In what ways is age represented in the TV shows that you have studied?
In what ways does this scene construct an uncomfortable mode of address, and what message does this construct about teenage girls?
 |
| Les Revenants uses fantasy and horror conventions to emphasise and to allegorically draw attention to the issues that young women may face |
Representation refers to how something is re-presented by the producer of a media product using media language to reflect their own ideology. Therefore, when a producer choses to re-present middle class teenage girls, they are not strictly re-creating reality, but instead are reinforcing and re-presenting certain ideologies about teenage girls. This process is extremely complicated, and must be analysed in detail.
Representations construct reality. They reinforce and communicate to audiences what something ‘should’ look like, or how someone ‘should’ behave’.
One way in which teenage girls is represented in Les Revenants is through the deliberately uncomfortable and potentially problematic final sex/death scene.
- A close up birds eye view shot is shown for an extended period of time, deliberately positioning the audience not as a casual observer, but in the bedroom, right next to the couple as they have sex. This uncomfortable mode of address is anchored through the lack of musical/non-diegetic soundtrack, forcing the audience to confront the sounds of the couple. This is further emphasised through the characters whispering loudly, again positioning the target audience in an intrusive and intimate mode of address. Finally, this is yet further anchored through the deeply off-putting dialogue from Lena, as she discusses her resemblance to her twin sister during sex.
- Awkward performance
- The MES of the hat...
What message about teenagers is being constructed through media language in this scene?
While the scene is highly uncomfortable and highly atypical in terms of how it represents sex, it arguably represents teenagers in a stereotypical way. Lena is represented as being rebellious and independent. We are positioned with her rather than her lover in this scene, which is highly relatable to the secondary teenage female audience. It reinforces a not often seen stereotype that sex is often awkward, especially if it's for the first time.
However, it also reinforces a further ideological perspective, that sex is dangerous as has hidden implications. Throughout this scene, we cross cut from the Sexually active, rebellious Lena to the stereotypically innocent Camille.
In cross cutting between this two highly dichotomous scenes, a binary opposition in constructed between life and death. Sex is typically symbolic of reproduction, as in creating new life. However, this scene presents an ironic symbolic code, where sex instead is symbolic of death. A symbolic bond is constructed between these two sisters which constructs a highly confusing and upsetting mode of address for the target audience, which reinforces a stereotypical representation of the confusion and upsetting nature of being a teenager
How does this scene position it’s audiences? What is the intended response?
- The sex scene positions the audience in a deeply uncomfortable mode of address. This is constructed through a variety of different ways:
- The apparent age of the characters is very young. Lena (the character) is 14 years old, which may mean that some audiences may feel uncomfortable by this.
- The use of close up BEV shots position the audience literally on top of the young couple as they have sex, which again is a deliberately uncomfortable mode of address
- A highly voyeuristic mode of address, where the audience are essentially seeing something that they shouldn’t see
- The MES of the duvet completely obscures the audiences vision, and heightens the voyeuristic mode of address. Additionally the performance is very innocent, awkward and naïve
- Lena makes explicit reference to her own sister in bed, which is highly innapropriate, and a little creepy
- The pleonastic sound of the characters whispering construct a deeply voyeuristic, intimate and off putting mode of address for the target audience.
- Ultimately this sex scene is potentially relatable for teenage audiences, who may be going through similar things
- Lena loses her virginity in this scene. To loose one’s virginity is symbolic of losing one’s innocence, and in this scene, this is symbolically occurring with both Lena and Camille.
- Le petit mort - the little death. This oxymoronic term is confusing considering one ‘function’ of sex is to create life. It could refer to the death of one’s childhood and innocence, and the vulnerability that one has in such in a situation.
- However, Camille, experiencing what her sister experiences, has a violent panic attack in confusion, and ultimately this Camille and all her friends.
- This scene makes a profound and symbolic comment on what it is like to be a teenager. It is uncomfortable, strange, awkward, scary, terrifying and confusing