Representation of West London through 'Notting Hill' (1999)

Notting Hill is a 1999 film directed by Roger Michell. It focuses on the life of a book shop owner (Hugh Grant), who's life drastically changes when a well know Actress named Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) comes into town and they begin to fall in love.

The film Notting Hill is not a true representation of this particular part of London, its very much a Hollywood Glamour take on the area. The film fails to show the racial diversity that Notting Hill is known for, with the likes of is very famous Notting Hill Carnival that celebrates the Afro-Caribbean community and culture. Instead it focuses on that of the white middle class which is only a small portion of the people that actually live there.

Tylar Gilbert

Student Number: 1310195

Word Count: 125

Representations of West London though 'Adulthood' (2008)

Adulthood is a sequel to 'kidulthood' and also set in the area of west London but does have a slight different representation of the area. This is because it is set six years later and more of less shows how things have changed and how one of the main characters have matured tries to apologise to people he had hurt and for the people who served him wrong to serve justice, therefore challenging the original representation.

Through out this film it goes against it s stereotype in which it created in the film 'kidulthood' of teenagers being uncontrollable, angry and unsuccessful and shows how some of the characters have moved on a done well with their life. An example of this is Alisa, she becomes a young mum who tried to give herself an abortion by hitting her stomach in 'kidulthood' to now in 'adulthood' being a good mother who did not want her daughter around people that could be a bad influence, which was shown when Sam comes to her front door and tried to talk to her. Another character that broke the stereotype was Moony, who got out of all the gang crime and violence and ends up going to university and creating a better future for himself. Which then changes the representation of the area being a bad place and showing that people have made the best out of their lives even though in 'kidulthood' the area s represented in a bad way.

Armani Moffatt

1203387

246 Words

Representation of London through 'Football Fans' (2015)

Football in London like in the rest of the country is a big thing. Thousands of fans gather to watch the games and support their favourite team. For them it is like a second religion and they take their role of being a fan very seriously, unfortunately, sometimes too seriously. Recent events where the fans of Chelsea - London football club, racially abused black man in the Paris underground were shocking. It was followed by the fans of the same football club shouting racial chants in the London train station. It was covered in the news and caused the disappointment and anger of other fans and Chelsea football club itself. According to the Guardian the club declared that anyone who was involved will be banned for life.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/feb/21/chelsea-fans-who-shouted-racist-chants-at-london-station-sought-by-police

Fans that represent their football club represent their city. The disgraceful behaviour of these London football fans made the city to be seen as very racist, full of aggressive, abusive fans. It gives a negative impression of London and the football club whose fans misbehaved, to people from all over the world.


Similar unapproprate behaviour of London football fans who shouted anti-semitic chants before West Ham match was filmed, posted in the internet and recently covered in the news:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-31586198

Ieva Kaleininkaite 1307775

223 words

Representation of South East London through 'Misfits' (2009-2013)

                                              https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsBYXLYNZlE

Misfits is a British drama about a group of young offenders sentenced to work in a community service program, where they obtain supernatural powers after a strange electrical storm. The film is set in South East London mostly around the Southmere Lake in Thamesmead although some was shot at Brunel university and on top of the lakeside centre.

The TV programme is representing the youth within a deprived area of London. We do begin to relate to the characters and understand how they got into trouble and that they are good people but because of there background they just need a bit of guidance. The main social class that is represented within the show is the lower class. It shows how people growing up in a poor lower class area are stereotyped to turn out this way. This programe shows that social class is a very important form within London and explains within the show that it has an impact on how we grow up and the choices that youths make. Misfits tends to demonize the youths within this area.

This programme impacts the youth of London as it is a distortion of reality, No one know what actually came first was it reality or media interpretation? So how can we claim where the representation of London youth came from if we don’t have an answer to where it came from. David Guantlett argues, “Identities are not ‘given’ but are constructed and negotiated”. His quote seems to be saying he believes it’s a media interpretation (in my opinion), youths in London are being constructed with the use of TV programmes like this one.

Chloe O'Brien

words -  273 

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Representation of South-East through 'The London Stabbings' (2013)

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/1000-knife-crime-victims-in-london-each-month-shocking-new-figures-show-8681511.html

‘1,000 knife crime victims in London each month’ even that title is enough to make your toes curl. Why does this happen so much in London? You can blame some of it on the media; they use crime extensively in their war with other papers for profits. All that’s shown in London newspapers are crimes that go on, we always read about it we are bombarded with it every single morning we jump on the jump and grab the paper to read on the way to work.

Then we question why are so many people in London stabbing one another? We can look into the social disorganization theory, which is where a person’s physical and social environments are primarily responsible for the behavioral choices that person makes. Like a neighborhood that has fraying social structures is more likely to have high crime rates. London is represented to be shown in such a bad way with people growing up in a lower class family and in council estates that they get themselves into these situations. Not all of this can be true, some people who are from lower class families reach their goals and don’t go down the crime route.

