selection – choosing what to represent

organisation – structuring that representation

focus – encouraging the spectator to pay attention to certain aspects of that representation than others

Younger people –

Younger people, represented as naïve and innocent, such as Shaun can be seen to be easily influenced into getting involved with things they don’t know much. With Shaun joining the skinhead movement at a young age shows this as it shows he wants to be apart of something which he can have friends out of, such as the earlier gang, who treated him nicely (Such as woody, Smell and milky).

another example of this Naïve nature to be included can be shown through the scene where Pukey questions Combo on if he truly believes the rants and slurs of the EDL members. When combo, gets upset by this, it results in him kicking him out and abandoning him on the road. pleading Shaun and the others to stay with him, his reaction shows the sadness and creeping fear of loneliness as they drive off, leaving him. This fear of missing out and need to be in company can be evidently shown here.

Older people (parents/authority figures) –

Older people, such as Shaun’s mother are shown as taking the path of least resistance when it comes to swaying Shaun off his path. Possibly due to him having little friends, and wanting him to have company due to the loss of his dad, we can see how allows him to get involved with the gang, which eventually takes a sour turn.

Another representation of older people can be immaturity, with such examples being Combo, Meggy and Banjo showing child like behaviours at a much obvious older stage of life. This is evident with Meggy trying to defecate on the shop floor. Combo threating children for simply playing football and Banjo for his following of these behaviours.

working class people –

This is England represents the working class people as having complex and emotional lives. This is represented by LOL, speaking to combo about a mistake it was to sleep with him at a young age and how she regrets it.

English people –

English people in ‘This is England’ are represented as questioning their allegiance to their country. Shown through Shawn’s story arch of mixed emotions towards it, we can eventually see his disgust with it as he throughs the flag he once proudly displayed into the sea.

Another example of this mixed opinion can be seen with Combo’s views on the Falklands war, stating that its a pointless effort and that England’s stupid for committing men to it, it eventually reveals his hypocrisy as he is later shown to show immense pride in his country by attending an EDL meeting.

Asian/Black people –

Represented as threatened, abused and unwelcomed by aggressive nationalists, Asian and black people are shown to be an output of hate that the main characters express their angers out on. Since they are the minority, characters undergoing a loss like Shaun or mentally unstable like Combo take their anger out on them.

Men –

Shown to be in their 40s – 50s or younger in their teenage to early adulthood years, men are represented as patriarchal bullies, picking on each other in a survival of the fittest mindset.

Women –

Mainly seen as teenagers, women are represented inclusively with the boys, not slotted for the male gaze but having their own involvement with the story line, such as LOL’s past with combo, Smells caring relationship for Shaun or Shaun’s mum caring for her sons feelings towards his sadness over his dads death.