Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

Billy Elliot
SAMPLE PAGES
Texts and Human Experiences:
Common Module for English Advanced,
Standard and English Studies

Wafa Taoube
Series Editor: Mel Dixon

English Teachers Association NSW www.englishteacher.com

 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

Defining Experience
The word ‘experience’ can be used as a noun or as a verb. When it is used as a noun it refers
to an event that has made an impact upon an individual and/or group. In Old French,
experience refers to the idea of ‘experimentation and proof’ whilst the Latin ‘experientia’
refers to the idea of experience being knowledge gained by repeated trials. When
‘experience’ refers to a noun it suggests something active and sensory and the individual
undergoes some form of test or trial that may involve risk of some kind. Thus, an experience
is a process which is shaped by a series of emotional reactions and intellectual reflections
which result in the attainment of knowledge.

Not everyone learns equally from an experience because the dynamics of their experience differ to
another’s experience or they may not undergo the same level of introspection. For example, the
experience of loving is never the same: we may fall in love but some forms of loving can be abusive
rather than liberating, gradual rather than spontaneous, or transform into a platonic rather than
romantic relationship. Falling in love may be a collective experience in that we all can feel an intense
connection to someone but the emotional aspects and outcomes may differ.

The assumption is that those who have undergone certain experiences are transformed by that
experience or may at least become better at responding to similar situations in the future. We undergo
experiences that may alter our view of self, others and the world as we encounter obstacles or
rewards.

Activity
Choose THREE words that define experience for you. Explain your reasons.

Maturity Familiarity Reflection Caution

Struggle Chance Adventure Action

Example: Struggle is associated with experience because it implies that the individual is not always in
control. For example, if we are embarking on new relationships we take risks that may or may not
lead to connecting. We learn about people, either through painful or pleasurable emotions, and we
change our behaviour accordingly, once exposed to certain situations or knowledge.

1. ……………………………….……………………………….…………………………
………………………….……………………...………….……………………………

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

TEXTS AND REPRESENTATION1

A text distils the human experience through the process of representation. Representation refers to the
way in which the world is presented to the audience BUT we need to remember that the way we
perceive the world is subjective. What we see is linked to the mode, medium, features of form and
language; that is, the elements of the text and our own beliefs and attitudes.

But is isn’t just the elements of the text that convey meaning. The audience brings prior experiences
and knowledge to any text and that influences how they see the text – whether their views are
challenged or affirmed. Therefore, representations are not neutral but open to bias; composers are
selective in what they include and readers come with their own assumptions and beliefs.

Questions we can consider are:

a) Who and/or what is represented?
b) Which groups are missing and why?
c) How does the medium and mode shape what can be represented?
d) Is this text representing a value that is mine or that the composer wants me to adopt?
e) Who ‘gains’ by my acceptance of this representation?

The composers’ perspective can shape the way we perceive the characters in the text and dictate
whether we can identify with them or become distanced from them. We need to be aware of what
prejudices, biases and assumptions we are bringing to our interpretations of a text and accept that
perhaps our perspective is not the only perspective. Audiences need to be aware of how they are being
positioned to accept a perspective and that is referred to as reader positioning.

How is the composer structuring the content and using language to compel me to adopt a set of beliefs
or attitudes or values, thereby shaping my understanding of human experience? For example, in a film
the director will use the visual, aural and verbal to represent a perspective. Visual clues can act
literally or metaphorically. For example, we can see a character in a setting and know that is where
the character is at that time but a visual clue such as light and dark can act as a metaphor and convey
feelings about that place. Distance is another visual clue – if the character is seen away from other
characters the audience perceives that the character is represented as a loner, isolated from others.
Aural clues can be non-diegetic music, added to create an effect and a mood that influences audience
attitude to the character or the story. We should not overlook the words in a film: words are carefully
selected to reinforce the ideas of the film and reinforce the values of the text.

Activity
You are in constant conversation with the process of representation: the clothes you wear, the choice
of words you use in conversations and your social media profile are mediums by which you choose to
represent your public – and sometimes private – identity.

Create a collage which aims to represent your perspective on a particular topic. Share it with a peer
and ask them to identify what position you are persuading them to adopt through your choice of
photographs, layout, symbols and written text.

