HW - 15 Marker

Analyse why The Big Issue has used an intertexual approach on its front cover

 

The Big Issue is a street newspaper, made to distribute knowledge on public issues. The magazine is highly unusual as its content is often user generated, seen in the front cover which appears to have been hand drawn by a child. The ‘Education Special’ front cover relies heavily upon the use of intertexuality embedded in the images and text, to generate meanings about the British Education System. The three significant intertexual references on the cover are the use of text, which mirrors that of Grange Hill, a British drama series. The images of three leading characters from JK Rowling’s novel series Harry Potter, also a film series. Lastly, the iconic hammers from The Wall by a British band Pink Floyd, later developed into a film. 

 

The first image that audiences may be drawn to are the widely popular fictional characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger, centre of JK Rowling’s novels. The Big Issue has used Harry Potter’s signature round glasses, the long robes of Hogwarts and the magic wand Ron’s holding, featured in the film, to help audiences connect through recognition. The plot focuses on the lives of these three friends who are students at Hogwarts magic school, where they are given the freedom to use their superpowers. Rowling creates an optimistic education system that caters to its student’s needs, offering a sharp contrast to the British education system in which students are passive. Perhaps the purpose of this intertextual reference is to compel audiences to compare, and question the true purpose of education. The Big Issue gives hints as to how education should be the way Rowling portrays it in her novels; encouraging independence. The creative freedom offered by Hogwarts perhaps results in the characters satisfied facial expressions, and Harry’s arm around his friends connoting how they’ve developed to work in unity, rather than compete, encouraged by British education.

 

The second intertextual reference created by The Big Issue is the presence of the iconic marching hammers along the bottom of the cover from Pink Floyd’s The Wall, originally a music album that later developed into a BBC drama , depicting the lives of students in an oppressive educational institution. Hammers are tools used to build and destroy materials, reflecting the nature of The Walls education system that developed its students into unquestioning obedience, resulting in their creative thinking and independence slowly destructing. It is interesting that the colours of the hammers are black, white and red, the same as the Nazi flag, creating a powerful imagery of education as a dictatorship that silences voices and freewill. The fact that the hammers are the logo of The Wall, connotes how its education system is a symbol of tyranny. The hammers act as a barrier to the characters behind, who are a representation of education but in reality are trapped in it. The use of intertextuality hints at the dominating nature The British Education system which seems to erase creative freedom of children.

 

The final piece of intertextual reference is in the masthead which embodies the font style of drama series ‘Grange Hill’. The show is popular for its unusual plots, where students are victims of issues like racism , drugs , teenage pregnancies. Similar crises are affecting young adults in the UK, hinting at how our education system is failing to cater to students emotional needs, as it is too focused on academic success. The following cover line ‘What’s school for’ summarises the purpose of this issue, to question and reconstruct the real aim of education and whether Britain is fulfilling that. The cover line at the bottom of the page ‘Does Finland have the answer?’ seems to be a clear message that the British Education system needs changes, because it tells us to take inspiration from Finland, where children don’t begin school until age seven and are not constantly made to take assessments e.g. SAT’s, GCSE’s , A levels, as is the norm in Britain.

It can be argued that the intertextual references used by The Big Issues serve as the possible purposes of education, for example, should the aim of it be like Rowling portrays it, offering complete independence. The intertextual references almost act as different scenarios which motivate audiences to think about the purpose of education. The image of all the characters together give the powerful message of any change being possible through group action, especially by the youth, who need to perhaps question the system they exist in, while receiving support from society.

HW - 15 Marker

Analyse why The Big Issue has used an intertexual approach on its front cover

 

The Big Issue is a street newspaper, made to distribute knowledge on public issues. The magazine is highly unusual as its content is often user generated, seen in the front cover which appears to have been hand drawn by a child. The ‘Education Special’ front cover relies heavily upon the use of intertexuality embedded in the images and text, to generate meanings about the British Education System. The three significant intertexual references on the cover are the use of text, which mirrors that of Grange Hill, a British drama series. The images of three leading characters from JK Rowling’s novel series Harry Potter, also a film series. Lastly, the iconic hammers from The Wall by a British band Pink Floyd, later developed into a film. 

