Disability representation Stereotypes

Dramas that have disabled people in…
Glee- Artie
eastenders- Donna
Hollyoaks-
The 100- wells
Waterloo road-

1 in 5 people of working age have a disability.

the stereotypes identified by Hunt…

-the dialled person as pitiable or pathetic
- and object of curiosity or violence
-sinister or evil
- the super cripple
- As atmosphere
-Laughable
-His/Her own worst enemy
-As a burden
- As Non-sexual
- Being unable to participate in daily life


THE MEDICAL MODEL: Shakespeare-
 the media throughout history has depicted disability through the use of impairment, Shakespeare points out in his article about disability in film.

"Impairment is made the most important thing" and disabled characters are "objectified and distanced from the audience".

A christmas carol- showing Tiny Tim.

The character of Coln from the Secret Garden- a character who falls into the stereotype of "Pitiable and pathetic; sweet and innocent; a miracle cure"

The sinister or evil DR No with his two false hands, in Bond films.


The Inbetweeners
Why is the clip funny?
    As they were trying to impress the girls and it failed very badly- so it's funny because it resulted in them looking worse, hurting someone with a disability.

How is the disabled girl represented?
Vulnerable, unable, laughable and pitiable. As non-sexual because the point didn't pick her out as attractive- they picked the other girls.

Are we meant to be laughing at the disabled person?
 No not at the disable person but at Will for his mistake.

Are they the "Butt of the joke?
  Yes because they resulted in a worse position- being chased.

How do you think disabled people respond to this?
  The might be quite offended as it comes across as they are a target for laughs.

In what ways does the representation comply with shakespeare stereotypes?
Physically in the park scene, the audience sees big groups of people whereas the disabled person is only with one other person- isolating her from everything.

Are we as a society being cultivated to think that we should pity those with Disability?
 No as we just know that those with a disability can be in some cases worse off than us- thus automatically making us pity them- although this isn't because we have been cultivated to do so it's just because most people should naturally feel sorry for them.


Warwick and the washing machine- lives too short:

•Why is this clip funny?

Because of the growing frustration of the main character- he ended up throwing away the new washing machine, which he clearly didn't want to although he didn't know.

•How is Warwick Davis represented?

Angry, unable and laughable. 

•Are we meant to be laughing at the disabled person?

Yes although not because he is disable but because of the misfortunate events that happens to him.

•Are they the ‘butt’ of the joke?

Yes because he is the one being affected by these incidents. 

•How many of Paul Hunt’s (1991) stereotypes does this clip comply with?  

Laughable, a burden, unable to participant is everyday life, His worst enemy. 

•In what way does the representation comply with Shakespeares  STEREOTYPE!

He's distanced from the audience as he struggles from normal life activities- looking out the eye hole of a door and when he takes out the washing machine. 

Are we as society being cultivated to think that we should pity disability?

No as we just know that those with a disability can be in some cases worse off than us- thus automatically making us pity them- although this isn't because we have been cultivated to do so it's just because most people should naturally feel sorry for them. 

BY NEXT WEEK MUST FINISH A TOUCH OF FROST ESSAY….

Camera 

Close up of his face

Showing him in focus- lights out of focus. 

mise en scene 

Forest- hiding? is he guilty?

editing 

sound

music- building up- not knowing whether he is guilty or not.

The clip begins with "I didn't think there was anything wrong with Billy...", followed by a long pause. This forms a question within the audience, in what way would Billy be "Right"? Is he mentally "wrong"? Or is he disable? It is important that these questions are raised within in this small sentence because it shows how stereotypes of disability are formed- why do we form a question of Billy being disable just from this sentence? Perhaps this is because we link those with a disability being unable to participate in daily life i.e "wrong"- this links the first sentence of this clip to one of Hunt's stereotypes. This phrase is followed by the sound of wind instruments- blocking off any answers from the woman's sentence- thus suggesting this character now shown on screen is Billy. Wind instruments are suggested to "help you sleep" or be calming, this may suggest that even though Billy has been called "wrong" he appears to be very calm- or perhaps he is just mentally calm.



Jump shots are used, originally presented with the back of the characters head, showing touch lights in the back ground within the trees. Next we are show the face of the character who appears to be very scared and unsure on what is going on. We can also tell now that he appears to have characteristics of down syndrome- maybe this could be why he is wrong... Or is it because it seems he has done wrong. These questions still convey stereotypes of those with disabilities because we are linking those who suffer from this as an object of curiosity- especially in these two frames as we are unsure whether or not he has actually committed a crime or not.

The use of the mise-en-scene of a forest implies Billy has something to hide. Maybe because he has actually committed a crime, or perhaps this is just his walk home and was frightened by the intimidating flashing of lights. Furthermore, later on the clip we are presented with the parents of Billy talking to the investigator when the mother says "I'd feel better if I could clean him up first". This implies the character is able to go out at night and walk in a forest although he is incapable to clean himself up. Also stereotyping those suffering with disabilities are reliant on others. This use of a mother rushing around is suggests how suffers are a "burden" on people- as claimed by Hunt anyway.

The simplicity of the characters words are also important "I was frightened" this is because it creates a biased stereotype that those who have a disabilities are less capable to form longer sentences. Additionally the investigator appears quite patronizing towards Billy- "Do you know what the police men were doing", this is a hint of the stereotype formed by hunt that those who are disable are seen as "pathetic".