Notes on discussing the representation of youth in contemporary film and television
Argument 1 - Youth are often represented in accordance or hegemonic notions of adolescence.
Theory -
Gramsci Theory - He developed a concept of cultural hegemony, meaning that social class (meaning middle class) dominate in society by normal, natural and common sense.
Social class is just accepted, working class accept oppression in todays society, as it is shown in the media, in films and TV shows. An example of this is Mia in Fishtank she is working class and accepts that as she acts like a 'typical estate girl' which could give the representation to other working class girls who live on an estate like in the film, that thats the correct way to act, which in reality it is not. It can also be linked to The Cultivation Theory which states that if all these young people are watching and consuming this TV and Film then they are more likely to believe that it is reality. The media usually portrays working class as oppressed by a hegemonic society and it represents the middle class as better off because they have more materialistic things. Using the Gramsci Theory we are able to see how the media always stays on the side of hegemony of the higher classes as these are seen as more acceptable, and they also don't take into account how other people live within society.
Another example that can be used to argue that youth are often represented in hegemonic notions of adolescence could be by the selfish giant. The selfish giant represents two young working class boys who try and get money for their mums by selling scrap metal. Acland said that delinquent youths enhance hegemony from adults. We can use this theory as a contrast (counter argument) because in the selfish giant two delinquent youths that should be in school getting an education are out trying to get scrap metal in order to get money for their families. Media presents young people as delinquents which usually means the state has more control over them and try's to keep them under tab and watch everything they do.
Argument 2 - Youth are represented as being let down by adults
Examples
FishTank- Mia is shown as being let down by her mum. Her mum is a very self involved character and cares more about herself, men and partying than her kids. She is not bringing her up in the correct way as Mia is 15 years old and drinking and smoking and sneaking off and having a violent attitude towards other teenagers. Mia's behaviour is a reflect of how she has been let down by her mum. The fact Mia has no dad in the film could also poetry the way she is and how she was let down by her father which could of had an adverse affect on her behaviour. She is also let down by Connor in the film as she is a child and he takes advantage of her when in fact Mia was initially hoping Connor would be a father figure. Hebdige theory - Representation of youth is very extreme, it is either they are in poverty and materially and usually culturally deprived or they are over the top rich middle class students which is like fishtank of being one extreme of representation, and in this case Mia is being shown as extreme but due to the neglect of her mother and potentially father and Connor.
The Selfish Giant- The Selfish Giant shows youth being let down by adults because the fact the youth are missing school and education to try and make money for their families where in fact it should be the parents trying to make money, in the Guardian it was said "Arbour and Swifty, two friends excluded from school both desperate to help their mums who variously struggling to keep the wolf from the door". Also Katrina Mather said "young people want to make healthy and informed decisions but until now too many have been let down by the education system". The fact they get into dangerous work and Arbour and Swifty become so desperate to make money that one of them ends up dying shows they were extremely let down by adults because they are youth and in reality when this happened they should of been at school or being under supervision of adults not doing dangerous work that neither of them were trained to do. The point were the two boys collect pots and pans from gardens and push it around in a pram shoes how desperate they are to get money for their families which shows just how poor their home life is, which in some cases some people would argue that the representation of youth and how they are being let down is very relevant because for a child to be doing that at such a young age its not normality.
Argument 3- Youth are represented as being part of a subculture
The Role of youth culture involves offering symbolic elements that are used by youth to construct and identity outside the restraints of class and education.
Hebdige Theory- A theory that studied British youth subcultures and focused on the reality of youth cultures. He found that youths formed subcultures because it allowed them to express themselves and to challenge hegemony in a stylish way. Hebdige argues that the representation of youths in the media is very LIMITED because subcultures are either shown as trouble or as fun, their is no in-between, he suggests that media representation of youths is not reality. Due to the media not accurately portraying subcultures Hebdige said this affects the portrayal of youths massively because they are either seen in a negative way or a positive way and therefore we never get to see the hardworking teenagers who seem to just fade into the back of society.
Example - Spike Island, a film about a 'subculture' of boys in Manchester who are seen by the education system in a negative way but in reality they are just passionate about music, The Stone Roses in particular and there sole aim is to be able to see them live and all costs. At the very start of the film they are shown as an anti social youth subculture, because they vandalise the school however they are just following the example of their favourite band. Their subculture was a representation of Manchester in the 90s 'bowl cuts, wide trousers and bad weather.'
Someone in the guardian stated the reality of that time period was 'I remember the madness of that year; the music, fashion and regional pride, it was the centre of the universe for a year.'
