ktmeng/mec huggingface dataset:
Topic: family

The growth and power of the supermarkets is a controversial subject with those pro supermarkets heralding the growth as favourable by creating jobs, regenerating run down areas and bringing affluence to an area. The anti-supermarkets groups disagree stating a loss of smaller, individual shops, the emptiness of high streets and reduced choice for the consumer. There are benefits and losses to society by the growth of the supermarkets and some of these, can be more clearly seen than others.
Topic: family

This is particularly true if unemployment is high and the neighbourhood is generally run down. A new store will create jobs for people living in the area and skills development. (Evidence in the social sciences, 2009, track 1) Dodd states, ‘When supermarkets open in areas when they bring the sort of retail skill and the expertise they have in running those businesses, then of course, one thing they do is they generate jobs. ’ More employment in an area also means greater affluence as there is more disposable income.
Topic: family

Jobs are also created overseas, as the large supermarkets buy their supplies from areas like Bangladesh and there are the Europeans working in the supermarket pack houses and food-processing plants. This is called a positive-sum game by social scientists. All the parties involved have more gains than losses. The arrival of large supermarkets also brings more choice to the consumer. Older style, smaller ‘corner shops’ are only able to stock a limited amount of goods. The prices of the products in these shops are often expensive. This leaves their consumers that have a small budget, limited in the products that they could afford to purchase.
Topic: family

Due to their financial situation they would suffer inequality. The large supermarkets have enabled them to live more equally to their peers, due to the cheaper prices of their products. However, there are many people who do not gain from the arrival of the big supermarkets. The smaller, independent retailers have struggled to compete with the offers and low prices that are offered by the large shops. The big stores can negotiate good discounts from their suppliers, due to their ability to buy in bulk and they are able to pass this discount on to their consumers by their lower prices.
Topic: family

The smaller shops are not able to offer the range of products that the big supermarkets can. At the large stores consumers are able to buy most of what they need and it is all in one place. As most people now own and use their cars to travel, there is the convenience of driving and parking (usually free) at the supermarket, getting your shopping done and packing it in your car and then taking it home. A result of this is that many independent retailers have been forced to close. (Evidence in the social sciences, 2009, track 1) Rimmer argues, ‘ ….. s we’ve seen a move towards more out-of-town, car-dependent stores with large-format retail dominating, it’s driven trade away from town centres which has clearly had an impact on the small shops that are there, and we see approximately fifty small shops, independent shops, closing every week due to the impact of the supermarkets on high streets and on town centres. ’ The consumer and local community loses out too as there is a loss of local, more individual shops. There is likely a cosier, friendlier service offered from the independent shop as the customer, if they are a regular visitor, is likely to know the staff well.
Topic: family

There can also be a huge impact to a neighbourhood due to a loss of local shops. A large, out of town supermarket opening, can cause local shops to have to close. The ‘hole’ left by the closure of the shops can leave the area feeling like a ‘ghost town’. This can lead to locals feeling that the area that they live in is run down. The people in the area with money may choose to move away as it does not feel like a very pleasant neighbourhood to live in. This then takes the affluence away from the area and less money in an area could lead to an increase in crime.
Topic: family

This is known by social scientists as a zero-sum game. The opening and success of a new, out of town superstore has matched the loss of the local shops. Finally, the suppliers to the supermarkets can often find themselves being squeezed financially by these corporate giants as they demand ever lower prices. The suppliers are forced to sell their products to the big supermarkets at a rate that leaves them struggling to make any money. So the suppliers can then end up passing this down to their workers and so they are not paid a decent living wage. Allen, 2009) states, ‘The relentless pressure on the factory owners to keep costs down or risk losing the clothing contract was said to leave them no room for manoeuvre. The true cost of the cheap jeans and trousers, as well as the bargain-priced shoes, which line Asda’s and Tesco’s aisles, War on Want claim, is the absence of a living wage for workers in their supply chains. ’ The big supermarkets, due to their continued growth, now hold much of the power in the food and grocery market in the UK today; with this now extending for example into clothing, music and electrical goods.
Topic: family

This growth has enabled the supermarkets to bring many opportunities for people and communities that did not exist before. They have created jobs and skills for the unemployed; they have regenerated areas that were previously rundown and they have made food, clothing and other items more affordable thus, creating a more equal society. Conversely, as some have gained, others have lost. The smaller shops have been unable to compete with the big supermarkets and as a consequence, have been forced to close.
Topic: family

The community has seen smaller shops close resulting in boarded up, empty premises. This looks unsightly and can often encourage criminal activities in the area. The suppliers are often being ‘squeezed’ by the big supermarkets to offer big discounts that they can not carry. They then pass these down the chain which mean, their workers are not able to earn a decent living wage. In conclusion, we can see there benefits and losses to society by the growth of the supermarkets. What is needed is for the supermarkets to take some responsibility for those that lose by their gains.
Topic: family

