Exam prep question
Discuss the representation of youth in contemporary film and television
Plan
Plan
One way in which youth are represented in film and television is as being let down by adults. This often occurs in two ways, through the family and through the education system. A Time Magazine article 'Britain's Mean Streets' stated how 'parents aren't always around to help socialise their children - or even just show them affection.' This is very clearly shown in Fish Tank as Mia is shown to be brought up in a single parent family with only a 'damaged mother' and 'no dad in the picture' to help socialise her. Primary socialisation through the family is thought to be vital in a child's development and so the lack of that received by Mia shows how her parents have let her down and caused her to not be prepared for society and the wider world. The one parent she does have is presented as being very inadequate as a parent, focusing more on her own happiness and well being than that of her daughters. She is shown to offer little affection to her daughters with the only 'moment of intimacy with her daughter (coming) when she ferociously tells Mia that she was thinking of having her aborted.' This shows how Mia's mother has never really wanted Mia to be in life and so has never really been there to support and guide her from the beginning like you would expect from a parent. Her cold and detached nature and unwillingness to show any real kind of love and affection towards her daughters results in Mia having 'no idea how to express or manage love' and ultimately becoming quite detached and isolated from others. Although the film demonstrates the lack of affection given to the daughters by their biological parents, there is some affection shown in the way Connor treats them. Mia's desperate 'longing for safety and comfort of a father figure's care' which she doesn't receive from her own father is instead shown in Connor and Mia is presented as 'hoping that Connor could be (that) father-figure' that helps her out. This ultimately ends up in her again being let down by adults after it occurs that Connor already has a family and has no intention on staying with Mia's family and becoming that 'father-figure' she is so desperate to have. This film conclusively shows Mia as being let down by adults, first by her own parents and then by Connor which helps to highlight the idea that youth in media are shown to only be able to rely on themselves and not adults.
The idea that youth are let down by adults in media is also shown in the film Spike Island where we see a group of boys forming their own subculture as a response to the lack of support they receive from their parents. Hebdige talked about how youth form subcultures as a way for them to express themselves which can be seen in the subculture that the boys form in Spike Island. The boys are shown to be in a band called the 'shadowcaster' which is also their subculture. The lack of support the receive from their parents they instead seek in the form of their friends and use their subculture of being in a band to express themselves and how they feel. This is clearly shown in the opening when the five boys go and paint the school at night as inspired to by their favourite band, The Stone Roses. This scene clearly demonstrates how the boys are rejecting the norms and values of society and are instead following their own values as part of a subculture and expressing their frustration at society through it. Throughout this film each boy is shown to be let down by an adult either because of lone parent families, abusive fathers or dying parents. The fact that neither boy has a stable home or support from their family goes to show how again youth are presented as being let down by adults in media and instead of relying on them for support, they have to find their own support from their friends in the formation of subcultures.
As stated previously, youth is also shown in media to be let down by the education system with this most clearly being shown in The Selfish Giant. The school is shown to 'entirely give up on the boys' with one being permanently being excluded and the other temporarily. This exclusion results in the boys being 'forced to assume responsibilities that adults would bulk at' through scrapping so they can help support their families. Giroux talked about how 'their is no youth, instead just children and adults' which is distinctly presented in The Selfish Giant. While the boys are in education their are shown to be children and have youth, however as soon as they are excluded they become adults. Kitten the scrape merchant treats the boys as if they were adults rather than children, giving them work which is considered dangerous and paying them a wage like he would to his actual workers. This just reinforces the idea how the education system has given up on the boys and because of this Swifty and Arbor are forced to make their own way through life by taking on a dangerous job. This all shows us how youth are presented as being let down by adults both through the family and the education system. This causes youth to feel frustrated and form subcultures to cope and receive the support which they don't receive from adults.