One story that I wanted to look at was the stabbing in` Woolwich South East London, two Muslim men hacked at and stabbed a British solider in front of dozens of people in the middle of the day. The reason being as one of them stated, “we swear by almighty Allah we will never stop fighting you until you leave us alone. Your people will never be safe. The only reason we have done this is because Muslims are dying by British soldiers every day..."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/10073910/Woolwich-attack-terrorist-proclaimed-an-eye-for-an-eye-after-attack.html

One women has stated through a tweet 'dunno why I find it so surprising that someone has been stabbed in woolwich, but its a bit shocking seen a person on the floor bleeding'. How she can say its not surprising? Because it seems to be happening all the time here and its becoming a norm. Woolwich can be classed as one of the poorest postcodes around. This is where the social disorganization theory comes in.

Chloe O'Brien

Words -  361

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Representation of London through 'The Rise of Hate Crimes in the Capital' (2014)

In 2014 The Independent released an article claiming that a new report showed an increase in hate crimes in London. The Report claimed that "Hate crimes motivated by racism, religion and homophobia have significantly increased in London over the past year". The report shows figures that were released in the London mayors Boris Johnson new strategy to decrease hate crimes within London.

This report makes London seem that it is becoming an increasingly intolerant place for minorities to live, as it shows that you are more likely to be a victim of violence if you are a minorities. This is not a proper representation of London at all, London is known widely for its very accepting and tolerant culture. This report only represent a minority of Londoners that have views like this and will be willing to do such hate crimes. The report itself suggests "That the rise is due to people being more willing to come forward and report incidents, rather than a genuine increase increase in incidents of hate crime." 

Link to the Independent report: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/rise-in-racist-religious-and-homophobic-hate-crimes-in-london-9899009.html 

Tylar Gilbert

Student Number: 1310195

Word Count: 172

Representation of North London through 'The Tottenham Riots' (2011)

The Tottenham Riots in north London was very controversial from where these riots happened because of the killing of Mark Duggan, and innocent man who was shot and killed by police. This riot started off as a protest which got out of hand and became a riot, and ended up causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. There was live footage of what was happening and was able to be seen across the country.

This riot then portrayed north London as being a bad area because petrol bombs where being thrown at police officers and shops where being broken into resulting in things being stolen. Just like any situation there where people that genially wanted to protest, because they where outraged at the fact that and innocent man had been killed. Yet there where some people that took this a bit to far and resulted in violence which then gives the area a bad name.'Shops in the ares were looted, with people seen pushing away shopping trolleys full of goods. One local resident told the BBC that looting continued beyond daybreak on Sunday.' This is a quote taken from the BBC news website, which gives the audience an image of people stealing and not having no remorse about it.

BBC News London (2011) Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-14434318 (accessed: 17/02/2015)

Here is a clip from the live footage of the riots, and within this clip you can hear a caller called Sam talking about how the area is usually a very nice place and seems very safe to walk on the streets. This shows that despite this one very bad riots people do feel that the area is a nice place, but they way in which it is being represented in the clips tells a completely different story. Yet again showing that things that you see in the news doesn't all want to represent area's in a good light but would rather show it looking like a very unsafe environment.

Armani Moffatt

1203387

340 Words

Representation of South London through 'Only Fools and Horses' (1981-2003)

Only Fools and Horses is a British comedy created and written by John Sullivan. It was broadcasted on BBC One from 1981-1991 with Christmas special up until 2001. It was set in Peckham, South London with characters such as Derek 'del boy' Trotter, Rodney Trotter, Grandad and Uncle Albert. The series follows the family’s highs and lows and their feeble attempt to get rich quick. 

Del boy was a South London market trader who lives in a council block with his younger brother Rodney and his grandad until he passed away and then his uncle came along and lived with him. They attempt a lot of get rich quick schemes to help them become millionaires. A lot happened throughout the programe deaths, marriages, children, miscarriages, separations and many other life events. They finally did become rich, then lost it all and finally regained some of it back.

Only Fools and Horses was a lot different to previous sitcoms. Sullivan wanted to show his own experience of a working class family growing up in South London. Del boy is shown as a very comical character without the intelligence to really succeed but he represent this section of society in a positive way, even though he does a lot of dodgy dealings and sells illegal things its the way he goes about it and lives his life. He is showed as a working class man in the 1980s that doesn't have a steady job and one day may make lots and another day could come back with hardly anything or even nothing. He lives in a run down flat on a council estate, which is falling apart and spends a lot of time at the local pub. Yes, he represents the working class back in this time, someone who is determined to make the best out of a bad situation. So he is representing south London to have working class people who are pushing them to be better and generate a better life for themselves and their family. This stereotype seems to be forgotten about nowadays as all we really see are the 'hoodie' stereotypes from London. This just shows that back in the 80's things were a lot different in London and it was shown in a complete different light to what it is now. 

384 words

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Chloe O'Brien