One of the major ways in which both authors convey childhood experiences is through the childish behaviour and language of the narrators. In ‘The Gold Cadillac’ they use language such as ‘daddy’ and use short and simple sentences. This shows the childish language and the maturity level of the narrator. In the text of ‘Crackling Day’ it says “Good idea……Race to the fork!” This shows a childlike game that shows that they are more interested in playing than getting the food.
Topic: family

In ‘The Gold Cadillac’ the children ‘run through the corridors banging on doors.’ This shows childhood innocence by showing the characters doing childlike and immature things. Another way the authors convey childhood experiences is by showing a state of innocence around the children. The childish behaviour seen by the reader reminds them the narrator is just a kid sets up the idea of virtuousness; this makes the powerful endings more emotive. Also, that a lot of pleasure is taken out of very simple things, like going for crackling or riding in a car. The sense of community is shown in ‘Crackling Day’ when they meet up with the rest of the community whilst getting the ‘crackling’, also that they are poor as they travel a long way to get food, even though it is only a couple of penny’s worth.
Topic: family

One of the writing techniques that the authors explore is the use of rhetorical questions. For example in the story of “The Gold Cadillac” As the police arrest the father they ask “Whose car is this boy?” this shows the mistrust clearly, it is a rhetorical question because they know that the answer will be ‘It’s mine’. They then accuse him of lying and take the car. This makes the final decision seem extra harsh as the police are just being cruel to the father.
Topic: family

The author of ‘Crackling Day’ uses the cold weather to set the boys up as victims. They do not have many pieces of clothing on and the clothes they have on are do not protect them from the cold. In the text it says “There was a sharp bite to the morning air.” This shows that the boys have little defences against the weather and are “helpless victims of the bitter cold” as they are also victims of racial prejudices. As the cold ‘bit’ into their bodies in the morning, the ‘white man’ forced the whip to ‘bite’ into the narrators back. In ‘The Gold Cadillac’ the weather is used to portray the different destinations. In the north it is sunny and the children are playing outside freely in the park or on the beach. However when night comes in the south and the father is asleep, the author uses the darkness to portray a sinister side to the south.
Topic: family

The relationships between the families are very strong. The relationship the narrator has with their parents in ‘The Gold Cadillac’, show a lot of love and togetherness it shows this when then the text says “we hugged our father in joy.” The parents are clearly in control of the children; this is shown when the children refer to their father as ‘Sir’. In the story it shows the parents care for the narrator when the father says “no need to be scared now sugar, Daddy’s here and so is mother-Dear” This proves that the relationship that the narrator has with their parents is very strong. The relationship that the narrator has with Wilma also shows a lot of love and care. I know this as it says in the text “Wilma grabbed my hand” this is showing sisterly love. We can also see that the whole family is really close when the text in The Gold Cadillac says “My uncles came out from the house and my aunts, carrying their babies came out too” This shows a lot of love and warmth in the society around them and that there is nothing to be worried about in the community. When the father was arrested whilst travelling down south in the gold Cadillac, they change cars to his cousins’ ‘Chevy’. This will not draw as much attention to themselves, this makes them feel safer. This movement tells us that the society is very unforgiving and racist through the closeness, love and care of the family.
Topic: family

The relationship the narrator has with their aunt and uncle in ‘Crackling Day’ is a different kind to the one the narrator shares with their parents in ‘The Gold Cadillac’ but they do share some similarities. I know that the narrator in ‘Crackling Day’ does not have any parents and is living with his aunt and uncle who love him but are a lot sterner then the parents in ‘The Gold Cadillac’. In the text it says “Only a small piece, understand?” This shows that the upbringing of the narrator in ‘Crackling Day’ was much tougher than the one in ‘The Gold Cadillac’. You can see the love in the relationship at the end of the story when the narrator is being beaten for fighting, it says in the text “Then suddenly Aunt Liza went limp. Tears showing in her eyes” It was very painful for her watching the narrator get beaten. At the very end there is a very big show of family love, the text says “She cuddled me close, warmed me with her own body. With her big hand on my cheek, she rocked me, first to silence, then to sleep” Aunt Liza felt sorry for the narrator; she cared for him and made sure he falls asleep.
Topic: family

