Doctor Who: Language and Representation

Language and Representation: blog tasks

Create a new blogpost called Doctor Who: Language and Representation blog tasks and complete the following questions on your blog:

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: Creaking door to Junkyard

Mise-en-scene: Dark and Ominous 

Narrative and genre: Binary opposition in age of Old and young- Doctor And Ian

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

Todorov's Equilibrium: school is the norm, end of school ends the norm, new norm is the TARDIS

Propp's character theory: Susan is protagonist, Barbara is sidekick, Doctor Who is the Villain, Ian plays a hero like role

Barthes's enigma and action codes:  build up by music at the end, The cliff-hanger makes the audience want to watch the next episode

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition:  the doctor and Ian arguing - Old vs young 

3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why? In my opinion the most important part was when they entered the TARDIS as this was the turning point.

4) What genre is An Unearthly Child and how can you tell? Make specific reference to aspects of the episode. Sci-fi the Tardis is said to be alive.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s? Ian driving the car shows that mainly men used to drive and lead women the way in 1960s

Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How? Ian is seen guiding and leading the way with the torch which reinforces the stereotypes of the roles of Men. 

 

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How? Barbara says she wants to go see a police which shows she afraid and therefore reinforces stereotypes of women being worried and scared

3) How do the representations of young people and old people in An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical context of the 1960s? The doctor is seen angry and grumpy whereas the young are presented with more energy yet still remain a bit calm

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?  White people are only shown which is due to the lack of diversity which has changed in 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.

Middle class as there is a junk yard shown which posh people would not really go into