Another way youth are presented in media is as being products of the society they were born into. Within The Selfish Giant we can see how both boys have been born into a working-class family which shows the difficult struggles they face. We see how 'the boys mothers (struggle) with the rent' and are unable 'to pay their utility bills and are reduced to selling their own furniture.' This tough lifestyles helps to show the boys fear of poverty and desperation to try and change the way their families are forced to live in society by getting a job through scrapping. However, this illegitimate job results in the boys coming into a lot of trouble with the police and Kitten and helps to demonstrate how the boys will never be able to escape the society they were born into. Gerbner argued how 'youth are always the victim of being involved within crime. This gives people the perception that youths do all the crime which represents them badly' however The Selfish Giant challenges this idea as viewers are shown that the boys only partake in these illegal activities as a way to help and provide for their families and not as a means to rebel against society. This shows how youth aren't always represented badly through crime and that sometimes they are shown to only commit crime as a way to survive. However, the fact that the boys partake in illegal activities does show how youth are presented to be products of the society they were born into in media. Marxists argue how capitalist society causes crime and that poverty can force working-class individuals to resort to crime in order to survive. The Selfish Giant seems to demonstrate this well with the two boys becoming products of their society and working an illegal job in order to help their families pay rent in this capitalist society.
Fish Tank is another example of a film that demonstrates youth being products of their society. We can see in this film how Mia has 'inherited from her mum a stroppy insecurity and a nascent fondness for the booze' which shows how Mia has become a product of the underclass society which she is being brought up in. Just like how her mother isn't shown to care for anything other than parties and men, Mia is also shown to reflect this ideology of not caring as she doesn't go or seem to care about school or her education and instead chooses to mess about with her life and waste it doing meaningless things. The only thing she is shown to care about is dance, even going as far as to film her audition and send in her application, however it is her class which ultimately causes her to stop and to stay a product of the society she was born into. As the Guardian said. 'people don't chooses their circumstances: they are shaped by them' which can be seen as true for both Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant. Neither of the children in these films choose to live in these harsh conditions, but it is these circumstances which have shaped these individuals into the youth they are shown to be in the films. it is 'class and poverty...that is still holding back young people' which is shown clearly in both these films. This demonstrates to the audience how youth are represented as being a product of society within film as both the film Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant demonstrate how youth have been shaped the way they are through their circumstance and position in society.
Finally youth are often presented in accordance with popular or hegemonic notions of adolescence. Stanley Hall stated how youth is 'a period of storm and stress, conflict with parents, mood disruptions and risky behaviour' which can clearly be see within the film Fish Tank. Within this film we can see how 'Mia, a tricky, lairy 15 year old is in trouble with the social services for breaking a girls nose'. Throughout the film she is shown to be in constant conflict with her mother, arguing and fighting her at every corner over every little thing and generally conforming to typical teenage stereotypes. Giroux looked at how youth are represented and found that in media, youth are moulded together through what adults believe and think youth to be which leads to an uprising of stereotypes. This causes youth to be presented in media how adults believe them to act which can cause in a rise in stereotypes for youth within film so they fit in with the hegemonic notions of adolescence for the viewers. This explains why we can see Mia in Fish Tank conforming to these stereotypes as it fits what adults in society believe youth to be like.
Spike Island is another example of how youth in film and media fit with popular notions of adolescence. Within the film we see how the boys conform to typical stereotypes of youth with them being presented as lads and acting out against the rules of society by painting the school and doing drugs. The boys are shown to partake in 'risky behaviour' and generally partaking in delinquent acts which help to present their youthfulness and their conformity to popular norms of adolescence. Acland talked about how media representation of youth allows the state to control them. By showing youth as irrational and talking part in reckless activities, it enhances the idea within society that youths need to be constantly watched and surveyed. It enforces the hegemony of how youths should not behave when it comes to adulthood.
As stated previously, youth is also shown in media to be let down by the education system with this most clearly being shown in The Selfish Giant. The school is shown to 'entirely give up on the boys' with one being permanently being excluded and the other temporarily. This exclusion results in the boys being 'forced to assume responsibilities that adults would bulk at' through scrapping so they can help support their families. Giroux talked about how 'their is no youth, instead just children and adults' which is distinctly presented in The Selfish Giant. While the boys are in education their are shown to be children and have youth, however as soon as they are excluded they become adults. Kitten the scrape merchant treats the boys as if they were adults rather than children, giving them work which is considered dangerous and paying them a wage like he would to his actual workers. This just reinforces the idea how the education system has given up on the boys and because of this Swifty and Arbor are forced to make their own way through life by taking on a dangerous job. This all shows us how youth are presented as being let down by adults both through the family and the education system. This causes youth to feel frustrated and form subcultures to cope and receive the support which they don't receive from adults.
