Representation of Social Class and Status

What Is Social Class?

Social Class is a status hierarchy in which individuals and groups are classified on the basis of esteem and prestige acquired mainly through economic success and accumulation of wealth. Social class may also refer to any particular level in such a hierarchy.

Four common social classes informally recognized in many societies are: 

(1) Upper class, 
(2) Middle class, 
(3) Working class, and 
(4) Lower class.

There are stereotypes associated with each of these classes in our society.

If you conduct a simple Google Images search for each term you will see many of these.

Upper Class Stereotypes

Wealthy (money), 'posh accent', educated at private schools, tradition is important, demanding, 'hooray Henry', champagne, fox-hunting, out of touch, etc

Middle Class Stereotypes

Suburban living, home owners, 2.4 children (perfect family unit), play golf, professional jobs - suits, nice car, good job, etc

Working Class Stereotypes

'Salt of the earth', hard-working, not as well educated, 'common' accent, manual labour or poorer paid job, only wear smart clothes for special occasions, strong family values, single parent family, never been to university, etc

Lower Class Stereotypes

Poor, rude, dangerous, not educated, involved in criminal activity, 'scrounging', rely on benefits, teenage pregnancy, alcohol, swearing, 'chav', no respect for authority, etc.

Social Status

Status is different to class. Social Status is a person's standing or importance in relation to other people within a society.

It is possible to be from a working class background but to have a high social status through hard work. An example of this would be Sir Alan Sugar. 

Click here to find out a bit more about how he moved from a boy from a working class background to a businessman with high social status.

If your extract asks you to discuss the ways in which representations of class and status are constructed in the extract, you should be thinking about the following things when watching the clip:

• Can I identify what class/status characters are?
• Are people from different classes or of different statuses shown as having different interests, personalities, attitudes, behaviours?  If so, how?
• Is their class/status represented as being important in their life?
• Are people from particular classes/statuses represented as being better, more powerful, than others?
• Are people from particular classes/ statuses represented as being abnormal /weaker/ more pathetic than others?  
• How do other characters in the clip treat the characters from different classes or of different statuses?
• What is the message the clip is trying to portray about class/status?

Extract from 'Downton Abbey"

Extract from 'Merlin'

Extract from 'Shameless'