Representation Of Englishness In Skinhead Subculture In Shane Meadows’ Film This Is England
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study
Culture is what makes up a society’s expression, both through material
things and beliefs. Example of culture as a whole should be familiar to human
life. They can include things like language, ideological values, and gender roles,
social conventions, religion, or artistic expression through things like paintings,
books, or films.
While small societies tend to be culturally uniform, large industrial
societies are cultural diverse and involve numerous subcultures. Subcultures are
values and norms distinct from those of the majority and are held by a group
within a wider society. The term of subculture was advances as early as in 1886.
It means that a group in a community, region or society bears the cultural or
social behaviour features that sufficiently distinguish themselves from others. In
the United States, subcultures might include mods, hippies, goths, fans of hip
hop or heavy metal, and skinhead.
According to Dick Hebdige in his book Subculture the Meaning of Style
says that a subculture is a subversion to normalcy. He wrote that subcultures can
be perceived as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal
standard. Hebdige argued that subcultures bring together like-minded individual
who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of
identity. (Hebdige: 1979)
1
Universitas Sumatera Utara
The subculture was born resistance against the mainstream culture and
hegemony. It is often consists of the study of symbolism attached to clothing,
music and other visible affectations by member of subcultures, and also the ways
in which these same symbols are interpreted by members of the dominant
culture. According to Stuart Hall in his first book Popular Art described the
resistance of the subculture: young people formed such special style as talking in
a special way, going to special places, performing special dances, wearing
special clothes and maintaining a certain distance from the adult world, and
other diverse manifestations of nonconformity to resist the mainstream society
(Hall: 1964).
Hall acutely pointed out that the formation of a special youth subculture
style aims at “resisting the society”. However, if we seek the root causes of the
subcultural “resistance”, we will find that it does not mean to give thorough
resistance but a special form of seeking for “identification”. For example, pop
music of subculture (music, magazines, concerts, festivals, films, etc) can help
young people establish a sense of identification to confirm their self-identity.
Answering the questions of “Who I Am”, “Where I stand”, and “Where I should
go”, etc. It involves the self-identity, collective identity, social identity and
cultural identity.
A Skinhead of a member of a subculture that originated among working
class youth in London, England in the 1960s and then soon spread to other
countries aroun the world. The first Skinheads were greatly influenced by West
Indian (specifically Jamaican) rude boys and British mods, in term of fashion,
music and lifestyle. Originally, the Skinhead subculture was mainly based on
2
Universitas Sumatera Utara
those elements, not politics or race. In fact, many British Skinheadss during the
1960s were black.
This Is England is a breakthrough film by Shane Meadows. It is semiautobiographical and thus is loosely connected to Meadows’ own experiences as
a young skinhead. The movie This is England is set in the 1980s England where
hippies have vanished and the 1980s influences in music, culture and politics
have started to make their way into the people’s lives. The protagonist of the
movie is Shaun Field, a lonely pre-teen who has recently lost his father in the
Falkland War. At the beginning of the film, Shaun is a young-looking 12 year
old boy who is bullied at school. After another painful school day, he comes
across a group of teenage skinheads led by Woody. Shaun is accepted into the
group and he becomes somewhat of a little brother to Woody. The gang
influences Shaun’s sense of identity and the change in Shaun is clearly visible:
he is shown wearing a new Ben Sherman shirt, a new haircut and Dr.Martens
boots. Most importantly, though, he begins to change from the boy being bullied
into one who is an accepted member of a “tough” skinhead group.
The group is later rejoined by an old friend, Combo, who has just been
released from prison. Like many other disappointed skinheads, Combo has been
recruited by the National Front. Combo then introduces the right wing. Some of
the skinheads, including Shaun, decide to join Combo. This new group now led
by Combo, beats up a Pakistani shopkeeper and attend a National Front meeting.
The movie meets its climax with Combo’s mental breakdown. Close to the end
of the movie, Combo beats up Milky, the only black member of the apolitical
group. Shaun witnesses this violent act and consequently starts questioning his
3
Universitas Sumatera Utara
loyalty to Combo. The film ends with Shaun throwing a St.George’s Cross flag
into the ocean.