Another way youth are presented in media is as being products of the society they were born into. Within The Selfish Giant we can see how both boys have been born into a working-class family which shows the difficult struggles they face. We see how 'the boys mothers (struggle) with the rent' and are unable 'to pay their utility bills and are reduced to selling their own furniture.' This tough lifestyles helps to show the boys fear of poverty and desperation to try and change the way their families are forced to live in society by getting a job through scrapping. However, this illegitimate job results in the boys coming into a lot of trouble with the police and Kitten and helps to demonstrate how the boys will never be able to escape the society they were born into. Gerbner argued how 'youth are always the victim of being involved within crime. This gives people the perception that youths do all the crime which represents them badly' however The Selfish Giant challenges this idea as viewers are shown that the boys only partake in these illegal activities as a way to help and provide for their families and not as a means to rebel against society. This shows how youth aren't always represented badly through crime and that sometimes they are shown to only commit crime as a way to survive. However, the fact that the boys partake in illegal activities does show how youth are presented to be products of the society they were born into in media. Marxists argue how capitalist society causes crime and that poverty can force working-class individuals to resort to crime in order to survive. The Selfish Giant seems to demonstrate this well with the two boys becoming products of their society and working an illegal job in order to help their families pay rent in this capitalist society.
Fish Tank is another example of a film that demonstrates youth being products of their society. We can see in this film how Mia has 'inherited from her mum a stroppy insecurity and a nascent fondness for the booze' which shows how Mia has become a product of the underclass society which she is being brought up in. Just like how her mother isn't shown to care for anything other than parties and men, Mia is also shown to reflect this ideology of not caring as she doesn't go or seem to care about school or her education and instead chooses to mess about with her life and waste it doing meaningless things. The only thing she is shown to care about is dance, even going as far as to film her audition and send in her application, however it is her class which ultimately causes her to stop and to stay a product of the society she was born into. As the Guardian said. 'people don't chooses their circumstances: they are shaped by them' which can be seen as true for both Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant. Neither of the children in these films choose to live in these harsh conditions, but it is these circumstances which have shaped these individuals into the youth they are shown to be in the films. it is 'class and poverty...that is still holding back young people' which is shown clearly in both these films. This demonstrates to the audience how youth are represented as being a product of society within film as both the film Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant demonstrate how youth have been shaped the way they are through their circumstance and position in society.
Finally youth are often presented in accordance with popular or hegemonic notions of adolescence. Stanley Hall stated how youth is 'a period of storm and stress, conflict with parents, mood disruptions and risky behaviour' which can clearly be see within the film Fish Tank. Within this film we can see how 'Mia, a tricky, lairy 15 year old is in trouble with the social services for breaking a girls nose'. Throughout the film she is shown to be in constant conflict with her mother, arguing and fighting her at every corner over every little thing and generally conforming to typical teenage stereotypes. Giroux looked at how youth are represented and found that in media, youth are moulded together through what adults believe and think youth to be which leads to an uprising of stereotypes. This causes youth to be presented in media how adults believe them to act which can cause in a rise in stereotypes for youth within film so they fit in with the hegemonic notions of adolescence for the viewers. This explains why we can see Mia in Fish Tank conforming to these stereotypes as it fits what adults in society believe youth to be like.
Spike Island is another example of how youth in film and media fit with popular notions of adolescence. Within the film we see how the boys conform to typical stereotypes of youth with them being presented as lads and acting out against the rules of society by painting the school and doing drugs. The boys are shown to partake in 'risky behaviour' and generally partaking in delinquent acts which help to present their youthfulness and their conformity to popular norms of adolescence. Acland talked about how media representation of youth allows the state to control them. By showing youth as irrational and talking part in reckless activities, it enhances the idea within society that youths need to be constantly watched and surveyed. It enforces the hegemony of how youths should not behave when it comes to adulthood.
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