Doctor Who: Language and Representations

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: The camera movement represented was quite slow-paced, as the technology used to film this was quite low budget as technology compared to today is more advanced. The use of sound was appeared more mysterious and eerie as back then the use of the mic was not as advanced like today and it made the characters voices to be appear as raspy.

Mise-en-scene: The use of costume and hair shows the trends from the 1960s which reinforce and help the audience where and what timee Doctor Who took place in. The use of a foggy setting and background brings a mysterious and contrasting atmosphere making the audience watching this episode feel in unease. The use dim lights also show how perculiar the setting is.

Narrative and genre: Mention of space and time reinforces how Doctor Who is a sci fi genre of series. The use of the character Susan and the doctor shows there stored relationship as both grandfather and grandaughter. This is sos that both characters are centred around the first episode, making it a mystery. 

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

Todorov's Equilibrium:

The equilibrium is disrupted by the behaviour of Susan and how she seems to know the answers before getting asked a question. The reactions from Barbara and Ian makes them feel concerned about whether Susan if she's a human or not. They both follow Susan to a junkyard and discover the TARDIS.

Propp's character theory:

Susan is represented as the heroine, whilst Barbara and Ian are presented as heroes.

Barthes's enigma and action codes: 

The use of enigma codes is shown through Susan's identity as her unusual intelligence makes her strange behaviour question the audience on who she is and why she is like this. The use of enigma codes is used by Barbara and Ian investigation towards Susan. This is because there decisions lead them to want to know the theory behind her Susan's strange behaviour. 

 

Levi-Strauss's binary opposition:  

Young and Old: This is shown through the relationship of Barbara and Ian towards Susan. This relationship is stored aas quite a concern as both Barbara and Ian want to know more about Susan and her odd behaviour and as they are both adults, they have the power to know abput her personal life.
3) In your opinion, what is the most important scene in the episode and why?

I think the most important scene in the episode was from 06:25-14:20. This is because we see close-up details of Susan and how her characteristics is like to fully understand who she is as a person. In this scene, we also discover how Barbara and Ian further investiagte the misunderstanding of her character.

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

The genre is sci-fi because it shows how the student Susan appears as quite abnormal and how she is assumed as an alien due to her odd and paranormal behaviour. This is shown when she eats random objects that aren't meant to be consumed and how she predicts her answers before getting asked a question.

5) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960s?
The use of costume and hair indicates the time doctor who was first published as the characters are represented as the stereotypical 1960s look. The use of Susan being quite naive and pure reinforces stereotypes on gender as she was appeared as vulnerable and weak.

Representations

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

Men reinforce stereotypes in Doctor Who. This is shown through the character Ian who is a scientist and is quite dominant and brave. This is because the role of being a doctor was a more masculine job during the 1960s, and his being brave and dominant also subverts stereotypes as that's how the representation of men was meant to be.

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?
Stereotypes about women were reinforced. This is shown by the character Susan as she has quite long hair, wears a skirt and acts pure and vulnerable. The use of costume reinforces her femininity, and that her being naive was how most women were represented. Another example is through Barbara. This is because she let Ian lead them to investigate susan which shows she doesn't have much power compared to Ian
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 representation between adults and young people was that young people weren't as smart as adults. This is because when Susan was giving her answer which was correct her professor looked down upon her negatively.
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 representation of race in Doctor Who isn't as diverse compared today. This is because the only ethnics shown are white people as migration from different countries only started occuring after the 1960s. When the doctor says "red indian savage" this shows agression and racism upon different races. However this was normalised back then as they didnt see an issue upon this but i. todays society the show would have been cancelled from that.

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

Everyone is represented in the middle class with no struggles of finnnace or difficulty. This is because the education that is shown is good quality and remarkeable for students. This is shown through Susan as she is able to maintain good knowledge from her character.