Ideology and Binary opposition

1) Watch this clip from BBC Question Time with Russell Brand and Nigel Farage. The BBC deliberately placed the two against each other and the episode resulted in far more people watching and tweeting than usual.

What examples of binary opposition can you suggest from watching this clip?

To begin, we could class Russell Brand and Nigel Farage as binary opposites. It appears that everything about them contrasts vastly. Moreover, in terms of mise-en-scene we could argue their attire is entirely juxtaposed. Nigel Farage can be seen wearing a formal, grey suit whereas Russell Brand is sporting a far more casual, laid back outfit. Another binary opposite I have identified is the political stand both these men support. Russell Brand makes it evident he is left wing whereas Farage is far more right wing. Finally, an interesting binary opposition is the age group both these men fall under. It appears the older generation support a more left wing approach whereas the younger population advocates a more left wing political perspective.

What ideologies are on display in this clip?

Within this extract, we can see both men supporting entirely different political parties. For instance, Russell Brand can be seen supporting a left wing, Marxist view whereas Nigel Farage takes a right wing perspective and advocates a far more capital, conservative view political stance

Ideology and your own choice of clip

2) Now do the same activity for a clip of your choice. Embed the YouTube video in your blog and answer the questions in detail:

What examples of binary opposition can you suggest from watching your clip?

From this clip I can identify several instances of binary opposites in terms of appearance, character traits, behaviour etc. To begin, the most recognisable binary opposite is the gender of the two characters. This is evident considering the  stark contrast of their attire, their voices and behaviour. Moreover, to elaborate on their behaviour, we can see vast contrast in their mannerisms and traits. The female character holds very feminine, exaggerated reactions whereas the male character shows hypermasculine traits such as dominance. To continue, a more implicit binary opposite is strong against weak. We can see the female character attempts to defend herself with a weapon but fails against the sheer brutal force of the male character.

What ideologies are on display in your clip?

This clip reinforces stereotypical gender roles through the male showing hypermasculine traits against the female who appear quite effeminate.