1Go to English Textual Concepts for more on representation and how it progresses through each stage using
the outcomes and content dot points http://englishtextualconcepts.nsw.edu.au/content/representation
Representation is mapped against the stage 6 outcomes in the stage 6 resource:
http://englishtextualconcepts.nsw.edu.au/portfolio

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

INITIAL VIEWING
PLOT QUESTIONS

Before we arrive at an analysis of a film, we need to ensure that we are familiar with the content.
These guided plot questions will assist in developing an informed response to the film. Fill these
activities out as the film is being viewed or watch in intervals and fill out after.

First 4 minutes

1. What do we learn about Billy’s personality within the first 30 seconds of the film?
2. How is this sense of playfulness and excitement contrasted by his next actions?
3. Describe Billy’s home. Would you like to live there? Why/Why not?
4. Why does Billy panic when he does not find his grandmother?
5. What is Billy’s attitude to his grandmother? Refer to evidence from the film.
6. What do we see in the background as Billy guides his grandmother home?

Next 4 minutes (up to 8 minutes)

7. Describe Billy and Tony’s relationship. Why do you think they interact in this manner?
8. Jackie and Tony have different attitudes and approaches to the strike. How are their
differences presented?
9. Why is the piano an important feature in the home?
10. What is the significance of the family photograph on top of the piano?
11. What does it mean to be a ‘scab’ in a mining context?
12. Why doesn’t Michael want to enter the Everington Boys’ Club?
13. How does Billy respond when Michael tells him that boxing is an outdated sport?
14. Why are the boxing and ballet classes in the same space?
15. How do we interpret Billy’s anomalous actions in the boxing ring? Why is he resisting
boxing?
16. Why is Billy ordered to practise on the punching bag?

8-12 minutes

17. How do we know that Billy is attracted to the dance world even before he walks into Mrs
Wilkinson’s class?
18. What are your first impressions of Mrs Wilkinson? Is she typical of what a ballet teacher
would sound like and act?
19. Why do you think the director has Billy stand next to the mirror at this point?
20. How does Billy cross into the world of dance? What actions show his entry into this world?
21. How does Mrs Wilkinson offer Billy a challenge at this point?
22. What is the significance of Billy being able to ‘hold’ his leg up for a sustained time?
23. Why does Billy refuse to pay Mrs Wilkinson 50 pence?
24. What is the significance of the integration of the Fred Astaire scene?
25. How does Billy react to the vandalism on his mother’s grave?
26. What might this vandalism imply about some people in the community?
27. How does Tony react to Billy’s question about death? How does Tony’s response represent a
challenge for Billy?

12-16 minutes

28. The setting is framed by the ominous presence of police and ‘strike now’ posters. What is the
director implying by portraying such images?
29. Describe Debbie’s personality. Is she conservative or progressive? Refer to evidence from the
film.
30. How do Debbie’s actions and behaviour contradict with her surroundings?

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

CLOSE READING/ VIEWING

Scene 1: opening
Watch the opening scene before the titles up to Billy leading his grandmother back home.

UNMIX: Place these plot elements in the correct order

________________________________________________________________________
Begins with: Hands appear –

• Holding record
• Tracking shot following legs up the lane
• Moves seamlessly to the kitchen
• Locates grandmother
• Placing record on record player
• Dances against wallpaper background
• Leads her back
• Changing record track
• We hear the song I was dancing since I was 12
• Goes to bedroom
• Running through vegetation
• Kitchen filled with laundry
• Face – elated
• Legs
• Prepares breakfast tray
• Cropped shots of his body parts seen in and out of the screen
• Ting – signals the egg timer
• Runs out of the back door past the outdoor toilet

Ends with: As they move towards the camera we see the road above them with shadowy figures
coming out of a police van.

WRITING OPPORTUNITY

Director’s voice

The first scene is always important in setting the mood and establishing what is to come. Imagine
you are the director in an interview. Answer these questions:

• Why did you decide to start with this scene?

• Which experiences does the opening capture?
• How did you want the audience to feel and how do you set this up?
Billy’s voice

Now imagine you are Billy writing a diary entry. Describe the day.

