Burak Eceral
Aaron Krach
Critical Studio: Everyday Objects
This is England
21 April 2021
Throughout the film “This Is England,” I had a chance to visit several subcultures through the eyes of the troubled 12 years old, Shaun. First of all, Shaun takes us to his home, where I got to observe the society they formed as a working-class, widowed family which lost the father to war. I think that we can accept this family dynamic as a subculture since we got a chance to see their inner relationship and attitude towards their surroundings. Then, in the second sense of the film, Shaun gets bullies because of his clothes, and on the way home, he comes across with a gang. This moment is where I got to observe the subculture of the skinheads. The group embraces Shaun as a member and transforms him according to their culture. Finally, with an unexpected turn to their home gathering, an old member rejoins the equation and causes a whole shift. We can say that Combo has his own subculture with some racists comments and nationalistic views. He successes in tearing the group apart by manipulating their newest member, Shaun, to leave using the passing of his father at the Falklands War. Even though this film conveys several different subcultures created around various characters and principles, I was most amazed by the skinheads.
1. Button-up Shirt: When Woody gifted a shirt to Shaun, I noticed that it is an essential for the group.
2. Cuffed Trousers: I noticed its significance before when Shaun got bullied for his wide trotters jeans.
3. Suspenders: It had an important role in strengthening the fit between the trousers and the shirt.
4. High Necked Dr. Martens Boot: This detail got highlighted when Shaun got in an argument with his mother about purchasing a Dr. Martens boot.
5. Short Hair: The moment when Shaun got his hair cut by Woody’s girlfriend triggered the whole transition of him into a skinhead.
6. Cross Tattoo: It caught my attention that the current group leader, Woody, and the former group leader, Combo, have matching cross tattoos on their foreheads.
7. Eccentric Objects: At the first since where we get to see the. skinheads’ whole group I noticed that all members decorated their outfits with eccentric objects that separated them from the public and gathered them together as a group.