The narrator in ‘Crackling Day’ shows ignorance and confusion quite clearly whilst he is completing his job to receive the crackling. Whilst he is talking to the white man serving out the crackling he didn’t know he needs to say ‘baas’ Andries has to nudge him and tell him what to say because he is not aware of how to address the white man in this community. Also he doesn’t know that he should avoid the white children because Andries says “Better run for it” and the narrator replies “Why?” This shows the narrators ignorance of the situation he is in as he does not realise the power of the white children. In ‘The Gold Cadillac’ the narrator shows ignorance of the situation when it says “I couldn’t understand why the signs were there and I asked my father what they meant.” She was confused when she saw the signs “WHITES ONLY, COLOUREDS NOT ALLOWED.” and could not figure out why they were there. It also shows innocence when it says “They searched my father I didn’t understand why. I didn’t understand either why they had called my father a liar.” This shows ignorance of racial discrimination because they had grown up in a safe, trustworthy environment where there was no discrimination. As soon as she is put in this situation she is confused and “felt as if I was in a foreign land” because of the racial discrimination. There is a similarity between the two stories in this sense as they both show a sense of confusion when they are put in situations of racial prejudice that are not normal to them. The ignorance and confusion helps us see what the children are feeling when they come across situations that are not logical to them.
Topic: family

Fear is a major part in the stories, In ‘Crackling Day’ it says “I grovelled at Sam’s feet begging him” this is before he was about to be beaten for fighting with the white boys, it shows that he had learnt to be scared of the white man and of Uncle Sam. We see that he is afraid when the text says the word “grovelled” and “begged” these are words associated with suffering and pain, this helps the reader see that the narrator is scared. In ‘Crackling Day’ it says “He’s new here, he’s from Johannesburg they don’t know how to behave there” this shows that the narrator does not know how to behave in his new environment because it is different than the one he has grown up in. In ‘The Gold Cadillac’ the narrator shows fear when it says “I was afraid to sleep until my father woke” The fear shows us that the environment that they grew up in is nothing like the one that they are in when they are scared. It shows that society, though mostly loving, can be ruthless as well. The fear shows us the severity of the fathers arrest and the white mans power to take their father away for no reason but also whilst putting more emphasis on the horrific events that happen at the end of the stories, because innocent people such as the ones in these stories shouldn’t b made to feel intimidated.
Topic: family

In conclusion Taylor and Abrahams convey childhood experience of racial discrimination in ‘The Gold Cadillac’ and ‘Crackling Day’ by mainly using the innocence, ignorance and confusion of the children when they are in a strange, hostile place. I think that the author’s methods are very effective and they help create a clear picture of the upbringing of the narrators and the environment they are in. In the two stories they both went on a journey that started in innocence but taught them a harsh lesson about the world outside their upbringing. This journey happens in both stories, one on foot to collect food and the other in car to meet with relatives, they both portray the fear of racial prejudice and a confusion of not understanding how to act in different circumstances. This is a life journey where we learn lessons that are not always nice.
Topic: family

Culture is then the next step that is learned by groups of people and is specific to them which gives each individual their personality. Truths are the central of all human intellectual activities. It can define what we are and what we believe in. This is why what is considered as truth may not be considered as truth for another person. Universal truths are truths that are accepted by the whole community. There are truths that have been proved throughout the history of mankind such people have accepted universally that it is true that the earth is round because you can go over the horizontal line.
Topic: family

So to know that different cultures have different truths and that truth is series of statement that is accepted by the whole community juxtaposes. The implications arise when people of different cultures are living together. This problem appears to be one of the major problems of our day. It is experienced in terms of language in Canada and Belgium, of religious in Ireland and India, of diverse ethnics groups and tribes in Balkans and in Africa and one of the very diversified immigrant populations in North America. One example of this can be found across the globe.
Topic: family

Four years old children in a Japanese preschool in Tokyo were introduced finger paintings by their teachers. They were seated 8 to a table and each table was fitted out with a large piece of paper and 3 jars of paint in primary colours. Together they produced one large painting at each table. A sharp contrast occurred when comparing to Western schools, where child’s individual product is labeled with his or her name and carefully carried home to be admired by their family. Adults in Japanese society appear to be slower to move children toward individual accomplishment than adults in Western cultures.
Topic: family

There is no right and wrong, true or false in this context. There is no measurement whether it is better to encourage individual accomplishment in the child’s early years or later on in their life because children all have to learn to become independent sometime during the courses of their life. Another example, involving issue of value judgments and cultural context is between the native Indians and the White American4. The whites feel that they are more superior because their children are more intelligent because their knowledge comes directly from books.
Topic: family

However, the Indians argue that knowledge from books is useless for living in their world. As Indians children that was sent to study at the white’s collages comes back as “bad runners, ignorant of every means of living in the woods, unable to bear either cold or hunger” “neither fit for hunters, warriors nor counselors” and simply “good for nothing” The learning culture for the whites is therefore different from the cultures of Indians one values knowledge from book but another values life experience and the ability to survive.
Topic: family