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences
Scene 3: Boxing
6.08 - 6.33
Dialogue Cinematic techniques
Mis-en-scene of Billy and
Michael outside the boxing
Billy to Michael: hall as Billy swings the
door deciding whether to
Are you sure you’re
not going to come? enter or not.
We see a long shot of three
significant elements. On
the left side of the frame,
Billy stands in an open
doorway where the lighting
is dark symbolising a sense
Michael:
of fear or entrapment. In
It’s a load of shite, the middle is Michael,
kicking people in. sitting on top of a rubbish
bin, refusing to enter. On
the right side of the frame,
is a distinctive blue sign
Look at them gloves.
‘Everington Boys Club’
They’re outdated.
denoting the masculine
nature of the setting,
further highlighted by the
textural focus of the solid
brick wall on which the
sign hangs. The rule of
Billy: thirds technique points to
its prominence in Billy’s
They’re me dad’s, decision: does he enter the
these. hall of conservatism or
avoid it like Michael?
Michael:
Exactly.
Your notes:
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What does it reflect about the
character’s experience or their impact
on others’ experiences?
• The mis-en-scene is a powerful
representation of how our heritage
and ancestry clearly dictates our
venturing into new experiences. Billy
is imitating the experiences of his
father and thus is moving towards
developing into the same type of
man, adhering to the same
philosophy. Michael serves as a foil
to Billy here when he rejects the
conservatism of boxing and remains
outside the space. The difficulty of
rejecting such an experience is
visually seen by his outsider status,
alone on the bin, as if his identity was
discarded because of the experience
he rejected.
• The pressure to conform to standard
experiences is clearly illustrated by
Billy entering the boxing hall and
defending the owner of the gloves,
his father. Michael makes the
important point that people persist
with tradition even though they have
no talent for it, simply because
somebody else set out that path to be
followed. He makes us question the
significance of tradition.
 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

LOCATING THEMES

A theme is a central or significant idea which is explored in a text and there can be several of them. A
theme identifies and shares the values and beliefs that are perceived in the text.

Individual experiences in texts symbolise a lot more than just that experience. Through the individual
characters we come to understand a message about all human experiences: these messages are the
basis of the themes we identify as being in the text. Texts may contain many ideas and perspectives
but a theme is usually the perspective that the text appears to be supporting most.

From individual character’s experiences to theme

The following three stage table shows how we find themes through the character’s actions. We locate
the experience and then translate this as part of everyone’s lives by expressing it generally.

the specific represents to convey a

experience of experiences of message about
one more / most the way we live
person/character people our lives

In Billy Elliot:

to convey a message
represents
The experience of a about the struggle
experiences of
male dancing in a to achieve individual
people who operate
mining town desire against the
outside the norm
group

Think of all the experiences in the text and what they each represent.
Using the three-stage diagram show how the experience can be extended into a general understanding
of human experiences. Complete the diagrams below.

The experience of Billy as
an individual overcoming
the limitations of his social
and economic background
to convey a message
represents experiences of about
people who
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

represents experiences of to convey a message about

Billy's experience of pursuing a
dream or ambition to be a ballet
dancer
people who ..........................................
.......................................... ..........................................
.......................................... ..........................................
..........................................

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

CHARACTER STUDY
JACKIE

Paternal Reserved

Authoritative Uncommunicative

Loyal and
Sentimental conservative

Courageous Prefers the comfort

of the known

MRS WILKINSON

Maternal High Expectations

Supportive Demanding

Knowledgeable Blunt/Straightfor
ward

Persistent
Masculine

Unwavering
Professional

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 Billy Elliot: Texts and Human Experiences

Paradoxes and Inconsistencies

Module Statement:
Students explore how texts may give insight into the anomalies, paradoxes and
inconsistencies in human behaviour and motivations, inviting the responder to see the
world differently, to challenge assumptions, ignite new ideas or reflect personally.

In the course of studying this module, we need to appreciate that human behaviour and motivation is
not always straightforward. At times, we find ourselves in situations that cause us to act in ways that
are contrary to what we believe in or incompatible with our previous self. Sometimes our actions can
be seen to be anomalous but we always have to consider the context in which an individual acts
before we can fully judge them.

Paradox: The term paradox is from the Greek word paradoxon, which means ‘contrary to
expectations, existing belief, or perceived opinion.’

Watch this video and explain the paradox in it: She said ‘I’m gonna kill you’

Inconsistent refers to ‘not staying the same throughout’ or not being compatible with’.

This may be how someone applies their morality or values to a situation. It may refer to the lack of
continuity in an interpretation of something or someone.

Consider the following paradoxes in Billy Elliot and explain how they provide insight into the
characters and their relationships?

Paradox What insights into human behaviour and motivation are

revealed?

Whilst Mrs Wilkinson is supposed Consider the line from Shakespeare’s Hamlet: ‘I must be cruel to
to be nurturing Billy’s talent as a be kind.’
teacher, she rarely gives praise.

Billy’s actions and desires are

paradoxical to his context given he
is raised and socialised in a
patriarchal and conservative mining
community.

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