Q2. How does your media product represent particular social groups?

My media product deals with particularly sensitive situations within the home (.e.g. non – sexual child abuse) and although there are portrayals of characters – using Propp's archetypes – such as the 'helper', there are representations of social groups, too. The strongest and unchanging representation of a certain social group is the portrayal of Step Fathers, rather than an evil step mother (as shown in films for younger children) there is a cruel step father. My media product does not show males in a particularly appealing light, the step father (Robin) is a drunk and is abusive, this representation of step fathers – and more specifically – males, is not pleasant and immediately sets the audience up to dislike Robin and support the main character (Sam). The fact that Robin is inhumane, insensitive and lacks morals make him the typical type of Villain that is typical of any sort of film. It was important to maintain a dislike for Robin through out the main task because without it, the relationship between the abusive step father and the abused step daughter would have faltered and the sympathy would not have solely belong to Sam, which would then have distorted the whole point of the product (Without a bad relationship one event would not have triggered the other and the text would have been useless) . Robin remains true to the negative portrayal of males through out the extract, he doesn't show any kindness towards Sam and remains the Villain through out the text.
Representations of teenagers are dealt with differently compared to the mainstream stereotype of trouble making teens – again, the film is very specific in which gender of teen it deals in. Female teenager's are shown to be curious, vulnerable victims but there is some things that parallel with the mainstream representations, Sam – like any teen – can be quite rude and get annoyed easily (as shown in her conversation with the 'Hung – Helper' ). Sam's character in the sense of Propp's archetypes is typical - she is the 'princess' – but certain characteristics make Sam a lot more developed and realistic: teenagers can relate to the way Sam acts in certain situations and I believe that this makes her easier to relate to and sympathise with. These realistic traits of character are the sort of traits that attract human attention and make Sam the sort of character a viewer is able to like.