Monarch Of The Glen Essay

12/09/13

Monarch Of The Glen Essay

 During the clip of ‘Monarch of the Glen’ we identify how people of different ages are treated. Clearly, the main character in this specific scene is Amy as the story is based around her and she has the most screen time out of all of the characters which also makes the audience feel sympathetic towards her.

 At the beginning of the clip we are first introduced to Amy by a long wide shot. This type of camera shot is used to show off her costume which is what a typical teenager of her age would wear- a necklace, a top and jeans. Straight away we assume that Amy doesn’t in fact belong on a farm because of her different choice of clothes. The camera pans with purpose of keeping Amy in the middle of the shot. This means that Amy is in the foreground so all the attention is on her, clarifying that she is important. The music also changes when Amy is first seen in the clip. The sudden change in non-diegetic music could suggest that she is perhaps treated differently from the rest of the workers. These workers have more authority than her because they are older and therefore have more experience. This is a very traditional way of looking at the matter of age. The music is also very slow and has a sad tone which might foreshadow trouble.

 Before Amy has a chance to tell her friend what she wanted to say (this creates suspense for the audience), she is interrupted by Paul. Her body language when she catches the keys also highlights her age as her clumsiness demonstrates her weak character. Likewise when she is in the car, the close up shot highlights her confused emotions as we later find out she is too young to drive. During the crash, she is confronted by her head teacher who shouts at her- perhaps deciding that this is an appropriate way to discipline younger people. However, the headmaster’s tone then changes when he speaks to Paul, implying that he has more respect for him because he is older. Amy also clings to the other characters when she is told off. She also tries to hide away while they all look down at her because she can’t stand up for herself.

 Furthermore, when the two adults go into the oak room there is a much more gloomy lighting which emphasises this is a more serious setting as they are older so are more sophisticated and important. When Paul goes out to argue with Amy, an over the shoulder shot is used so the audience can feel sorry for her as we are seeing this discussion from her point of view. A low angle shot is also used towards Paul. From this angle, Paul is displayed as being very intimidating for Amy and the audience. This is because he tells everyone what to do and makes the rules. A shot reverse shot is also presented to make the conversation clear to see as both expressions and dialogue are important in these shots. Paul has an angry expression which concludes it is acceptable for him to look at Amy in this way and doesn’t care what she has to say. This type of behaviour may explain how teenagers feel they are not taken seriously or listened to. Amy’s dialogue ‘I hate you’ which is a type of diegetic sound reminds us how young Amy is and conveys how she is being childish even though she was expected to act like an adult at the beginning by being told to drive the car.

 The clip then goes to Amy’s room, indeed following the character and displaying the setting. This is arguable the brightest location in the clip which proves she is a child. The music changes yet again, playing a more sympathetic tone for Amy which makes the audience on her side and of course feel sad for the girl. The glossy magazines also explain how Amy is not yet an adult. There is also a shallow focus of the picture placed on her mirror. This specific picture may give the audience a clue to how Amy is feeling. Even though she is young, she is clearly able to express strong feelings for these people and they are an important part of her life. This type of atmosphere also foreshadows her leaving.

 Towards the end, the camera angle from outside the room signals that Amy has already gone and the world out there is a dangerous place, especially for a girl of her age. The close up shot of Paul at the end also highlights his worry for the girl and perhaps regret.

 Throughout the clip, Amy is looked down to because of her age- even to the people she is closest to. After the truth comes out about her age, people treat her differently and she is judged purely by this factor.