 

The first image that audiences may be drawn to are the widely popular fictional characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger, centre of JK Rowling’s novels. The Big Issue has used Harry Potter’s signature round glasses, the long robes of Hogwarts and the magic wand Ron’s holding, featured in the film, to help audiences connect through recognition. The plot focuses on the lives of these three friends who are students at Hogwarts magic school, where they are given the freedom to use their superpowers. Rowling creates an optimistic education system that caters to its student’s needs, offering a sharp contrast to the British education system in which students are passive. Perhaps the purpose of this intertextual reference is to compel audiences to compare, and question the true purpose of education. The Big Issue gives hints as to how education should be the way Rowling portrays it in her novels; encouraging independence. The creative freedom offered by Hogwarts perhaps results in the characters satisfied facial expressions, and Harry’s arm around his friends connoting how they’ve developed to work in unity, rather than compete, encouraged by British education.

 

The second intertextual reference created by The Big Issue is the presence of the iconic marching hammers along the bottom of the cover from Pink Floyd’s The Wall, originally a music album that later developed into a BBC drama , depicting the lives of students in an oppressive educational institution. Hammers are tools used to build and destroy materials, reflecting the nature of The Walls education system that developed its students into unquestioning obedience, resulting in their creative thinking and independence slowly destructing. It is interesting that the colours of the hammers are black, white and red, the same as the Nazi flag, creating a powerful imagery of education as a dictatorship that silences voices and freewill. The fact that the hammers are the logo of The Wall, connotes how its education system is a symbol of tyranny. The hammers act as a barrier to the characters behind, who are a representation of education but in reality are trapped in it. The use of intertextuality hints at the dominating nature The British Education system which seems to erase creative freedom of children.

 

The final piece of intertextual reference is in the masthead which embodies the font style of drama series ‘Grange Hill’. The show is popular for its unusual plots, where students are victims of issues like racism , drugs , teenage pregnancies. Similar crises are affecting young adults in the UK, hinting at how our education system is failing to cater to students emotional needs, as it is too focused on academic success. The following cover line ‘What’s school for’ summarises the purpose of this issue, to question and reconstruct the real aim of education and whether Britain is fulfilling that. The cover line at the bottom of the page ‘Does Finland have the answer?’ seems to be a clear message that the British Education system needs changes, because it tells us to take inspiration from Finland, where children don’t begin school until age seven and are not constantly made to take assessments e.g. SAT’s, GCSE’s , A levels, as is the norm in Britain.

It can be argued that the intertextual references used by The Big Issues serve as the possible purposes of education, for example, should the aim of it be like Rowling portrays it, offering complete independence. The intertextual references almost act as different scenarios which motivate audiences to think about the purpose of education. The image of all the characters together give the powerful message of any change being possible through group action, especially by the youth, who need to perhaps question the system they exist in, while receiving support from society.

HW - 10 marker

How does the Big Issue cover you have studied use media language to construct an alternative representation of an event / group / issue?


The Big Issue uses various elements of media language to construct an alternative representation of poverty in its January 2018 issue. The image on the front cover shows close up, eye level angle shots of roughly twenty people, portraying the cover as unusual due to its crowded composition. The mise en scene includes the signature red jacket worn by the big issue vendors, connoting their contribution to the organisation. All models are featured in their natural state, as they have not been styled, for example, the man on the left hand side is seen carrying his dog, many vendors  are wearing hats, caps, headbands and two women are seen wearing a headscarf, indicating their belonging from various ethnic communities, addressing cultural diversity in the UK. The Big Issue claims to be a social merchant bank, seeking to dismantle poverty through helping people out of financial crisis, perhaps the vendors featured on the cover are those who have been aided by the organisation. The image breaks the stereotype that we have of destitute people, we often picture them as beggars on the street, appearing homeless and dirty. However, the vendors look very neat, hence rebuilding the idea that not everyone who faces financial struggles is homelessness , neither are all homeless people beggars. Hall’s theory of oppositional ideology can be applied here, as the image challenges the dominant representation of indigence in the media, e.g. in films, news, TV. Overall, the cover features the individuals in a positive manner, seen in their pleased facial expression, connoting how the issue of poverty and financial instability can be tackled in the UK, an important aim of the Big Issue.