Many of them retain the ancient Chinese belief, stating that “many sons bring much happiness. “5 The question left behind is that can the preference of sons in Chinese cultures be justified? And can this cultural belief of Chinese people of be considered as truths? We encounter a problem when trying to answer the question. The Western worlds who believe that they are more civilized believe or know for themselves that it is wrong to kill babies. However, we can argue to a certain extent, isn’t the parent’s decision to make for what they want to do with their babies?
Topic: family

The problem lies with in the problems of overpopulation in China. Another aspect involved in this issue is religions; Christianity plays a major role in Western cultures. The belief that children are blessing from God therefore opposes directly to the Chinese culture of infanticide. However, one can argue that infanticide is not a culture practiced by the Chinese but it is the consequences of son preference in the Chinese culture itself. However, one may argue that new generations of Chinese people are starting to oppose or question the truth in their culture.
Topic: family

Although the reason for this view is due to their knowledge of different cultures which gave them different views which in turn develop in to beliefs. Personally, I feel that preference of sons in Chinese culture cannot be counted as truth because it is not accepted universally by all people in the community. The difference between the beliefs of people who share different religions is also a big issue to explore. Belief is when a person accepts that something is true with or without proof. This is therefore very a personal feeling and is subjective to each individuals
Topic: family

truly shows what brotherhood really is. Amongst the fraternities I have known, only Alpha Phi Alpga Fraternity caught my attention. I have seen how each member shows concern and love amongst each other. Each member sees to it that his brother is in good hands; thus, they keep one another. Alpha Phi Alpga Fraternity treats each member with respect and never force to do things that will destroy the future of its members. This brotherhood is a
Topic: family

In his study of animals in their natural environment, Lorenz became particularly interested in the way goslings and young ducks followed their parents around soon after they were hatched. From further laboratory studies, Lorenz concluded that goslings had an innate tendency to develop a relationship soon after hatching, with the first large moving object that they came across. Lorenz termed this process of rapid attachment as a result of following, ‘imprinting’. Lorenz believed the imprinting was irreversible and occurred during a genetically determined time period, which he called the ‘critical period’.
Topic: family

However, many other researchers have shown that young birds can imprint after the critical period if kept in isolation, or in an unstimulating environment. Researcher, Slukin (1965) coined the term ‘sensitive period’ and Dworetzy in 1981 defined the ‘critical’ or ‘sensitive’ period as ‘….times in our life when we are genetically primed to respond to certain influences, when at other times those influences would have little or no effect’ (in Gross, 1987). Lorenz and other researchers induced goslings to imprint on many different objects including boxes, balls and watering cans.
Topic: family

A further animal study involving eight separated monkeys, conducted by H.F.Harlow in 1959, produced surprising results. In each case the mother monkey was replaced in a heated enclosure by two wire ‘surrogate mothers’, one covered with a soft cloth, the other supporting a bottle containing food. All eight monkeys developed an attachment to the ‘cloth mother’, only going to the ‘food mother’ when they were hungry. Harlow’s results proved therefore, that an attachment does not form simply by the mother providing food or warmth, rather that the infants were showing a need for ‘tactile comfort’. Whilst all eight monkeys were healthy at the time of the experiment, three years later Harlow reported that the monkeys were very timid and had problems relating to other monkeys. When they reached adulthood they experienced difficulty mating and the few females that had succeeded in giving birth were inadequate mothers, unable to cope with their offspring. Harlow thus concluded that the monkeys had suffered ‘social deprivation’- that they had been denied the ‘critical period’ in which they needed to form attachments with others of their kind. He also believed that his findings could be directly related to human infants, and that they too could grow up emotionally damaged if they were unable to form an attachment within a certain period of time.
Topic: family

These findings, amongst others, heightened interest in attachments and as a result many studies were carried out. Researcher John Bowlby who worked from the 1940s up to the 1980s, believed that if a child were deprived of a mother (maternal deprivation) in the early years of life and unable to form an attachment or bond, it would develop ‘affectionless psychopathy’, an inability to feel much emotion for anybody else and a lack of interest in anyone else’s’ welfare. His findings were based on a study of 44 juvenile thieves, of which 17 had suffered separation from their mothers for more than six months during the first five years of their life.
Topic: family

His work was greatly influenced by Freudian theory – that the first five years of life are the most important in a persons’ development, and that the loss or separation from a parent is the major cause of psychological trauma. His theory led him to prepare a paper for the World Health Organisation in 1951, suggesting that maternal deprivation could be a major cause of many social, emotional and intellectual disorders (Heyes, Hardy, 1994) However, only two of the maternally deprived delinquents showed an inability to form emotional relationships with others. Bowlbys’ theory has thus been greatly criticised by other researchers who state that his studies were retrospective and relied on the memories of the boys to reiterate what had happened to them in the first few years; also the majority of the juvenile thieves had not been maternally deprived.
Topic: family

