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.