Representation of Gender

How is Gender represented in Waterloo Road?

The overall issues of gender representation in this clip from Waterloo Road are exploring that boys are more well-behaved and more mature than girls in a classroom. This is portrayed through many techniques such as, Camera Shots and Angles, Sound, Editing and Mis-en-scène.


Throughout the clip, there are various aspects which imply to the audience that both genders are looked upon differently. For example, the clip begins displaying the boys class in a home economics lesson which is not a traditional subject for boys, this presents an element of irony. The mis-en-scène displays the female teacher wearing a pink flowery apron, depicting her superiority and authority as she is allowed to wear her own apron, this demonstrates her power. On the other hand, the boys in the class are seen to be wearing plain, black aprons which presents them as generic and their lack of power. The dull colour also signifies masculinity. The girl's class are in a Citizenship lesson, which would seemingly appear less vocational as oppose to Home Economics. Both teachers are women, displaying that females are more intelligent as they can do stereotypical subjects and more academic subjects too. However, a male plays the senior role of Deputy Head demonstrating that he has power. for instance, he has the authority as he tells a boy off and is dressed in a smart suit, conveying an element of superiority. The audience can hear the Home Ec. teacher tell the boys that "all the ingredients measured out, so there should be no problems". This implies to the viewer that boys are not capable of performing a simple task, reinforcing their lack of power. Additionally, the girls are sitting civilised in rows in the classroom, showing the audience their maturity and motivation to learn. In contrast, the boys are messing around, throwing food which shows their lack of motivation and co-operation. The women teachers are disagreeing with the scheme of genders being segregated for learning which emphasises sex differences.


The editing also contributes to the representation of gender in this clip. There are lots of cuts throughout, allowing the audience to see shots from various different angles. Also, there are reverse shots displaying conversations occurring, the viewers can witness shots from character's points of view and understand the situation. They can therefore sympathise with certain characters, as there is a point of view shot looking at the deputy head from the Home Economics teacher's eyes. He is informing her that a new student causes trouble and it would seem that he does not care about the consequences as it is not his problem. Ultimately, the audience can feel pathos towards this female teacher. The editor has inputted a graphic match when filming the girl's classroom, the audience can depict the calm and peaceful learning atmosphere, proving it is a motivational environment to be situated in.


The clip starts with non-diegetic, loud, frantic music when the boys are displayed. This evidently shows their aggressive attitudes and reluctancy to work. The music quietens down when the teacher moves outside of the classroom, this has two main purposes. Firstly, for the audience to hear the conversation and be engaged, also to show that the noise is contained in the room, due to the bad behaviour of the boys. Ambient sound, for example, talking, is used to make the boys scene seem more aggressive and riotous, which contributes to making the males seem worse than they are in reality. Conversely, there is no music in the girls classroom, displaying a calm atmosphere, and proving how the females are well-behaved, which could be bias. In each classroom, the females receive positive language which provokes them to be encouraged and motivated. On the other hand, the boys receive negative language, such as moaning, proving to discourage them in the classroom, which is a highly likely cause of their disruptive behaviour.


Finally, the camera shots used represent the genders in opposing ways. There are low angle shots, looking down on boys, emphasising their lack of power and authority. In addition, the camera is outside the classroom, and does not film inside as the audience can clearly see the blinds blocking part of the view. This could suggest that it is too dangerous to enter the classroom, reinforcing their aggressive behaviour. The target audience of Waterloo Road is educated women, therefore they can empathise with the girls as they play the role of the outsider, viewing that the girls are more sensible, consequently agreeing with the gender segregation scheme. In contrast, the camera is panning the girls' classroom conveying the calm, gentle atmosphere, proving the females want to learn.