Class and Status

Stereotypes

There are three different categories that people are spit into depending on the amount of money they make and where they are classed in society. These are upper class, middle class and working class. The main two and the two classes that the majority of people are split in to are middle class and working class. Middle class people are the people who are classed as better off andv have enough money to make a good living for themselves, they do not have to struggle or worry about money. Working class people are known to be the people who may have to worry about money and are the people who cannot afford to buy as much as middle class people. There are people that are a different levels of these classes also. This may be that they are classed to be working class but they have no concerns about money and scan still afford to buy and do things that middle class people can. On the other side of working class are the people who can just about to make enough money to enable them to stay with a roof over their head and do not have enough money to afford to feed themselves. 

Upper Class

The social group that has the highest status in society, especially the aristocracy.

1. Upper class people are stereotypically known as the group of people who are the most well dressed and dress in a posh and formal manner. They would never be seen in everyday clothing, such as jeans as this is what they are normally shown to wear. They are either shown to be dressed in old fashioned clothing or high quality modern clothes such as suits and dresses. This is because this is how they are shown to dress and how they would show that they have a lot of money.
2. People who are upper class and stereotypically shown to have their own business that is very successful and they are able to live off of the profit that this makes. This therefore makes them a good business person as they have managed to make a lot of money from what would have started as a small, unknown business.
3. The third stereotype of upper class people is that the children go to a private or boarding school. This is because this is known to be the schools where the best education is provided. It is also expensive to send you children to these places so this is why upper class people are able to pay for the fees of the school.
4. Upper class people are known to always speak in standard English and have a 'posh' accent. They would not be seen to swear or use any slang. They are stereotypically known to always speak 'properly' and normally use complex words that other people may not know or understand.
5. Another stereotype for upper class people is that as well as living in big houses, they also have holiday homes abroad. This is because they are known for often going abroad and so they would prefer to go to their own house. This is also because they have a lot of money which they are able to spend on other houses outside of the country. They may also have apartments that are in cities such as London where they are able top stay if they need to go there a lot for their business.

Middle Class

The social group between the upper and working classes, including professional and business people and their families.

1. The first stereotype of middle class people is that they are financially stable. They have enough money to be able to afford the things that are necessary in everyday life, for example food. They do not have to worry about not having enough money. They normally have a good sized house that they own, one or two cars and they are able to go abroad on a holiday at least once a year.
2. The second stereotype of middle class people is that they have a good job. This is one they normally requires a degree. This may be a doctor, dentist, an office job etc. or they may have their own business that is successful. Typically, it is a job that gives a good wage that does not require extremely long hours.
3. Another stereotype of middle class people is that they are usually families. This is normally a family of four which consists of two parents and two children. There is not normally a single parent that is classed as being middle class. These families may consists of both of the parents working or a stay at home mother. However, it is very rare that the father is the parent that stays at home.
4. Middle class people are stereotypically known to be clever. This is because they would have had to be able to go to university to be able to get a good and well paid job. Their children are also shown to be intelligent as they do well in school and follow in their parents footsteps by also going to university and also getting a well paid job.
5. Middle class people shown to dress smartly. They may not dress as smartly as upper class people but they dress more smartly that working class people. This is because middle class people have a good job or their own business so they need to dress smartly in order to be respected by the people that they work with.

Working Class

This is the social group that consists of people who are employed for wages, especially in manual or industrial work.

1. The first stereotype of working class people is that they are on benefits. This means that they are relying on money from the government rather than having a job and making the money themselves. This then also gives the impression that they are lazy as they are shown to be not bothered about going out and looking for work and they feel as though they are better off living on money that is  being given to them. 
2. Another stereotype of people who are working class is that if they do have a job then it is a manual one that is unpleasant and that they do not get a lot of money for. They are normally working at minimum wage or not enough for everyday life, especially if they are a parent. They are shown to have to work long hours to be able to make enough money to keep a roof over their head. Sometimes, they may even be shown to have to work more than one job because they are unable to make enough money from just one.
3. Another stereotype is that people who are working class are criminals or live in an area where there is high crime rate. This is because this is where the cheapest houses are and working class people are shown to be desperate so will live anywhere where they are able to live in a house, no matter what the area is like. This is normally because of the people who live here will be working class and these people are seen to be the people who are criminals. This is because it is stereotypically shown that the parents do not teach that this is wrong so the children go out and commit the crimes. It may also be because if they do not have enough money then they feel as though they have to go out and either steal food to each or steal things which they are able to sell to make money to buy food.
4. The fourth stereotype is that people who are working class do worse in school and normally end up getting bad results meaning they are unable to get a good job causing them to be stuck in the cycle of poverty. People who are working class are shown to get into the wrong group of people meaning that they do not pay attention in school and this is how they end up with bad grades. This is also often shown if the parents are on benefits meaning that the child will see this and just feel as though they would also rather be on benefits than getting a job.
5. People who are working class are often shown to be violent. This may be to strangers, people they know or even to their own family. They are often the people who end up in physical fights or are the people who are bullies or who are the people who participate in domestic violence. The violence is normally not shown to be caused by anything but is often just shown to be a trait inside of people who are working class.

