Language and Representation: blog tasks

 Language and contexts

1) Write a summary of the notes from our in-class analysis of the episode. You can use your own notes from the screening in class and we'll also post a Google document of class notes too (you'll need your GHS Google login). 

 There were two teachers one was named barbra and the other ian. The two teachers taught a student named susan but to their surprise susan was an alien. They discovered this when they came to her house and saw a mysterious  police box in the middle of the house. They met an old man who acted as though he didn't  know of a susan. Miss barbara suddenly entered the police box and it wasn't like anything shes ever seen. 

Camerawork and sound:

The music/sound is very strange and unusual. The reason for this is because this story deals with weird things such as aliens as its sci-fi.  

 

Mise-en-scene: 

susan fist introduced dancing and dressed up as a  1960s teenager seems to be a typical a teenager and an alien.

Narrative and genre: 

Enigma codes suggest the mystery of susans home/time travel.  This is a sci-fi genre as it links to science and aliens. 

     

2) How can we apply narrative theories to this episode of  Doctor Who? 

Todorov's Equilibrium

Todorov suggested that all narratives follow a three part structure 

 

Equilibrium - susan was going to a school and was taught by two teachers named ian and barbara .

 

Disequilibrium - After susan suddenly, left her teachers followed her home to find out she's an alien. New equilibrium- Barbara and Ian 

This can be applied to most media narratives.

Propp's character theory: 

The doctor would be seen as a villain as he did not allow the teacher to leave the police box. susan was a sidekick in doctor where as Ian  and Barbara were hero. 

Barthes's enigma and action codes: An example of an enigma code is an action code.

Hero, Villain, Heroine/Princess, Father, Donor, Helper/Sidekick, False Hero

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why? I believe the part where Ian and Barbara were trapped in the police box was the most important scene because it shows  the immorality of the doctor. Another part i found important was when the doctor paid no attention to the female teacher. This highlights the societal views about women in the 1960s. 

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode. The unearthly child is a sci-fi genre. I can tell because it involves abnormal stuff such as aliens.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?  One way the unearthly child reflects the social and historical context is the lack of ethnic actors. This is because britain has just started to  become more diverse.

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How? The stereotypes of men that are reinforced in doctor who is that they are courageous and vigorous. This is shows when the male actor stayed calm but was in doubt when  the doctor revealed he was an alien. This is referring to Ian suspicious nature.

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How? The stereotypes of women that are reinforced in doctor who is that they are frightened and not able to show bravery like men. This is shown when the doctor and susan disclose the fact that they were an alien and Barbara was to stunned to speak.

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s?  One way the representation of young/old people reflects the social and historical context of the 1960 

4) What representations of race/ethnicity can be found in Doctor Who: An Earthly Child? Is this surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer and consider historical / cultural context (the 1960s). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.

Todorov suggested that all narratives follow a three part structure 

Equilibrium > Disequilibrium > New equilibrium

This can be applied to most media narratives.

Propp's character theory:

 

 

Vladimir Propp stated that there were seven basic character roles when he analysed classic fairy tales and that these were present in most narratives. Media products still use these recognisable character types today:

Hero, Villain, Heroine/Princess, Father, Donor, Helper/Sidekick, False Hero

Barthes's enigma and action codes:

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: 

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?