Representation of Age

Monarch of the Glen Assessment: Age

By Stephanie Rallison

     We see from the opening a focus on the woodland environment we see how the colour ties with the season, as the camera slowly pans across the workers all of which wear dark coats this can represent the relation to their job and the environment e.g. building plots on the land, the colours also represent the emotion of the workers. The background music picks up as the main character Amy enters from the house she goes against the choice of clothing to everyone else as she wears a bright yellow jumper this can suggest she does not understand the working world. Amy stands out more with this yellow top as it is more eye-catching making one of the young male workers notices her as she comes outside.

     Amy’s body language shows she is nervous as she steps into the working environment, almost immediately she is given the job of driving into town she is asked by Paul if she can drive Amy replies confidently stating she “passed first time” this represents how a young child would make them self seem important and skilled to a older figure. The dark blue truck can represent sadness this can be foreshadowing of what is still to come, the camera angle changes as there is a close up of Amy’s face as she struggles to know how to operate a vehicle. This delay causes the young male worker to be suspicious about Amy. The crashing sound of the tools from Paul, the young male worker and another female worker being thrown into the back of another vehicle is foreshadowing as Amy drives around the corner out of their watchful sight, a louder crash is heard and Paul and the two workers rush to the scene between Amy and her headmaster. The position of the damage vehicles is head on this shows little effort to try and avoid each other. The headmaster is the only character to wear formal clothing on the land his red tie symbolises anger for his vehicle and on the whereabouts of Amy. The camera switches from the young male worker to Paul as the headmaster informs them of the fact Amy is only 16 the shock by the worker then the calm reasoning by Paul shows two sides of how they are feeling about this news.
     Paul and the headmaster discuss the news about Amy and her school and the importance of education, this scene could suggest Paul has had an education this goes against the stereotype of workers not being educated also how books symbolize wisdom this corresponds with the theme of age. The headmaster believes Amy is still a young child “she has a vivid imagination” this relates to how she lied to Paul saying she passed first time as most drivers wouldn’t pass the first time this suggests that Amy wanted to look special and useful to have so she didn’t have to go back to school. All the characters now see Amy as a child as she is 16, this relates to teenagers being looked upon as immature and irresponsible.

    Paul confronts Amy about her lies the use of an over the shoulder shot shows how Paul has more power and control than Amy; this shot also shows how Amy appears small and weak. Paul orders Amy to go upstairs and pack the age theme shows as Amy being sent to her room. She shouts “I hate you” this also relates to the theme of age and how Amy’s true colours are being shown. The level of trust is lost between Amy and Paul.

     The same shot of the scenery is used again but with an Autumn Sunlight and a rainbow this represents the land being a haven to Amy, a place to protect her against all the problems in the world (protecting the innocents of a child), however the rainbow can represents Amy’s emotions during her situation also relating to her true colours being shown. Fiddles are played in the background this ties in with the country life as the men work. The scene changes to Amy’s room and a low level of violins are used this sets the atmosphere and shows how Amy is feeling without the use of words, the camera pans around the room as she packs leaving gifts on the bed for members on the land with their names written in on small cards we can see a lot of detail and care has gone into the making of them, Amy leaves a small teddy bear on the bed this can represent Amy leaving her childhood behind as she attempts to run away again. She looks at the happy photo of herself with Paul and two other characters, a pink lamp stands next to the image the colour representing love towards Paul and everyone. An older female character enters the Amy’s room with Amy nowhere in site the woman dashes out of the room to Paul who is working in the field she informs him that Amy has run away a close up of his face shows the fear and concern he now has to this shocking news.