Bowlby also felt the ethologists’ idea of imprinting could be applied to human infants. In 1958 he wrote that the critical period in which for a child to form an attachment to it’s mother were within the first two years from birth. He felt that if an emotional attachment between child and mother were not formed within this period, the child would suffer throughout life both socially and emotionally. Bowlby felt that the attachment between a mother and her child was a very special one, unlike any attachment the child may form with other family members or significant others. This kind of attachment Bowlby termed as ‘monotropy’. Bowlbys’ ideas were criticised by many researchers who did not agree with his idea of ‘monotropy’. In 1964, Rudolph Schaffer and Peggy Emerson provided evidence from their studies, which directly contradicted his theory. By looking at families where other members shared in the child rearing tasks, they found that the infants main attachment could be to somebody who was not the primary caregiver, such as the father or an older brother or sister. The infant appeared to ‘attach’ to people who were most sensitive to its demands.
Topic: family

In one study of American infants, Ainsworth recorded the percentage of infants with each type of attachment. The results concluded that whilst 65% fell within the category of ‘Secure Attachment’, the remaining 35% fell within the other two ‘less positive’ categories. It must be acknowledged however, that the mother’s behaviour toward her infant would have an effect on the infant’s behaviour and that also, this experiment took place in a laboratory setting previously unknown to the infant, which could inhibit an infants ‘normal’ behaviour.
Topic: family

Another critic of Bowlby, Michael Rutter, published a report on the subject of maternal deprivation amongst other research in 1972. He concluded that delinquency and disturbance were most commonly found in children who had left unhappy homes, regardless of whether the home was ‘broken’ or whether the children had suffered from maternal deprivation (Rutter, 1972). He argued that the juveniles that Bowlby had used in his study had never been looked after by their families and that nothing had been taken away from them therefore, they could not be seen as ‘deprived’. Rutter pointed out that it was important not to mix up ‘privation’ and ‘deprivation’ and that ‘privation’ is when you never had that something in the first place, in this instance, a lack of opportunity to form an attachment.
Topic: family

Bowlbys’ statement regarding long-term psychological and emotional damage to children who did not form an attachment during the first three years of their lives, was further challenged by the results of a longitudal study conducted by Barbara Tizard and Jill Hodges in 1978. These psychologists studied 65 children who had been placed in a residential nursery before they were four months old. The nursery provided for all the infants needs, but due to a high turnover of staff the infants were likely to have come across 25 different carers by the time they were two, thus, in Bowlbys’ opinion, unable to form any strong emotional attachments. His theory of attachment was contradicted by the findings of Tizard and Hodges in their study of a proportion of the group that had been adopted at the age of four. These children had developed very strong emotional attachments to their adoptive parents however, the adopted children were further studied at the age of eight and Tizard described them at this age to be ‘over affectionate’ in their family relationship and at school they were described as ‘restless, irritable and quarrelsome, and having problems making friends’.
Topic: family

Continuing on the theme of children placed in residential care, it is now widely recognised that these children need to have special attention as ‘…many of these children may already have been disadvantaged socially, economically or emotionally’ (Bebbington and Miles, 1989 in Davies et al 2001) The article expresses that the negative outcomes associated with family breakdown and subsequent severment of emotional attachments, can be positively negated by placing a child within an appropriate setting. There is now a written requirement for the local authority to take into account our multicultural society in the provision of day care and in recruiting foster parents.
Topic: family

During the latter half of the twentieth century, much sociological and psychological debate took place regarding the child rearing practices of those children bought up by a ‘single parent’ or by couples of the same sex. In 1990, one in six families were headed by a single parent, over ninety percent of which were women, and the number of lesbian and homosexual led families was ‘…small, but increasing’ (O’Donnell, 1992). Whilst there appears to be a continued amount of interest, particularly in the media, concerning the children of those who appear not to fall within the category of ‘normal’ it is imperative to consider that ‘single parent’, ‘lesbian’ and ‘gay’ or ‘homosexual’ are ‘labels’ which have been socially constructed, and bear little or no effect on their ability to form emotional attachments to their offspring. Indeed, it would appear that, as with all caregivers, a degree of sociological factors can act as barriers to forming attachments, and the negative ‘stigma’ of media coverage, which causes persistent hostility to those considered as outside of ‘the norm’, could be seen as a major contributor in this instance.
Topic: family

