'Do they know its christmas time' and 'Beast's of no nation' analysis

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIEOHKfXcyg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQzJAKxTrE
Representation of Ethnicity
The representation of the third world are very different between the different media forms
represented by ‘Do they know its Christmas’ (Band Aid 1984) song, Oxfam GB - ‘This is hope
worth shouting about’ advert and ‘Beasts of no nation’ film.
Firstly, some similarities in all these representations are that they all include the dangers
and the desperation of help that is put upon the people in the third world as they are all in
need of safety. This is seen in the song ‘Do they know it’s Christmas’ in the lyric “The
greatest gift they'll get this year is life”. This throughout the film especially the opening third
of the film when he village that Agu is living in gets war torn by the government troops in a
civil war, which leaves both Agu’s brother and dad killed he is forced to run. While on the
run he seems to be hungry, thirsty and in serious danger for his life. This shows the common
themes that is shared in the song ‘Do they know it’s Christmas time’ as they both depict
these horrors and dangers of war but in very different way’s. In the film there is more detail
on the struggles of everyday life of people in a war torn country like Agu’s. This is also seen
in the advert where the women describe how she left her country because people came into
her house grabbed her husband, killed him and threw his body on the streets. This made her
decide to get her children and leave without taking any possessions just them trying to flee
the country looking for refuge. This just proves that still to this day the song made in 1984 is
extremely relevant to these issues and how dangerous it is for those who are living in the
surrounding where these civil wars are happening and effecting the lives of their family
members and them.
In the song we also see the line ‘feed the world’ repeated towards the end of the song
which shows one way that people in western culture could help those in third world
countries survive with normal lives rather than having pressures of no food, water or
shelter. The issues of wellbeing are also addressed in the filmwith many scenes depicting
the issues of having no food or water like when Agu is alone rummaging around the jungle
with no food or water forcing him to eat plants that make him throw up. This shows the
dangers of being alone in a war struck country with nowhere to refuge to and with no
guarantee of food or water as a means for survival. The specifics of food and water aren’t
addressed in the Oxfamadvert however the subject of the advert talks about how she fled
her home with no possessions seeking refuge with her children which she could have not
got knowing the lack in guarantee that she would get this while traveling. She still chose to
seek refuge wither her children shows the severity of the conflicts and danger’s face by the
people caught up in the war.