The representation of Englishness in English cinema has a long and
complex traditon. The movies that represent the 1980s Englishness are often
associated with a certain kind of violence and aggression that the most popular
English movies of the 1990s, for example Nothing Hill and Four Wedding and a
Funeral, lack. The films depicting the 1980s are often told from a proletarian
perspective and therefore they have a working class point of view that is often
missing from the 1990s movies.
1.2 Problem of the Study
Based on the topic and background of the study, the writer has some
problems that she needs to discuss. The problems that the writer find out as
having relation to:
1. How is Englishness depicted in Skinhead subculture in Shane Meadows’ film
This Is England?
2. What kind of aggressive behavior occurs toward character in Shane Meadows’
film This Is England?
1.3 Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study are :
1. To Know how is Englishness depicted in Skinhead subculture in Shane
Meadows’ film This Is England.
2. To know what kind of aggressive behavior occurs toward character in Shane
Meadows’ film This Is England.
4
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1.4 Scope of the Study
Related to the problems and objectives of the study, the writer has to
limit the scope of the study. Therefore, the writer focuses on analyzing the
Englishness through the skinhead subculture in Shane Meadows’ film This is
England as a social phenomena. Others involvement will also be used in the
study to support the analysis such as the historical context behind the film. There
are some theories to be implemented to accomplish the analysis.
1.5 Significance of the Study
In doing this analysis, the writer hopes that the findings can acknowledge
the society about high sense of nationalism particularly Englishness. This study
also expected to contribute to the development of literature, particularly
sociology of literature. Through this analysis, the writer hopes that the readers
will be more understand about high sense nationalism occured in England in that
era and some factors which caused it to be. The writer also hopes that this study
can be a reference for English Literature department students twho wants to
analyze Englishness particularly in a Skinhead subculture. Also for the readers in
enriching their knowledge who are interested in this kind of topic.
5
Universitas Sumatera Utara
INTRODUCTION
1.1
Background of the Study
Culture is what makes up a society’s expression, both through material
things and beliefs. Example of culture as a whole should be familiar to human
life. They can include things like language, ideological values, and gender roles,
social conventions, religion, or artistic expression through things like paintings,
books, or films.
While small societies tend to be culturally uniform, large industrial
societies are cultural diverse and involve numerous subcultures. Subcultures are
values and norms distinct from those of the majority and are held by a group
within a wider society. The term of subculture was advances as early as in 1886.
It means that a group in a community, region or society bears the cultural or
social behaviour features that sufficiently distinguish themselves from others. In
the United States, subcultures might include mods, hippies, goths, fans of hip
hop or heavy metal, and skinhead.
According to Dick Hebdige in his book Subculture the Meaning of Style
says that a subculture is a subversion to normalcy. He wrote that subcultures can
be perceived as negative due to their nature of criticism to the dominant societal
standard. Hebdige argued that subcultures bring together like-minded individual
who feel neglected by societal standards and allow them to develop a sense of
identity. (Hebdige: 1979)
1
Universitas Sumatera Utara
The subculture was born resistance against the mainstream culture and
hegemony. It is often consists of the study of symbolism attached to clothing,
music and other visible affectations by member of subcultures, and also the ways
in which these same symbols are interpreted by members of the dominant
culture. According to Stuart Hall in his first book Popular Art described the
resistance of the subculture: young people formed such special style as talking in
a special way, going to special places, performing special dances, wearing
special clothes and maintaining a certain distance from the adult world, and
other diverse manifestations of nonconformity to resist the mainstream society
(Hall: 1964).
Hall acutely pointed out that the formation of a special youth subculture
style aims at “resisting the society”. However, if we seek the root causes of the
subcultural “resistance”, we will find that it does not mean to give thorough
resistance but a special form of seeking for “identification”. For example, pop
music of subculture (music, magazines, concerts, festivals, films, etc) can help
young people establish a sense of identification to confirm their self-identity.