It could be said that the society in which we live today acts against the interests of forming secure early childhood attachments. Given the need and demand for paid labour, one is left wondering why a situation of inadequate childcare provision still persists. In the United States of America, over two-thirds of mothers of preschool children now hold jobs. Some researchers found evidence that childcare outside the home weakened an infant’s attachment to the mother. Although later research failed to confirm this, conservatives used the findings to attack maternal employment and day care in general. This debate distracts attention from two important issues: parental leave policies and the quality of childcare. The United States was the last industrial country to adopt a national parental leave, and its twelve-week unpaid leave is less generous than the paid leaves of Western European countries. Those countries have also moved further in the direction of educational programs for children up to the age of six. The United States and to a certain extent, the United Kingdom, relies more on the market to provide childcare, but the market cannot easily provide quality care at a price that most parents can afford.
Topic: family

In summing up the relevance of attachment theory today, it would appear that Bowlby may have been mistaken when he proposed a ‘critical period for human infants to form attachments. Examining children reared in an institution and then adopted, Barbara Tizard was unable to find any ‘gross pathology’ in their behaviour, even though they had formed their attachments well after the critical period. Bowlby was not able to show whether all people who suffered maternal deprivation later became delinquents. In the studies that link maternal deprivation and delinquency, maternal deprivation is only one factor amongst many others.
Topic: family

Childhood experiences that span Bowlbys’ critical years do not necessarily produce irreversible detrimental effects however, the miscellaneous clinical experiences of psychiatrists suggest that the inability to form an attachment may socially and emotionally disadvantage an individual throughout their life. Whilst there does appear to be some agreement in the tides of thought about the importance of attachments within individual psychological thinking over the past 50 years, it could be argued that the lack of support, socially, acts against the long term psychological interests of the child and, if we are to accept Bowlbys’ theory of affectionless psychopathy- society in general.
Topic: family

How effective is the end of the film in gaining the viewer’s sympathy for Derek Bentley and his family? In 1991, the opportunity arose for Peter Medak to direct the film, ‘Let Him Have It,’ the true story of how Derek Bentley, a brain damaged, epileptic teenager was tried and executed for murder in the 1950’s. During the period of 1991, Medak felt that the issues surrounding capital punishment needed to be brought to the forefront of public consciousness. He was convinced, as many other English people were, that young, slightly retarded Derek Bentley was railroaded by the British justice system.
Topic: family

The perpetual campaigning for his innocence and detailed media coverage over many years would have ensured Medak that he would receive a great public response from his representation of events. ‘Let Him Have It’ shows how Derek Bentley, a shy introverted character, becomes involved with a group of youths who lure him into a life of petty crime. Derek’s concerns over the activities of the gang are soon dismissed when he realises, Chris Craig, the arrogant and egotistical leader, is essentially his only friend.
Topic: family

At this point, the audience can sense it’s only a matter of time before something dreadful occurs and as the story unfolds we see that their feelings are substantiated. On the 2nd November 1952 Derek and his gun-wielding companion, Chris, find themselves cornered by the police on the top of a warehouse roof they were in the process of burgling. With Chris’ impulsive mind the situation seems destined to end in disaster and it’s apparent to the audience that Derek will be an innocent victim, in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Topic: family

Chaos breaks out at the scene of the crime and ultimately Chris shoots a policeman to death, as Derek watches helplessly. As the two defendants, Derek and Chris, stand trial several weeks later it becomes evident that Chris Craig could not be sentenced to death, following the murderous activity, since he was below the minimum age for execution. Many contentious points were disclosed at the trial and astoundingly the judge revealed to the jury that Derek Bentley was equally guilty of firing the shot.
Topic: family

After just 75 minutes of discussion the jury found both Derek and Chris guilty of the murder charges even though Derek never had been in contact with the gun. Despite Derek having a mental age of just 11 years old, in the eyes of the law it wasn’t significant, as his actual age was all that they accounted for. With this being above 18 years old, the weak and vulnerable character was sentenced to death regardless of the jury’s recommendation to mercy. On the 28th January 1953, Derek Bentley was hanged whilst Christopher Craig served just 10 years in prison.
Topic: family

‘Let Him Have It,’ is particularly controversial in comparison to many other films because it deals with a real life situation. The topic has created numerous debates over whether Bentley should have been hanged or not from the evidence that was disclosed. The fact that the outcome of Derek’s trial led to his death makes people more inclined to give their personal opinion, expressing how they really feel about the case. The ambiguous phrase ‘Let Him Have It,’ that Derek exclaimed as Chris was about to open fire, causes most of the controversy. Did he mean, ‘Let him have the gun’ or ‘Shoot him?
Topic: family

‘ The fact of Derek’s mental age also created disputes as it was clear he was mentally subnormal and ill prepared to undergo cross-examination at that period in time. From my knowledge of the case I think that Derek Bentley suffered a terrible miscarriage of justice. He was below the mental age of criminal responsibility and shouldn’t have even been on trial. Derek hadn’t once been in contact with the murder weapon and was already arrested when Chris opened fire. The evidence alone is enough to liberate Derek from his charges but an error of judgement caused his freedom to be withheld.
Topic: family

