How is class represented in Shameless?

The clip of Shameless displays class in numerous ways. The clip focuses on a lower class family in their family home. The family are very close, juxtaposing with the typical. We know this by the way they are positioned around a table all together; this is opposing the stereotype that lower class families don’t get along. However you can tell there is tension below their values. Even as the scene progresses, they are positioned together, this is breaking the stereotype and by doing this, it is showing that the family are special in a way.

Camera movements play a big role in the representation of social class. The movements used throughout this show are hand held, creating the feel of it being low budget and cheap, reflecting on the portrayal of class. Because it is hand held, it is slightly shaky and unprofessional, this makes the viewer fell like they are actually in the scene, this supporting my first point of the close knitted family. This use of movement when supported with the close up, visible zooms help the scene move along and it helps to create emphasis on certain parts of the scene. The hand held camera movements connote a documentary style of filming; this gives the impression of an accurate and realistic representation of class.

Mise-en-scene is a strong way to show class in the scene. The house is quite dark and dull, all the colours are very natural and neutral, this gives the idea that lower class isn’t happy and they are more depressed. The dull lighting represents, accompanied by the light being blocked out, shows how they are caged in and could be more afraid of the outside, because of the lower class area they live in. The walls of the house are unfinished and dirty, with the breeze blocks exposed. This rough exterior could be a reflection of the lower class family that live there. The dirt shows how the lower class are seen as dirty themselves and how they don’t take care of themselves. It could also be connoting how the poor don’t have any values of their possessions, or that they don’t care about the things around them. It is suggesting they care more for each other than the material goods they have. An example of this is shown towards the end of the scene with the contrast of the turtle and the caravan. The family show a more emotive response to the animal dying to what they do when they find out the caravan they have inherited is worthless.

The lower class are represented in this show as irresponsible and careless. This is shown in the scene by the overpowering cluttering of empty alcohol bottles in the room and the casual drug references that are used. There are different bottles placed everywhere. This gives the impression that the lower class are all alcoholics. This stereotype is an unfair representation of social class. The bottles give a bad impression of the lower class. The impression of alcoholic lower class could also suggest depression and using alcohol as a coping mechanism. The family use drug references casually around the children in the scene, this shows the difference in class. The reaction to the reference also shows how they see things differently to the upper class or even the middle class. It is a strong direction to their social class.

As well as lower class, the middle class are also represented in the end of the scene. The man in the suit enters and he immediately looks out of place, he is wearing suit and he is holding a briefcase. This suggests he is very prestigious and important. It also gives him power and authority in the3 scene. This suggests that the upper class is more important and more powerful than the lower class. We see him leave, pushing past the family, showing how he doesn’t think highly of them at all, as they are a lower class to him. It suggests that the upper class are snobby and disrespectful towards people that are below them.