Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs the
representation of gender using the following
Representation of gender
In this extract, there is a power struggle between the
protagonist and the antagonist, Luther and Ian. As they are both men, there is
a struggle between the most dominant one. At the start of the extract, sad
strings are played; this can signify a tragedy so it makes the audience think
that one of them may die and therefore building up tension. Ian taunts Luther
by telling Luther that he slept with Luther’s wife; this can link to some
stereotypes that men tease each other by telling each other that they have
slept with women close to them, for instance, mums, sisters, partners, etc. For
Ian to say this can be deemed as childish, and therefore shows him as being
weak but for Luther to react to this can also show that they are as weak as
each other.
The soundtrack is added to when drums start to kick in and
it builds up tension, this can show that Luther is reacting to what Ian is
saying and he is about to snap. The fact that the antagonist is playing on the
protagonists emotions can connotative with how men will ‘tease’ each other
until the other snaps. Again, this can be seen as childish behaviour and puts
the audience on Luther’s side. When Alice first arrives onto the scene, there
is a slow, tragic score which can signify that Alice is there to cause a tragedy.
Due to the fact that Alice is carrying a gun evermore signifies how she is
going to cause a tragedy and possibly shoot someone, this is a countertype for
women as they are not often seen with guns and they are stereotypically a
bystander to the action and tragedy. This makes Alice seem dangerous and
deviant.
At the start of the extract, Ian is crying to Luther. This
is a countertype for men as men can be deemed as being not manly if they cry so
for Ian to start crying to Luther can get the audience’s attention because they
would not expect a man to cry. It also shows that Ian is being serious and that
he is weak. The colours are generally bland in this extract which makes the
character’s colours in their outfits stand out. Alice wears masculine colours
with a deep blue scarf and a hat the same colour, making her even more deviant.
She has immaculate makeup on which makes her seem upper class. Alice is also
holding a shotgun in her hand, it is rested easily on her shoulder and then
drops and places it in her hand, she is calm and natural. This makes her seem
evil because there is no sign of nervousness; this is a countertype for women
because do not normally hold guns. In drama, women are regularly a bystander to
the action and they are normally the ones being rescued, Alice goes against
this stereotype by shooting Ian without hesitation when Mark tells her to shoot
Ian. Although Mark tells her to do it, she seems still in control and Mark is
almost crying when he tells her. Alice wears smart but masculine colours and is
wielding a sawn off shotgun, she goes against the stereotypes of women in drama
but at the same time she is attractive and has perfect makeup, this shows that
there is still an element of stereotype in a Luther.
In the fight scene between Luther and Ian where Ian is
kicking Luther on the floor, shots are focused on Luther and are steady, in the
middle of the frame shots. Ian’s shots are shaky, struggling to focus and he is
not in the middle of the frame most of the time. This can signify that Luther
is strong and stable and that Ian is may be unstable and crazy.