I also believe that the statement ‘Let Him Have It’, exclaimed by Bentley is inconclusive to what his intentions were and nobody can be certain that the policeman’s death was at Derek’s request. The last chapter of the film, ‘Cheerio’, is very effective in gaining the viewer’s sympathy for Derek Bentley and his family. The director uses numerous different aspects of cinematography to try and get his purpose across. Lighting is one of the most significant areas in cinematography. It enables the director to show people or objects in the way in which they want them to seen.
Topic: family

In the beginning of ‘Let Him Have It’, when the family are visiting Derek in prison, most of the light is artificial as it creates a dull and eerie atmosphere for the audience. Dark shadows from the prison bars are also seen on the wall so that the audience start to feel compassion towards Derek and his family when they are reminded of this innocent boy in confinement. The shadows from the prison bars are used furthermore when Derek is in his cell dictating a letter for his family. The shadows form straight across his face, alongside fearful expressions, symbolising his terrible time in prison.
Topic: family

During a film it is more usual for the lighting to be off-frame, however, in particular scenes of ‘Let Him Have It’ the source of light is visible in the shots. This occurs when Derek’s grieving family return home from their final prison visit. They are all sitting in the back of a taxi when a large group of the press appears. The continuous camera flashes are the only things that light up the families faces, which results in the scene being mysterious and ghostly and makes the audience uncertain of when the next sudden flash will occur.
Topic: family

Natural light is used in this film to portray peace and hope. It is only used in scenes where there is not much action going on compared to the rest of ‘Let Him Have It’. For example, natural light occurs when Mr Bentley is waiting for the appeal response in the House of Commons. We, as an audience, still believe that there’s a chance Derek’s punishment will be reconsidered so that the execution will not go ahead, but the appeal is unsuccessful. Natural light is also used when Derek’s father is standing alone in the street outside their house.
Topic: family

The natural daylight emphasises Mr Bentley’s isolation in the tranquil surroundings as he feels powerless to intervene with Derek’s punishment, and nobody else is there to help. Just before Derek’s execution the family seem to lock themselves away in their house to mourn. The curtains are shut allowing no natural light through except a few beams from the gaps, which fall directly on the clock to make the audience aware of the little time Derek has left. The flickering candles and burning fire produce the only light in the room as the family grieves.
Topic: family

This creates a very emotional atmosphere for the audience and keeps them intrigued in the final section. In Derek’s last moments the lighting is dull. There is only one tiny window in the corner of the window, which creates the feeling of two different worlds; the prison and outside. Straight after the terrible execution of Derek Bentley the camera follows up the fatal rope and suddenly there is an extremely bright light. This symbolises Derek’s spirit leaving his body and escaping his past.
Topic: family

It is a very significant shot and creates the feeling of eventual happiness for Derek as he had been liberated from his troubles but in the worst way possible. The sound in a film is another major aspect of cinematography. It compliments the visual images to communicate the meanings of the film. At the beginning of the ‘Cheerio’ chapter a large crowd of people are seen gathered outside the prison in support for Derek. The screaming and chaotic noises represent how they feel about the case and portray sympathy for Derek and his family. Whilst the family are visiting Derek the tone of their voices are soft, almost whispers.
Topic: family

This is because they know that nothing they say will make him feel any better. Music starts to play, gradually getting louder in response to the mood of the scene. It creates tension as the family finally leave and have to say goodbye to Derek for the last time. It is a sentimental moment and the audience can hear Derek struggling to hold back his emotions as his family disappear. When Mr Bentley is waiting in the House of Commons the sound is the most significant aspect of the scene. Loud, drowning music is heard as well as footsteps when he starts to pace up and down the room impatiently.
Topic: family

All of a sudden the audience hear a door opening and then a lot of simultaneous discussions from a large group of men. They walk quickly over to Mr Bentley and announce Derek’s unsuccessful appeal attempt. The bad news starts off a rush of music in sorrowful minor chords, which create a sad, eerie effect and keeps the audience alert. As the family arrive home, the audience can immediately hear camera shots by the press but surprisingly silence falls as the family get out of the vehicle. This shows that the paparazzi suddenly realise the negative impact of their presence on Derek’s family.
Topic: family

They start to show some respect as they make a walkway for the family to come through. Mr Bentley’s isolation is portrayed as he is standing in his street very early one morning. All that can be heard is horses feet trotting and milk bottles banging together. Apart from that, there is total silence. The audience try to emphasise with him and try to understand the pain that he is going through. In the film when Derek is dictating a letter for his family he starts to sound much more cheerful than usual and even makes some jokes. His voice seems happier and he starts to smile. All of a sudden he becomes aware of the reality of his situation.
Topic: family