Representation of Class- Shameless

Camera Shots/Angles
Walking Down the Stairs(Mid-Shot)- At the beginning of the clip, the dad walks down the stairs to join the rest of his family which are all in the same room. As he is walking down the stairs, this may be used to show how all of the characters are on the same level and how even though he is their dad, it does not mean that he is in charge of them. This is because we would naturally think that he has the higher authority as he is the parent but this clip is making a point by saying that he doesn't. This may be used to show how working class parents may not be taken as seriously as middle class parents.
Establishing Shot- There is an establishing shot which shows four of the characters and a baby sitting around a table. The table is full alcohol bottles as well as things that they are using for their breakfast. Their surroundings are messy and cluttered and there are empty alcohol cans a bottles everywhere. This may be used to show that the dad may be an alcoholic or may drink a lot which is stereotypical for a working class person. Also, by the messy house this may also be implying that they are working class as they do not take care of their home.
Hand Held Camera- The whole of the clip is filmed using a camera that is being hand held. This is therefore making the scene shaky and a little chaotic. This is used to show how the family is chaotic and is not your usual family. It may also be used to show the shaky relationships between the characters and how they may not have a tight bond. This may be used to show how people who are working class have a harder life than those who are middle or upper class. Their life may be a little more chaotic and not run as smoothly.
Zoom In- There is a zoom in on the male character who is wearing the grey hoodie. This is as he says 'bollocks' in reply to what his dad is saying. This zoom is quick and sudden and may be to show how suddenly the dad is listening to what he has to say because he has grabbed his attention.
Over the Shoulder- The shots where the camera is focusing on the mans children are over the shoulder shots. This is the shoulder of the father and is showing the rest of the room which consists of four of his children and the baby. This may be used to show how all of the characters are focused on their dad as they want to know what he has to say and probably therefore respect him. However, it may also be used to show how they are all ganging up against him and they are all on one side and he is on the other. This is because this shows the distance between the characters to the father and the characters together. 

Sound
Music at Beginning(Non-Digetic)- This music is quite slow and mysterious. This may be to show that the characters do not really know what is going on or the man may not understand the situation. It is also quite relaxing which may be used to show the peace between the family and how they are comfortable with each other.
Music(Non-Digetic)- The music that is played when the children are telling their dad how they only want him is quite calm and tribal. This may be used to show how all of the people are suddenly calm and at peace with each other. The dad has realised that they are on his side and only care about him. The music being slightly tribal also may be used to show ow they are all a team and how they are united, like a tribe is. 
Music(Non-Digetic)- This is the music that is played whilst the characters are outside of the house watching the caravan coming off of the truck. The music is quite happy and upbeat which may be to show the mood of the characters. This may be because they are going to sell the caravan and therefore make money  which may make their life a little easier. This may make them excited and happy which would therefore mean why the music is like this.
'Is this a family I see before me?'(Digetic Sound)- This is the first piece of speech we hear from the clip and is what the father says whilst looking at his family before him. He says this with his arms held open and in a tired-like voice. Automatically, we get the impression that this character is drunk because we do not yet understand what he means and we get this impression also by the way that he is talking. This could be used to show our automatic assumptions that we may make of people who are working class because we may automatically think that this character is an alcoholic.
'There is no way that you would volounteer to be without your family'(Digetic Sound)- This is what the eldest son says to his father. This shows how working class families are close and do depend on each other. This may be because they do not have a lot of money so do not have a lot of things meaning that their families may be closer than most.
'Why, where the stables too small?'- This is what the father says to his daughter when she says that she didn't want to move house anyway. He is saying this as he believes that his daughter wants too much off of him and that she is spoilt. It could also be used to show how working class people always want more and arn't happy with what they have. However, having horses is typically a middle class thing so the father could also be mocking middle class people as this is something that may matter to them.


