Doctor Who: Language and Representation blog tasks

 Language and close-textual analysis


1) Choose three key moments in the episode and write an NCIS analysis for those clips. You can use your notes from the screening in class. Make specific, detailed references using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)

An Unearthly Child scene analysis

Narrative: 
This episode includes two teachers who both teach Susan Foreman a student that is really smart yet 'alien-like'. Susan convinces Ian(her science teacher) to follow Susan to which they follow her to a junkyard. Then they meet Susan's grandfather(The Doctor) a very confrontational man who they think kidnapped Susan. They barge through a police box door to find out that it was a space ship (TARDIS), both teachers then get stuck because the doctor closed the door on. This leads to an arguments which lead to the Doctor taking them to a different time.

Character: 
Ian Chesterton: Confident, Sceptical, Aggressive.
Barbara Wright: Scared, Caring, Conserved.
Susan Foreman: Genius, Alien.
The Doctor: Rude,Confrontational,Genius, Uncaring.
Iconography: 
TARDIS
Alien World
Doctor's Weapon.
Setting: 
Coal Hill School, Ordinary.
TARDIS Strange, Alien, Inhuman, Sci-Fi

2) How does Todorov's theory of equilibrium apply to An Unearthly Child? Try and use the expanded version of Todorov's theory: Equilibrium - Disruption - Recognition - Reparation - New equilibrium.
Equilibrium: Barbara  and Ian discussing Susan and decide to follow her to see what's wrong.
Disruption: Barbara and Ian believe the Doctor has kidnapped Susan and choose to barge through the Police Box to rescue her.
Recognition: Barbara and Ian find out that both Ian And Doctor are aliens once they go into the TARDIS and see many buttons and large room.
Reparation: Ian fights the Doctor in order to let him go but it leads to the Doctor warping through time and space with them.

3) Applying Propp's character theory, what character roles do each of the main characters in An Unearthly Child fit into? Alternatively, you may wish to discuss how characters do not fit Propp's character types.
Hero: Susan Foreman
Villain: The Doctor
Princess: Barbara Wright
Helper: Ian Chesterton
Dispatcher:  Ian And Susan

4) What enigma and action codes (Barthes) can you find in An Unearthly Child? Make specific, detailed reference to the text using media terminology (e.g. media language - camera shots, diegetic/non-diegetic sound, mise-en-scene etc.)
Enigma code are shown when both teachers are shown discussing Susan Foreman.

5) What examples of binary opposition (Levi-Strauss) can you find in An Unearthly Child? How do these create narrative or drama for the audience?
Old - Young
Student - Teacher
Alien - Humans
Representations

1) What stereotypes of men are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The stereotype of men being dominant is reinforced in two ways.
One way is when Ian saves Barbra and he keeps her safe from danger when the doctor is confronting them.
Another way is when the doctor ignores Susan when she is begging him to let the teachers go.This shows his dominance towards her.

2) What stereotypes of women/girls are reinforced and subverted in Doctor Who: An Unearthly Child? How?

The stereotypes of women being subversive is reinforced in this episode from when Barbra goes to Ian for his support and then follows behind him when he is confronting the doctor.
However women being less smart and unintelligent is subverted in this episode because Susan is portrayed as one of the smartest in the school. This can be shown when she asked the teacher for more books after the class was over and admitted to finishing a big book in one night.

3) What are common media stereotypes of young people and old people? Do any of the characters or scenarios reinforce or subvert these conventional stereotypes (consider this was 1963)? Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

One stereotype of old people that is they are wise as the doctor but also stubborn
One stereotype of young people that is Susan has short hair like teens used to have back then.

4) What representations of race/ethnicity can be found in Doctor Who: An Earthly Child? Is this surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer and consider historical / cultural context (the 1960s). Has this changed in more recent series of Doctor Who?

Only British white people where represented as in the time Britain was dominated by white people and it wasn't racially diverse

5) How is social class represented in An Unearthly Child? Think about how education and knowledge is presented in the episode.

The middle class as two teachers seems knowledgeable and well educated.

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