Theory -
Gramsci Theory - He developed a concept of cultural hegemony, meaning that social class (meaning middle class) dominate in society by normal, natural and common sense.
Social class is just accepted, working class accept oppression in todays society, as it is shown in the media, in films and TV shows. An example of this is Mia in Fishtank she is working class and accepts that as she acts like a 'typical estate girl' which could give the representation to other working class girls who live on an estate like in the film, that thats the correct way to act, which in reality it is not. It can also be linked to The Cultivation Theory which states that if all these young people are watching and consuming this TV and Film then they are more likely to believe that it is reality. The media usually portrays working class as oppressed by a hegemonic society and it represents the middle class as better off because they have more materialistic things. Using the Gramsci Theory we are able to see how the media always stays on the side of hegemony of the higher classes as these are seen as more acceptable, and they also don't take into account how other people live within society.
Another example that can be used to argue that youth are often represented in hegemonic notions of adolescence could be by the selfish giant. The selfish giant represents two young working class boys who try and get money for their mums by selling scrap metal. Acland said that delinquent youths enhance hegemony from adults. We can use this theory as a contrast (counter argument) because in the selfish giant two delinquent youths that should be in school getting an education are out trying to get scrap metal in order to get money for their families. Media presents young people as delinquents which usually means the state has more control over them and try's to keep them under tab and watch everything they do.
Argument 2 - Youth are represented as being let down by adults
Examples
FishTank- Mia is shown as being let down by her mum. Her mum is a very self involved character and cares more about herself, men and partying than her kids. She is not bringing her up in the correct way as Mia is 15 years old and drinking and smoking and sneaking off and having a violent attitude towards other teenagers. Mia's behaviour is a reflect of how she has been let down by her mum. The fact Mia has no dad in the film could also poetry the way she is and how she was let down by her father which could of had an adverse affect on her behaviour. She is also let down by Connor in the film as she is a child and he takes advantage of her when in fact Mia was initially hoping Connor would be a father figure. Hebdige theory - Representation of youth is very extreme, it is either they are in poverty and materially and usually culturally deprived or they are over the top rich middle class students which is like fishtank of being one extreme of representation, and in this case Mia is being shown as extreme but due to the neglect of her mother and potentially father and Connor.
The Selfish Giant- The Selfish Giant shows youth being let down by adults because the fact the youth are missing school and education to try and make money for their families where in fact it should be the parents trying to make money, in the Guardian it was said "Arbour and Swifty, two friends excluded from school both desperate to help their mums who variously struggling to keep the wolf from the door". Also Katrina Mather said "young people want to make healthy and informed decisions but until now too many have been let down by the education system". The fact they get into dangerous work and Arbour and Swifty become so desperate to make money that one of them ends up dying shows they were extremely let down by adults because they are youth and in reality when this happened they should of been at school or being under supervision of adults not doing dangerous work that neither of them were trained to do. The point were the two boys collect pots and pans from gardens and push it around in a pram shoes how desperate they are to get money for their families which shows just how poor their home life is, which in some cases some people would argue that the representation of youth and how they are being let down is very relevant because for a child to be doing that at such a young age its not normality.
Argument 3- Youth are represented as being part of a subculture
The Role of youth culture involves offering symbolic elements that are used by youth to construct and identity outside the restraints of class and education.
Hebdige Theory- A theory that studied British youth subcultures and focused on the reality of youth cultures. He found that youths formed subcultures because it allowed them to express themselves and to challenge hegemony in a stylish way. Hebdige argues that the representation of youths in the media is very LIMITED because subcultures are either shown as trouble or as fun, their is no in-between, he suggests that media representation of youths is not reality. Due to the media not accurately portraying subcultures Hebdige said this affects the portrayal of youths massively because they are either seen in a negative way or a positive way and therefore we never get to see the hardworking teenagers who seem to just fade into the back of society.
Example - Spike Island, a film about a 'subculture' of boys in Manchester who are seen by the education system in a negative way but in reality they are just passionate about music, The Stone Roses in particular and there sole aim is to be able to see them live and all costs. At the very start of the film they are shown as an anti social youth subculture, because they vandalise the school however they are just following the example of their favourite band. Their subculture was a representation of Manchester in the 90s 'bowl cuts, wide trousers and bad weather.'
Someone in the guardian stated the reality of that time period was 'I remember the madness of that year; the music, fashion and regional pride, it was the centre of the universe for a year.'
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