Camera:
- Medium shot
- Medium three shot
- Close-up on phone
Editing:
- Jump/ straight cuts
- Cut in on the phone
Mise-en-scene:
- Matriarchal family figures: Cora, Zainab, Sharon and Carol
- Zainab states that the damage of property could be considered a hate crime against Muslims
- Zainab refers to the young people of London as 'hoodlums'
- Carol assumes that Zainab lives in a council house
- Zainab is regional manager of the area
- The application of an Asian family to own the local corner store (stereotype)
Sound:
- East London accents
- Pakistani accents
Other:
- Setting: East London
- Racial Groups: London, Pakistani
- Stereotypes: Council houses due to low income of the region
Essay -
How are regional identity and ethnicity presented in the media text 'Eastenders'?
The media text 'Eastenders' depicts multiple theories and social groups within the episode stated above.
To begin with, the establishing shot demonstrates the setting as East London, a significant culturally diverse population, which is also represented in the cast of the TV soap. Social, racial and regional groups are all displayed within the programme. For instance, mise-en-scene is important in indicating both regional and racial identity in the episode through the use of matriarchal family structures. Possibly the most significant matriarch is Zainab Masood. The character of Zainab Masood is from Pakistani heritage in which the cultural norm is for the females to be dictated by their male counterparts such as fathers, brothers and husbands. Zainab Masood is therefore flouting the ideologies of her ethnicity, despite her role as matriarch still being domestic, whilst conforming more to the regional identity of the powerful working businesswoman in modern London.
Furthermore, sound also plays a large role in exemplifying ethnicity and regional identity through the use of accent, dialect and socialect within dialogue in the text. Accent is the sound of pronunciation influenced by ethnicity and regional identity whilst sociolect is language used by social groups and finally dialect is language used by certain regions and subcultures. For example, accent introduces the ephemeral regional identity and ethnicity that is present due to the contrasting variety of accents including those of East London and Pakistani.
Also, the mise-en-scene in the development of plot helps to exaggerate ethnicity within the media production. The ethnic stereotype that Asian families run local shops is supported by the secondary plot of the Masood's applying for ownership of the 'Minute Mart'. Thus, this develops stereotypical ideal in the representation of ethnicities and regional identity within East London.
Additionally, another example of regional identity is the feature of production, mise-en-scene. A stereotype associated with the regional area of East London is the much stigmatised idea that residents all occupy council housing. An example of this from within the episode is when the character of Carol assumes that Zainab lives in a council house to which the response is far from satisfied. As a result, the ideas that council housing is a negative stereotype within London is supported by the episode through the use of character and dialogue.
Finally, regional identity is further represented through dialogue and character in the media production 'Eastenders'. The idea that the East London region is full of young people who all misbehave and belong to delinquent youth anti-society subcultures, relating to Cohen's theory on youth subculture representation within media being over presented, is shown through Zainab referring to the character of Lauren as a 'hoodlum' resulting from the party culture held by the character. This is a regional identity based stereotype about London which is supported due to the norms and values held by the producer which is then imparted to the receiver therefore enforcing hegemony.
To conclude, regional identity and ethnicity displayed in the episode of 'Eastenders' could easily be interpreted as biased and influenced by the ideals held by the producer rather than being a more representative example of the reality within an East London region and the depiction of specific ethnicities.
How are regional identity and ethnicity presented in the media text 'Eastenders'?
The media text 'Eastenders' depicts multiple theories and social groups within the episode stated above.
To begin with, the establishing shot demonstrates the setting as East London, a significant culturally diverse population, which is also represented in the cast of the TV soap. Social, racial and regional groups are all displayed within the programme. For instance, mise-en-scene is important in indicating both regional and racial identity in the episode through the use of matriarchal family structures. Possibly the most significant matriarch is Zainab Masood. The character of Zainab Masood is from Pakistani heritage in which the cultural norm is for the females to be dictated by their male counterparts such as fathers, brothers and husbands. Zainab Masood is therefore flouting the ideologies of her ethnicity, despite her role as matriarch still being domestic, whilst conforming more to the regional identity of the powerful working businesswoman in modern London.
Furthermore, sound also plays a large role in exemplifying ethnicity and regional identity through the use of accent, dialect and socialect within dialogue in the text. Accent is the sound of pronunciation influenced by ethnicity and regional identity whilst sociolect is language used by social groups and finally dialect is language used by certain regions and subcultures. For example, accent introduces the ephemeral regional identity and ethnicity that is present due to the contrasting variety of accents including those of East London and Pakistani.
Also, the mise-en-scene in the development of plot helps to exaggerate ethnicity within the media production. The ethnic stereotype that Asian families run local shops is supported by the secondary plot of the Masood's applying for ownership of the 'Minute Mart'. Thus, this develops stereotypical ideal in the representation of ethnicities and regional identity within East London.
Additionally, another example of regional identity is the feature of production, mise-en-scene. A stereotype associated with the regional area of East London is the much stigmatised idea that residents all occupy council housing. An example of this from within the episode is when the character of Carol assumes that Zainab lives in a council house to which the response is far from satisfied. As a result, the ideas that council housing is a negative stereotype within London is supported by the episode through the use of character and dialogue.
Finally, regional identity is further represented through dialogue and character in the media production 'Eastenders'. The idea that the East London region is full of young people who all misbehave and belong to delinquent youth anti-society subcultures, relating to Cohen's theory on youth subculture representation within media being over presented, is shown through Zainab referring to the character of Lauren as a 'hoodlum' resulting from the party culture held by the character. This is a regional identity based stereotype about London which is supported due to the norms and values held by the producer which is then imparted to the receiver therefore enforcing hegemony.
To conclude, regional identity and ethnicity displayed in the episode of 'Eastenders' could easily be interpreted as biased and influenced by the ideals held by the producer rather than being a more representative example of the reality within an East London region and the depiction of specific ethnicities.
No comments:
Post a Comment