Language and Representation: blog tasks Doctor Who

 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 or this Google document of class notes (you'll need your GHS Google login). 

Camerawork and sound: A range of different futuristic sounds and sci-fi music to emphasise the mysterious atmosphere in the junkyard and the TARDIS.

Mise-en-scene: Teenagers dressed like they are in the 60's.

 Lighting in-between the episodes contrast calm and normal feeling when in school transitions to a dark and gloomy feeling when building up to the search for Susan and when inside the Junkyard.

Props - The old antiques inside the junkyard is shown and the police box representing the Tardis.

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

Todorov's Equilibrium: The doctor becomes a villain.

Propp's character theory: The Doctor is Susan's grandfather 

Barthes's enigma and action codes: Susan "a bit of mystery"

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition: The Conflict between Doctor and Ian - Old VS Young

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

14:20-19:30 because a lot happens and it makes the audience want to keep watching.

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

It is sci-fi. you can tell because: .there is a rocket taking off in the opening title sequence

                                                   ."that hasn't happened yet time travel

                                                   .mise-en-scene and TARDIS

                                                   .TARDIS taking off links to space race

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

-opening title sequence links to space race

-Susan's costume and hair are typical of a 1960s teenager

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

Boys harassing girls in school corridors

Ian is brave

Ian is less smart than one of his students

Doctor only talks to Ian "young man" (patriarchal society)

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

Barbara is scared

Doctor ignores Barbara

Susan depicted as rebellious teenager

Barbara passes out on chair to protect female modesty

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

Susan is a typical 1960s teenager

"she might be meeting a boy" - typical teenager which was a new term in the 60s

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?

The entire cast is white

doctor is racist - says "the red Indian's savage mind was blown"

This is not surprising to me as there was a large amount of racism in the 60s.

Also I may be wrong but I think that this was the time of partition so there was a lot of racism specifically targeted at Indian people.

This has changed in more recent doctor who series as the current doctor who is a person of colour.

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

It is a very middle class school and the characters are all white.

teacher said "you are one of us" reinforced white middle class educated stereotypes.