1. Representation of Disability Clip taken from TV Drama – “Coming down the mountain.”
The first part that is clearly discriminating against the disabled is at 0.56 when we are properly
introduced to the disabled character, Ben. From the opening of the clip we see that his brother, David,
who looks roughly about a year older than him, is fed up of being his „carer‟ and as he establishes in
the first few seconds of the clip, he wants “to kill his brother.” 0.56 shows us a close up of Ben eating
cereal in a very sloppy manner while David just stares at him with a disgusted look on his face while
the voice over says:”Of course, sometimes you do get the recipe changed and you get a brother who is
a big potato with eye tenticles.” – This description as well as the facial expression tells us of David
negative opinion of his brother. It can also forebode that David will do something bad later in the clip.
David also says “and then you might as well talk to the dog. If you have one, which we don‟t.” This
language is very discriminative against disabled people, as his character is basically comparing his
brother to an animal – therefore suggesting that his brother should be treated like a dog. The language
also continues when David accuses his brother – “you ate all the bloody Wetabix” , enhancing the
dislike for his brother. His mother also intervenes by lightly scolding Ben when she says, “Ben, that
was a bit selfish,” – but she says it in very light tones, and not in a very scornful manner. This evidently
enrages David when he explodes with “A bit selfish?! He‟s got eight of them!” His mother brushes this
off, with a suggestion of just eating another cereal.
When David attempts to steal one of Ben‟s Wetabix, Ben cries “no!” and his mother says “Oh can you
just grow up please!” and at this point their father stands to go to the cereal cupboard and in doing so
lightly pats and squeezes Ben‟s shoulder in a loving manner, while he scolds David off for stealing the
Wetabix. David‟s exasperated sigh tells us that this probably happens a lot and he is often put second
next to his brother, who probably gets away with a lot more than David does. This is also supported
when the camera displays their mother leaving the flat and it shows a wide angle shot of her hugging
Ben and kissing his head – but not David.
At 2.12 Ben announces he “needs a poo” and though David gives another disgusted look, he is ordered
to go and keep Ben company, because his father doesn‟t want him “to make a mess like yesterday.”
(Animalistic comparison) David retorts with “why me?” and his father replies “Because he‟s your
brother, because I was at work all last night, and because I would like to finish my breakfast before it
goes cold!” This all leads to an assumption that David is sick of being Ben‟s carer.
The next clip shows the two brothers walking to the bus stop – and it starts with a wide angle shot of
David in front with Ben a couple of steps behind, thus inducing that David is ashamed to walk with his
brother. The weather is miserable, gloomy and rainy; a form of pathetic fallacy, indicating the gloomy
mood David is in. He then goes on about „normal kids‟ and then „kids like Ben, who need educational
toys.‟ He clearly demonstrates the separation and distinction between a „normal‟ person‟s life and that
of a disabled persons.
We also see Ben being discriminated against by another character, a friend of David‟s when they are
walking out of class and the friend asks if David is going to a party or is he “babysitting again?” though
it is not clear, there is an almost sarcastic mean tone to his voice, whether he meant it or not.
„Babysitting‟ is very downgrading and demeaning to Ben, insinuating that he is like a baby that
constantly needs care and attention. This is supported when David replies “Maybe but” and his body
language then shows him nodding over his shoulder to where Ben is standing, clearly left out of the
conversation, “it‟s complicated.”
The friend goes on about how amazing the party will be, tempting David to leave Ben, while Ben
stands in the background where it is just starting to rain, looking like an outcast and miserable, whereas
before when he saw David, he was smiling. Ben declares he “wants to go home” and the friend
continues to tempt David, persuading him to come. The indecision is clear to see on David‟s face while
Ben is blurred out in the background in the over the shoulder shot.
The downfall on Ben‟s face is just as easy to see when David makes up his mind to go with his friend
to the party, and leave Ben to get home by himself. David and the friend leave, and non diegetic
background music of slow piano keys are played while Ben‟s body language and facial expression
clearly display his distress at what to do. It makes us feel negative towards David for abandoning his
brother, but at the same time we feel bad for David because he never seems to get any time for himself.
This latter point is also supported when the next scene shows Ben on the bus by himself, clutching the
handlebars and trying to make himself invisible while a minor fight goes on behind him. David‟s voice
carries over saying, “I‟ve spent my entire life, sharing a room with Ben. Sixteen years, and I don‟t
think the two of us have been more than half a mile apart. I had to get some space.”This is where the
clip ends, with a close up of the panic in Ben‟s eyes as he looks forward while the chattering and
laughter play all around him, which is such a contrast to what Ben is feeling, therefore making the
audience feel pity for him and asking David how he could do that to him. David, in his voice over, tries
to explain how he needs some closure.