The main cover line ‘We are here’ portrays the vendors as a collective group. It works with the image to compel us to see destitute individuals as an equal part of society. ‘Here’ implies how poverty and financial instability is a mass problem in the UK. ‘We are here’ is an overall positive phrase because it establishes the existence of a group working together to dismantle poverty, assuring society. The mast head of the big issue is seen clearly on the cover, connecting the audiences to the foundation through recognition. The words are written in a professional font, they’re bold red and outlined in yellow, traditional colours of the Big Issue, showing consistency. #Celebrateyourvendor uses direct address to encourage readers to become a part of the foundation and positively contribute to society. The traditional strapline ‘A hand up not a hand out’ is written to establish how the organisation helps people to get out of financial and social exclusion through self-sufficiency.


Overall, the image, mise en scene and text is used to construct a positive message regarding poverty. The crowd of close up’s showing ethnically diverse people presents a sense of community in the UK. The image and text work together to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of vendors towards erasing destitution. Choosing to feature people belonging from various backgrounds is perhaps a celebration of the will that The Big Issue vendors possess to become a better person and bring a positive change within their lives and wider society. This portrays the organisations ultimate goal, of working with people to defeat any issue, whether it’s social or personal.

HW - 10 marker

How does the Big Issue cover you have studied use media language to construct an alternative representation of an event / group / issue?


The Big Issue uses various elements of media language to construct an alternative representation of poverty in its January 2018 issue. The image on the front cover shows close up, eye level angle shots of roughly twenty people, portraying the cover as unusual due to its crowded composition. The mise en scene includes the signature red jacket worn by the big issue vendors, connoting their contribution to the organisation. All models are featured in their natural state, as they have not been styled, for example, the man on the left hand side is seen carrying his dog, many vendors  are wearing hats, caps, headbands and two women are seen wearing a headscarf, indicating their belonging from various ethnic communities, addressing cultural diversity in the UK. The Big Issue claims to be a social merchant bank, seeking to dismantle poverty through helping people out of financial crisis, perhaps the vendors featured on the cover are those who have been aided by the organisation. The image breaks the stereotype that we have of destitute people, we often picture them as beggars on the street, appearing homeless and dirty. However, the vendors look very neat, hence rebuilding the idea that not everyone who faces financial struggles is homelessness , neither are all homeless people beggars. Hall’s theory of oppositional ideology can be applied here, as the image challenges the dominant representation of indigence in the media, e.g. in films, news, TV. Overall, the cover features the individuals in a positive manner, seen in their pleased facial expression, connoting how the issue of poverty and financial instability can be tackled in the UK, an important aim of the Big Issue.


The main cover line ‘We are here’ portrays the vendors as a collective group. It works with the image to compel us to see destitute individuals as an equal part of society. ‘Here’ implies how poverty and financial instability is a mass problem in the UK. ‘We are here’ is an overall positive phrase because it establishes the existence of a group working together to dismantle poverty, assuring society. The mast head of the big issue is seen clearly on the cover, connecting the audiences to the foundation through recognition. The words are written in a professional font, they’re bold red and outlined in yellow, traditional colours of the Big Issue, showing consistency. #Celebrateyourvendor uses direct address to encourage readers to become a part of the foundation and positively contribute to society. The traditional strapline ‘A hand up not a hand out’ is written to establish how the organisation helps people to get out of financial and social exclusion through self-sufficiency.


Overall, the image, mise en scene and text is used to construct a positive message regarding poverty. The crowd of close up’s showing ethnically diverse people presents a sense of community in the UK. The image and text work together to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of vendors towards erasing destitution. Choosing to feature people belonging from various backgrounds is perhaps a celebration of the will that The Big Issue vendors possess to become a better person and bring a positive change within their lives and wider society. This portrays the organisations ultimate goal, of working with people to defeat any issue, whether it’s social or personal.

HW- Big Issue Media Kit

The Big Issue Media Kit by Fatima Hussain

HW- Big Issue Media Kit

The Big Issue Media Kit by Fatima Hussain