Doctor Who: Language and Representation

 Social and Historical context

1) How does An Unearthly Child reflect the social and historical contexts of the 1960's?

 An Unearthly Child reflects the social and historical contexts of the 1960's as in the 1960's the new age of technology and science was emerging. The 'Space Race' was underway and the whole world was fascinated with all things space travel therefore the genre of the series being Science-Fiction and about an older man travelling through space with his grand-daughter intrigued many people in the 1960's. 

2) How might audiences have felt towards science fiction in the 1960s? 

In the 1960's audiences would have felt intrigued and fascinated by science fiction as science was emerging and evolving but also because of the 'Space Race' that was underway in the 1960's so the whole world would be interested with all things space. 

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 or use this Google document of our class notes combined (you'll need your GHS Google login). 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: From the time 6:40-10:00 the narrative includes flashbacks which give back story to Susan's character, there are also dimensions of time and space 

Character: 

Iconography: 

Setting: 

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.

Todorov's theory of equilibrium applies to An Unearthly Child as the episode begins with an equilibrium where the school looks normal and like a "normal life", nothing bad has not occurred. Then the disequilibrium occurs when Susan's Foreman teachers discover something unusual about Susan which then leads to them finding out about the TARDIS which causes a problem. The new equilibrium is left on a cliffhanger.

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.

Princess/heroine- Susan Foreman.  Hero-Ian Chesterton. Villain- Doctor Who. Helper- Barbara Wright.

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.)

The on going enigma through the episode is linked to who Susan Foreman is. The action codes in the episode, although action-less, are when Ian and the Doctor are arguing and when the Doctor kidnaps the teachers. 

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? You can find notes on binary opposition if you scroll up this page if you haven't covered this in class yet.

-Hero vs Villain, Ian vs Doctor.  -Dark vs Light, Junkyard vs Tardis  -Old vs Young, Doctor vs Susan 

-Past vs present, Flashbacks 

Representations

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

One stereotype that is being reinforced in Doctor Who is that men are in charge/more superior than women, this is shown when Ian is in charge of both keeping himself and Barbara safe. 

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

One stereotype of women/girls that is being reinforced in Doctor Who is that women are meant to be more subservient to men, this is shown by Barbara always following Ian around and following his lead.

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)? 

One stereotype of old people being reinforced is them being angry, miserable and grumpy all the time, this is shown when we meet the Doctor who is introduced as spiteful and grumpy. One stereotype of young people being reinforced is that teenagers are obsessed with dating. This is shown when Ian and Barbara are seen in the car at the dump where they suggest that it would be normal for Susan to be meeting a boy. 

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?

The representation of ethnicity in this episode is that white people are the dominant race, this is shown by the whole cast of Doctor Who being white and that there was no other ethnicity cast members, this is not surprising because the Human Rights act was only passed down in the UK in the year 1998.

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

In this episode having a higher intelligence is represented as strange and suspicious. This is shown by the teachers being suspicious of Susan being extremely intelligent in her studies and lessons.