This document outlines a lesson plan to compare representations of British culture across different media. Students will analyze the film Human Traffic and how it represents British culture. They will also examine how authority figures are portrayed in films like Human Traffic, Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, and If. Students will write an essay comparing how youth are represented in British cinema using concepts like camera shots, sound, and mise-en-scene. For homework, students will analyze representations of authority in social-realist films and bring in an item symbolizing their own culture.

1. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Representations of British Culture
How is Human Traffic a British film?
1. What characteristics do you think are British?
2. Do the characters have a 'British reserve'?

2. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
National Anthem
Read the original National
Anthem and answer the
questions.
Then read the new anthem
from Human Traffic and
answer the questions.

3. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Cultural Hegemony
Gramsci, 1930
Cultural hegemony is the philosophic and sociological
concept, originated by the Marxist philosopher Antonio
Gramsci, that a culturally-diverse society can be ruled or
dominated by one of its social classes. It is the dominance
of one social group over another, e.g. the ruling class over
all other classes. The theory claims that the ideas of the
ruling class come to be seen as the norm; they are seen as
universal ideologies, perceived to benefit everyone whilst
only really benefiting the ruling class.

4. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Cultural Hegemony
Gramsci, 1930

5. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Authority Figures
How were the 'authority
figures' in Human Traffic
represented?
1.Moff's father
2.Jip's mother
3.Koop's father
Are the characters
stereotyped in terms of their
gender?
Answer in an essay style.
Remember:
1. Technical language (camera
shot, sound)
2. Think of a point:
Body language, mise-enscene.
3. Explain how the audience
reacts.
4. Explain what it says about
their relationship.

6. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Comparisons
Spaced (1999)
Contemporary to Human Traffic
Loneliness of the Long Distance
Runner (1962)
Boy robs a bakery and is sent to a borstal to
'correct him'
If (1968)
Critique on public schools.
How is Spaced
different to Human
Traffic?
Loneliness of the Long
Distance Runner and If
are both 'social realist'
films.
How is authority
represented? How do
the youths respond?

7. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Essay Style Comparison
How are youth represented in British cinema?
You should use:
Technical language to
describe camera shots,
movement and refer to
diegetic sound, non-diegetic
sound and mise-en-scene.
Follow the PEE method, then write 'similarly' or
'however'

8. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media
and develop a perspective.
Plenary
What is the British
representation of
authority in these films?
Is it an accurate
representation and do
you believe it is fair?

9. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media and
develop a perspective.
Homework
1. What is the British representation of authority in
social-realist films? Compare any media.
Use any theories studied to explain your answer.
Post to your blog under G325.
2. Bring in an item that identifies you or symbolises a
culture you belong to.

10. LO: To compare representations of British culture from a variety of media and
develop a perspective.
Homework
1. What is the British representation of authority in
social-realist films? Compare any media.
Use any theories studied to explain your answer.
Post to your blog under G325.
2. Bring in an item that identifies you or symbolises a
culture you belong to.