Editing
Greed, Me- There are a series of clip where the dad is saying 'greed' and 'me'. These clips have been put together quickly and the camera has been tilted a different way in each of them. This may be used to show the anger in the dad and how he is annoyed at what his children are saying. This could be suggesting that working class parents get annoyed at the amount of things their children want because they are able to afford it and it may make them feel like a worse parent because of it.

Mise-en-Scene
Messy House- We are able to see that the house is very messy when there is an establishing shot. Having a messy house may be used to suggest that working class people do not care about the surroundings they live in. It could also suggest that they are lazy as they do not want to clean up after themselves. Also, the house is covered in empty alcohol which suggest that working class people tend to drink a lot and supports the stereotype that they are alcoholics.
Clothes-All of the characters are even in a hoodie, a tracksuit or their pajamas. This is all of the items of clothing that working class people stereotypically wear. The characters that are wearing the pajamas could be used to show how they do not have a job which is anouther stereotype of working class people.
Teenage Mother- The female teenager in this clip has a baby that we presume is hers. As she is a young, single mother, this fits the stereotype that we think of teenage girls that are working class. This gives the impression that all working class teenagers are young parents and therefore are more likely to then be working class themselves.
The Caravan- The caravan is the thing that they have been left to them in a will. This is what the children thought was the house and they believed it was. This could be used to show how working class people do not get anything handed to them and have to work for everything that they want. It may also show how nothing goes right for them because this is not what they expected.
£40 and dept- The dad thought that he would be able to get a lot of money for the caravan if he sold it, however he only ended up with £40. This is because his auntie owed a lot of money to people and the money had to be taken away from the money from the caravan. This could be used to show how no matter how hard working class people try, nothing turns out how they expected.

How Class and Status Links to the Other 6 Areas of Representation

Age

All ages of people are able to be in all of the three different classes. Children are able to be upper class, middle class or working class but this depends on how much money their parents have, they do not make a difference to which class they are in. Children are shown to act more spoilt and bratty if they are in a higher class to those children who may be working class. Working class children are shown to be more grateful and thankful for things as they are not used to having as much as children who are in a higher class. However, the personalities of the children do vary throughout the classes but this is stereotypical and what is mostly shown. Older people are shown to be better off than those who are younger as they have had longer to make money and have had more time to become successful.

Gender

Men are normally the people who are more successful and known to be the gender who make the most money. This is because men are more respected in the business world and this may mean they have a higher chance of their business becoming successful and they therefore have a lot more money. Men also are paid more than women meaning that even if they have the same job, men will be making the most money. In a family, it is stereotypically known that the man is the person who works to earn money and the women is the person who stays at home and looks after the children.

Sexuality

People of any sexuality can be as successful or unsuccessful as anyone else. The sexuality of a person does not normally determine what class they are. This means that these two areas of representation are not linked.

Ethnicity

The ethnicity of a person does not determine how successful they are. This is because nobody judges people on their ethnicity and everyone is seen to be equal. People of all ethnicity's are treated equal and it will be their drive and motivation on what makes them what class they are. This means that ethnicity and class and status are not linked.

Regional Identity

Where someone lives may determine what class they are in. This may be because there are better jobs in one place to another or because people from a certain area may not be as respected. People live in different places depending on their class also because of the price of the houses whether that be if they want to buy one or rent it. People who are working class may also live in houses provided by the council meaning that they do not really have much choice in where they live and they will live in an area which will mostly be owned by the council meaning that that group of people will all be working class. Normally, different places may have a mix of middle and working class living there but the different areas within that place may have just middle class or just working class people. 

Disability

Disability does not really make a difference in what class that person is. The stereotype that the person with the disability is may make a difference in their class and status though. For example, if they are pitiable then they may become more successful as people feel like they are obliged to help them more than people who have not got a disability. There is also positive discrimination which means that people with a disability may be more likely to get a job or have a more successful business than people without a disability because people naturally feel as though they have to treat people with a disability better.