Cranford representation of class.

In the clip from the show Cranford, the representation of class is that it reinforces the stereotype that in a period drama, the lower class are less powerful than the upper class. The conflict in the clip comes from the contrast between the lower class and the upper class. The clip shows this representation through 4 areas, Mis-en-scene, camera, sound and editing.

Mis-En-Scene
Firstly, the props used in the clip are the leather boots given to the lower class boy. His dialogue in this scene, where he is grateful for them shows that he accepts his lower class status. The costumes the family wear during this scene show that they are poor and lower class, they wear tatty clothes that look like they have been worn in. The lighting in this scene is dark, which symbolises the lower class family's importance in the period drama social system. The house they live in is set in the woods which is very enclosed, showing how poor they are. Contrasting to this is the portrayal of the upper class in the clip. The upper class wear tweed jackets, blazers, caps, ribbons, dresses and hats. They all look very well kept which is in contrast to the lower class boy. An example of this is a two-shot camera shot where the man drags the boy by the collar. The locations of their homes are set in big wide open fields, and are much brighter than the lower class houses, showing that they have the power in their society. A prop the upper class have is the bread the upper class man gives to the lower class boy. The boy describes it as 'too soft' which means the boy is used to having stale bread, showing that the upper class live and eat better than the lower class. The sixpence is a prop used to symbolise the upper class's wealth and is an incentive for the lower class boy.

Camera
Secondly, the camerawork in the clip is used to show difference between the two classes. When the lower class have prominence, the camera is handheld, giving it a shaky look whilst when the upper class have prominence in the clip, the camera is more traditional with panning shots and the use of tripods, the camera being steady. The handheld effect symbolises the weak nature of the lower class whilst the traditional effect shows that it is traditional for the upper class to be more powerful. When the lower class boy is caught in the greenhouse by the upper class man, the use of a low angle from the lower class boy's perspective reinforces the stereotype of the upper class being powerful. This is vice-versa when a high angle shot is used from the man's perspective. The use of shot/rev-shot to show conflict is when the lower class boy is being told off by his dad for reading. This shows the lower class's acceptance of their low ranking, because the lower class boy is trying to read, which is considered an upper class thing. He is trying to break the stereotype and is scolded because of it. The medium shot used in the montage of lower class people raising tents, shows how many more lower class people there are than upper class people, showing that the upper class are powerful, because they can get all these people to work for them. This also links with the foley used in the montage to create an representation of the lower class working hard. A close up shot is used during the scene where the boy licks his hand. This is used to emphasise the boys pathetic nature or naivety, making the upper class pity the lower class boy. The framing in the scene with the upper class women and their babies shows that the traditional upper class women, who don't work and just have children instead contrasting with the lower class women who we see scrubbing the floor.

Sound
Non-diagetic sound is used in the clip in background as ambient noise, we hear birds, dog and horses which all link to the mis-en-scene of the clip being sent in the countryside, a upper class location. The dialogue is important as well with the lower class father saying 'Readings not for all for us' which is an direct reference to the fact that the dad knows their place in the social system. This links to the motivated cut where he takes the newspaper and screws it up, which symbolises his sons attempt to get out of the class system by reading. The score in the scene is dark, slow and downbeat when the prominence is on the lower class boy but is upbeat when the clip's prominence changes to the upper class people. This shows the contrast between the two social classes, with the reality of the lower class being dark as they are the weaker social group whilst the upper class are happy and content to be more powerful than them, which reflects in the music. The foley used to represent the upper class is horses trotting and carriage doors opening. These noises come from props that are not associated with the lower class stereotype.

Editing
Motivated cuts are used frequently in the clip to illustrate power over the lower class. When the lower class boy's dad takes the newspaper away from him, we cut to him directly, he has power over the shot and the boy as well. This symbolises that the power is given to the dad's belief that reading is for the upper class which foreshadows the clip where the lower class boy works for the upper class. The prominence is split in half in the clip, the first half being for the lower class boy whilst the second half is showing all the upper class people. The reasons for this could be to represent the two individual social classes or it may be symbolising that the lower class is a more realistic portrayal than the upper class which focuses on multiple people, which is more a stylistic portrayal. The fast cuts in the montage of the lower class working combined with the sound (foley), symbolises that the lower class have to work fast.