characters expositions showing a constraint in perspectives of Birmingham
- Binary oppositions between social classes, this is particularly present in the open scene of the show when Tommy is riding his horse through china town
- Typically in crime dramas, binary oppositions are created to position the audience to snide with law and order, but the peaky blinders fall under the gangster genre
- Opposition between Tommy and Campbell position the audience to side with Tommy even though Campbell is a character representing the law
Baudrillard - Semiotics
Lines between created texts and reality are becoming blurred. for example perfect instagram images seem real
Baudrillard - Post Modernism - Peaky Blinders
- Theory is centred around postmodernism can be simply applied to Peaky Blinders due to achieved genre hybridity, it can be argued to be a post modern media text, hybridity is evident as Tommy Shelby through costume codes conforms to the period piece, but also has features of a western
Hall - Representation
Media language is used to create representations. Stereotyping is often used to assert power
Hall - Representation - The Bridge
Saga - Strong female characters (subverts stereotypical female stereotypes by being more masculine & dominant).
Swedish stereotype - Blonde, Blue eyes, Tall etc
Saga conforms to halls idea that stereotypes reduce people into simple characteristics as her (heavily implied) Asperger’s defines her personality and interactions with others
Hall - Representation - Peaky Blinders
Grace - Strong female character (looked up to and admired by female viewers) Undercover agent reinforces representation of powerful women
Tommy Shelby - Stoic, Strong, intimidating, modern masculinity, violent
Arthur Shelby - Toxic masculinity, anger, alcoholic , scarred by war suffering from PTSD
John Shelby - Lack of care (leaving guns around house) a father but cheats on wife - negative representing of men
Hybrid genre (gangster, western, historical) links to halls idea that media does not mirror the real world but produces an edited version of events depicted
The show is more exaggerated compared to the real life peaky blinders, as well as it taking place in a different period ( takes place after WWI while the real life Peaky Blinders took place during early 1800s)
Hall - Reception Theory
Producers want audiences to respond in a particular way to a text. some audiences do (preferred reading), some audiences don’t (oppositional reading) and some are in the middle (negotiated reading)
