How class is represented

Class is defined as a set or category of things having some property or attribute in common and differentiated from others by kind, type, or quality. For example upper, middle and working. Shot types, the sound, the editing and mise-en-scene can show these classes. 


My first impressions of this clip is that it is showing a working class family because some of the family are wearing old, dirty cloths, there seems to be a lot of empty bottles and can and they are all at home and not working. Also the fact that they swear a lot may mean that there not well educated. 


How shot types are used to represent class:

The first shot is a medium long shot of the man walking down the stairs (0.01) This goes into a establishing shot to show the viewer where to look and to show the location (0.04) This shot show shows the location and where and how the family lives. When they find out that the dad was lying there are medium, close ups and medium close ups to show the conversation and the reactions to the diegetic sound. 

The main man starts to repeat the same work and exaggerates the words with hand movements. This anger from the man links to there class and the close ups of his face shows his emotion. The different shot types shows what is in the shot and helps get points across to the viewer. A master shot at 0.04 show that the girl in the shot is holding a baby that shows that working class people have babies young. The fact that she is young will probably get her benefit money and this what most working class family get. 



How mise-en-scène is used to represent class:

In the first shot it shows a man wearing dirty, baggy clothing, this shows that the man probably doesn't have enough money for new cloths and doesn't own a washing machine (0.01).  Also the way he is wearing his jacket looks like he has just put it on and he doesn't care what he looks like because he hasn't dressed himself probably. The stair case looks old because parts are not painted which links to the fact that he probably doesn't have enough money to redecorate. Also looking at the setting there are a lot of empty cans and bottles which suggests to the viewer that the family drinks a lot and it looks like its mainly the cheap alcohol that they buy (0.06). This shows that they don't have the money to buy expensive drinks. 

The fact that the hole family are in during the day tells the viewer that they probably don't have a stable job and also there not out looking for a job also tells the viewer that there quit happy not having a job and not having a lot of money. Also the children are not in school uniform so its either a weekend or they don't go very often that also links to they fact that they probably are not well educated. This shows that the working class has no respect for education.

When the man in the suit comes into the scene and stands next to the main man, this highlights to the viewer that the man has a better paid job then the main man because of the clean suit the mans wearing and the way he speaks (2.59). 


How editing is used to represent class: 

As the man gets a bit angry and starts repeating the same word the editing helps to show the frustration by the quick short cuts (1.05). The fact that he goes a bit dramatic shows the working class as angry people and over the top in a rage. Before and after this they have conversation and the use of shot reverse shot shows this. Also within the shot reverse shot there is the use of eye-line match to correlate with what people are looking at. 


How sound is used to represent class:

First in the clip there is non-diegetic sound, and this music is very slow and relaxing music and to the viewer helps to show that the man probably has just woken up and is still a bit sleepy (0.00-0.05). Also the music correlates with the speed of his walking down the stairs. As he stops the non-diegetic sound stops to. After the music the family start to talk to each other, which is diegetic sound. The way they speak shows that they swear a lot and they have an accent. The fact that they swear a lot may mean there not well educated and that they don't care that people may take affiance. 

Using diegetic sound the viewer finds out that rather then moving to another, better house they would rather stay together as a family. As this happens non-diegetic sound is put in to show that this moment is sad and a nice moment in the conversation (1.24-1.48). The fact that they stick together as a family also links to their class because people of a lower class usually have good relationships with their family or people they love. As the nice moment ends the music stops and this shows that there relationship goes up and down. 

As the viewer finds out that the dad lied about the new house the music (non-diegetic) starts again but the music this time is upbeat and makes the viewer feel like something is going to happen and the music is building up to it. The fact that when they find out about the money they received from the caravan was only £40 they laugh and this shows that there not to worried about money and this links to the fact that there working class.

Stereotypes of Class: 

The definition of stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing and the definition of class is a set or category of things having some property or attribute in common and differentiated from others by kind, type, or quality.

In this clip the working class is represented to be very family orientated, not worrying about money, they drink a lot, they don't have new clothes, there not well spoken but they do have knowledge of the world and words. However the stereotypes of working class are that there blue collar, factory workers, little savings, inner city, rented properties, work for people, state schooling and manual work. 

Stereotypes are not true but a way to group a certain societies. Stereotypes are different for different societies.

The working class people in this clip go against the stereotypes when the older man has quit an intellectual conversation with his son and uses a quote from Macbeth. However all of the other things in this clip matches with the stereotypes of the working class. The fact that the man knows Macbeth and that he uses intellectual words in his conversations shows that he is going against the stereotype of the working class.  In this clip they drink, they are family orientated and they have very little savings. When the family decided to stay in there home and stay with family stays with the stereotype that working class people are family orientated. 

 In conclusion this clip shows the working class as people that don't really respect eduction, they don't earn a lot of money and they stick together as a family. These are all shown by the shot types, editing, sound and mise-en-scène.