Representation: Focus on Class and Status

SOCIAL CLASS OVERVIEW

Upper class
Upper Middle Class
Lower Middle Class
Upper Working Class
Lower Working Class
The Poor

MEDIA CLASS CLASSIFICATION

Class Type                                            Media
                                                          Classification                                       

Upper Class                                                         A

Middle Class                                                        B

Lower Middle                                                     C1

Skilled Working Class                                        C2

Working Class                                                     D

Lower Class                                                         E

STEREOTYPES:

“Working class”carries different, even contrasting connotations. It could change from positive to negative representations. “Working class” refers to hard-working, blue-collar and low-wage workers without college education who struggle to get by economically. But “working class” can also bring to mind lazy, unproductive failures etc. In TV Drama the prototypical working-class male is incompetent and ineffectual, often a buffoon, well-intentioned but dumb. He fails in his role as a father and husband, is lovable but not respected.

Middle class people fall socioeconomically between the working class and the upper class.  In most middle-class series, however, both parents are mature, sensible, and competent, especially when there are children in the series. It is the children who provide the antics and humor.The man is appropriately "manly," and the woman "womanly." The family as a whole represents an orderly, well functioning unit, in contrast to the chaotic scenes in the working class families.

Upper class is usually known as those at the top end of the social and economic hierarchy. People or groups of upper class status may have more power in certain aspects like occupation, education, etc. 

The social class could be determined through the social status of an individual or a group.

SOCIAL STATUS:  The position of a person or group within society which may be determined in two ways. One can earn their social status by theirown achievements, which is known as achieved status. Alternatively, one can be placed in thesystem by their inherited position, which is called ascribed status

STATUS SYMBOLS

Clothing or lack of it

Cars

Jewellery

Brands

Houses/Mansions

Gadgets

Status symbols can be used for different reasons; e.g. 

To establish class

To assert power

To fit into a stereotype.

(http://www.museum.tv/eotvsection.php?entrycode=socialclass retrieved research from)
TASK

Watch the following clip: Answer the questions below;

Starter Questions:

What level of class and status has been represented?

What stereotypes have been represented? are they positive or negative?

Are the stereotypes challenged or conformed in this clip?

Main Question

Using the notes from the above questions answer the following:

Discuss the representation of class and status by refering to the following: mise en scene, camerawork, editing and sound.