Answering the questions of “Who I Am”, “Where I stand”, and “Where I should
go”, etc. It involves the self-identity, collective identity, social identity and
cultural identity.
A Skinhead of a member of a subculture that originated among working
class youth in London, England in the 1960s and then soon spread to other
countries aroun the world. The first Skinheads were greatly influenced by West
Indian (specifically Jamaican) rude boys and British mods, in term of fashion,
music and lifestyle. Originally, the Skinhead subculture was mainly based on
2
Universitas Sumatera Utara
those elements, not politics or race. In fact, many British Skinheadss during the
1960s were black.
This Is England is a breakthrough film by Shane Meadows. It is semiautobiographical and thus is loosely connected to Meadows’ own experiences as
a young skinhead. The movie This is England is set in the 1980s England where
hippies have vanished and the 1980s influences in music, culture and politics
have started to make their way into the people’s lives. The protagonist of the
movie is Shaun Field, a lonely pre-teen who has recently lost his father in the
Falkland War. At the beginning of the film, Shaun is a young-looking 12 year
old boy who is bullied at school. After another painful school day, he comes
across a group of teenage skinheads led by Woody. Shaun is accepted into the
group and he becomes somewhat of a little brother to Woody. The gang
influences Shaun’s sense of identity and the change in Shaun is clearly visible:
he is shown wearing a new Ben Sherman shirt, a new haircut and Dr.Martens
boots. Most importantly, though, he begins to change from the boy being bullied
into one who is an accepted member of a “tough” skinhead group.
The group is later rejoined by an old friend, Combo, who has just been
released from prison. Like many other disappointed skinheads, Combo has been
recruited by the National Front. Combo then introduces the right wing. Some of
the skinheads, including Shaun, decide to join Combo. This new group now led
by Combo, beats up a Pakistani shopkeeper and attend a National Front meeting.
The movie meets its climax with Combo’s mental breakdown. Close to the end
of the movie, Combo beats up Milky, the only black member of the apolitical
group. Shaun witnesses this violent act and consequently starts questioning his
3
Universitas Sumatera Utara
loyalty to Combo. The film ends with Shaun throwing a St.George’s Cross flag
into the ocean.
The representation of Englishness in English cinema has a long and
complex traditon. The movies that represent the 1980s Englishness are often
associated with a certain kind of violence and aggression that the most popular
English movies of the 1990s, for example Nothing Hill and Four Wedding and a
Funeral, lack. The films depicting the 1980s are often told from a proletarian
perspective and therefore they have a working class point of view that is often
missing from the 1990s movies.
1.2 Problem of the Study
Based on the topic and background of the study, the writer has some
problems that she needs to discuss. The problems that the writer find out as
having relation to:
1. How is Englishness depicted in Skinhead subculture in Shane Meadows’ film
This Is England?
2. What kind of aggressive behavior occurs toward character in Shane Meadows’
film This Is England?
1.3 Objective of the Study
The purpose of this study are :
1. To Know how is Englishness depicted in Skinhead subculture in Shane
Meadows’ film This Is England.
2. To know what kind of aggressive behavior occurs toward character in Shane
Meadows’ film This Is England.
4
Universitas Sumatera Utara
1.4 Scope of the Study
Related to the problems and objectives of the study, the writer has to
limit the scope of the study. Therefore, the writer focuses on analyzing the
Englishness through the skinhead subculture in Shane Meadows’ film This is
England as a social phenomena. Others involvement will also be used in the
study to support the analysis such as the historical context behind the film. There
are some theories to be implemented to accomplish the analysis.
1.5 Significance of the Study
In doing this analysis, the writer hopes that the findings can acknowledge
the society about high sense of nationalism particularly Englishness. This study
also expected to contribute to the development of literature, particularly
sociology of literature. Through this analysis, the writer hopes that the readers
will be more understand about high sense nationalism occured in England in that
era and some factors which caused it to be. The writer also hopes that this study
can be a reference for English Literature department students twho wants to
analyze Englishness particularly in a Skinhead subculture. Also for the readers in
enriching their knowledge who are interested in this kind of topic.
5
Universitas Sumatera Utara