His speech turns quicker, more emotional and with frequent stammers. His voice also becomes stern and abrupt as the anger within him takes over. The audience understand his fury, as this innocent child is being punished for a crime, which he did not commit. For the last part of ‘Let Him Have It’ the clock is extremely symbolic. At every available chance the audience hear it ticking to remind them of Derek’s execution. The music played turns softer and gentler as his death approaches. Tears are heard almost continually in the last few minutes of the film from numerous people, as the emotion accumulates.
Topic: family

As Derek says his final prayers he becomes quieter and slower as his execution draws nearer. The background noises become noticeable so the audience can tell that the equipment is being prepared. This causes a lot of tension and anxiety. On the scene of Derek’s execution there seems to be a lot of commotion. The audience try and sympathise with Derek at his time of need, when he is brought to his death place. A mask is quickly put over his head and the sound of his intense breathing is exaggerated for the audience to create a dramatic effect.
Topic: family

We can hear the rustling of bolts as they are being unscrewed and then the sudden drop of Derek’s body. All at once there is complete silence. The sombre mood builds up emotion for the audience and soft music is played in the background to coincide with the effect. In Derek’s home the mood is just as emotional. The family grieve all together with the clock ticking in the background. It eventually slows down and stops, symbolising Derek’s heart rate as he is killed Composition is a term used to describe elements that contribute to the appearance of a frame for dramatic purposes.
Topic: family

Throughout the last chapter of ‘Let Him Have It’ the most vivid and significant shot is the extreme close-up of Iris’ eye when the family had gone to visit Derek in prison. This expresses, to the audience, her sombre mood and the strain that she has been put under, fighting for her brother’s life. During the visit to see Derek, a number of different shots are used to portray emotions of the characters. A subjective shot is used as Derek is speaking to a member of his family to make the audience feel as if they are included in the conversation.
Topic: family

There are also individual close-up shots showing anger and frustration on all of their faces, as they are helpless to intervene with the justice system. When Mr Bentley is in the House of Commons an establishing shot is shown, which provides important information to the audience about the setting of the scene. The camera then zooms in on the characters to maintain a detailed viewing of the story. Derek’s father is also seen in the street outside his house. A long shot is used followed by a crane shot, which reveals his complete isolation by the remote surroundings and helps the audience to understand his situation.
Topic: family

Throughout the final part of ‘Cheerio’ there are a lot of close-up shots, which brings the story to an end as it focuses on the most significant factors in the story. One of which is the unity of Derek’s family. In many of the concluding scenes we, as an audience, see them grieving together and helping each other through, what is probably, the hardest time in their lives. The clock is a symbolic object, which is also used for many close-up shots. This is to build up tension for the audience and to always make them conscious of Derek’s remaining time. As time goes by a supporting crowd gather outside the prison for Derek.
Topic: family

A crane shot is used to see the surroundings and to show the mass of people who were prepared to campaign for his right to live. This shows the audience the encouragement that was given from the majority of the public, but how it still didn’t change the outcome of the case. In Derek’s last moments the composition effects are very intense. The shots become quick and sharp to keep the audiences attention so that they are intrigued up until the very last shot. As Derek is being led to his death a subjective shot of the rope is used which, makes the audience sympathise deeply with him and it makes them wonder how it ever came to happen.
Topic: family

Straight after the hanging occurs there is an emotional shot of just Derek’s shoes, at the bottom of the hanging platform, which, must have fallen off in the terrible ordeal. This makes the audience aware of the reality of the film and shows the only remains of an innocent child. The camera shot ascends up the rope and suddenly connects with an aerial view over Derek’s hometown, which symbolises his soul after leaving his body. The camera floats through the air, eventually ending up in their house, creating an eerie feeling for the audience.
Topic: family

The last shot of the film focuses once again closely on the clock. But in this frame it has suddenly stopped. Derek’s time is up! Special FX are particular to each film and in ‘Let Him Have It’ the most significant effect is the period detail. The film was set in 1952 so the detail of clothing, hairstyles and everyday objects have to be specific to the period of time. The clothing that is worn seems to be very dull, especially in the ‘Cheerio’ section, reflecting the mood of the film. There doesn’t seem to be any bright colours and most of the clothes are of the same style.
Topic: family

At the beginning of the ‘Cheerio’ section there is a large gathering of people outside the prison expressing their support for Derek. The majority of the crowd are wearing long, dark coats and hats and this image is carried on throughout the film. We can also identify the period detail from the banners that the supporters are holding. They are hand written and appear in just one colour. This shows the lack of technology and resources just 50 years ago. The clothes that most of the people in the film are wearing don’t seem to be very expensive so this gives the audience an idea of their status in society.