There are many prejudices about Great Britain: many people associate this country with traditional breakfast, strange sense of humor and specific accent. However, there is obviously more than that. Rich culture, traditions and habits form Britishness as a quality of life that people are born with, a quality that distinguishes and unites every person who lives in England, Scotland, Whales or Northern Island (Ward 2004).
It is presented clearly in all spheres of life and social media is not an exception. However, analyzing three different media texts –movie Hot Fuzz, drama The Office and Best Of British Magazine – I came to the realization that Britishness can still be different for different groups of people. Although it is clear to me that facts of Britishness exist in all three media sources listed above, I understand that it has different sides and is shown as a mixture of cultural peculiarities, breathtaking humor and consists of features that belong to British society only (Arnold 2004).
In the movie, Hot Fuzz Britishness can be seen clearly. Nickolas Angel is represented as a British policeman with values that make him become one of the best coppers in London. He is presented by authors as a person who differs from others due to his specific life position:
“I don’t remember a time when I didn’t want to be a police officer… apart from the summer of 1979 when I wanted to be Kermit the Frog. It all started with my Uncle Derek. He was a Sergeant in the Met. He bought me a police pedal car when I was five. I rode around in it every second I was awake – arresting kids twice my size for littering and spitting. I got beaten up a lot when I was young, but it didn’t stop me. I wanted to be like Uncle Derek.” (Pegg, 2007, p. 98).
All other characters are opposed to him and are shown as immoral cops. However, Nickolas has many features that, in my opinion, show his belonging to British society. The mixture of seriousness and sense of humor makes him look like a traditional brave British man. There is a scene in the movie when Angel talks to Danny Butterman before leaping over the fence. He asks: “What’s the matter, Danny? Never taken a shortcut before?” (Pegg, 2007, p. 98). He jumps over the fence then, making somersault. It looks funny and brings a sense of Britishness that is difficult for a person not from Great Britain to catch.
There is a clear comparison of London and a British suburb in the movie. The creation of the image of Danny, a local immoral cop who can get drunk with school children and drive the car while being drunk, is a good attempt to present differences in lifestyles in big cities and suburbs.
Those lifestyles in London and Sandford are very different and contradict Angel’s understanding of traditional British life. While in London everything is under police supervision and people do not break common rules often, in suburbs people have their own laws and traditions. Therefore, Angel decides to put everything in order in Sandford. In my opinion, it is shown in the movie that Britishness can be different in different parts of Great Britain; these parts are big cities like London and suburbs like Sandford.
Another expression of Britishness in the movie is traditional British humor based on the contrast between urban Angel and provincial Butterman. There is the scene where Nickolas speaks with school children and asks: “Are there any questions?”, and Danny, who is sitting at the back asks Angel: “Is it true that there’s a point on a man’s head where if you shoot it, it will blow up?” (Pegg, 2007, p. 98). It is clearly shown how foolish can people in suburbs be. Moreover, this kind of comparison can be seen in any culture. However, the British mentality is different and it is shown in local behavior, humor and interaction between characters.
Drama The Office is a good example of a mockumentary show that presents British people as a detached society with its traditions, humor and habits. The fact that after the British release of The Office, many other countries produced drama with the same name and similar plot proves that there is a cultural peculiarity in every society and Great Britain is not an exception (Caunce, 2004, p.106). To understand an actor’s behavior, humor and values in The Office, one must be born with Britishness inside of him. That is why other countries such as France, Germany, Brazil and the USA produced their own versions of The Office, taking the British version as an example (Walters 2005).
Each character in the show was transformed later to other cultures. For example, David Brent was adopted by American shows and became Michael Scott. Though both characters play office managers in similar companies and have the same responsibilities, they have differences not only because of cultural gaps between these countries but because of the more global reasons that differ between Great Britain and the USA.
This reason is called Britishness and is presented in every episode of The Office. Although Brent is presented as an irritating boss and is often called a buffoon, who is trying to find friendship with everyone in the office, he becomes more and more likable for spectators. The reason is the use of traditional British comedy techniques that British people understand better than anyone else (Oakland 2002). David plays stupid and sometimes even offensive jokes with other people who work in the office making them even cry sometimes. Moreover, he shows himself as an arrogant boss and as presented as a type of person that can be found in almost every British company:
“You’ve seen how I react to people, make them feel good, make them think that anything’s possible. If I make them laugh along the way, sue me. And I don’t do it so they turn round and go “Thank you David for the opportunity, thank you for the wisdom, thank you for the laughs.” I do it so, one day, someone will go “There goes David Brent. I must remember to thank him.” (Gervais 2001).
Despite the fact that David irritates many of his co-workers with his arrogant attitude to them, his character arises such fillings as sympathy and understanding. Consequently, everyone accepts his inability to be a good boss and mentor.
Another character in the show is presented as the opposite of Davis. His name is Tim Canterbury and his English humor, respectable behavior and the way he communicates with people make him the brightest character of the show. In my opinion, Tim’s behavior and sense of humor can be described as traditional British. There is something in his personality that makes spectators think of him as a real funny Englishman.
In his conversation with Gareth, he claims that team leaders don’t mean anything. When Gareth surprises with this statement, Tim says: “Leader is a title someone’s given you to get you to do something they don’t want to do for free – it’s like making the div kid at school milk monitor. No one respects it.” (Gervais 2001).
Tim became likable by British society because of his traditional values, humility and practical jokes that he is able to play with everyone in a different manner. His love for receptionist Dawn Tinsley is probably the only thing he is concerned about during the whole show. Despite the fact, that Dawn has a fiancé, Tim shows his ability to be friends with her and, in my opinion, by acting this way he gave a good example for the whole British society.
The Britishness can also clearly be seen in any British magazine. In my opinion, it is conditioned by the British way of life. This country is famous for its peculiarities in every sphere of social life (Turner, 2003, p.61). It has left driving and therefore, all British transport magazines are made to satisfy British readers. In my opinion, this feature, which distinguishes Britain from other European countries historically, appeared as a fact of Britishness. The same thing can be said about fashion, politics, economics and culture. Great Britain is such a distinctive and unique country, that Britishness can be found in every magazine and newspaper (Bradley, 2007, p.140).
There are hundreds of magazines that exist in Great Britain nowadays. However, there is a magazine that represents Britishness best of all (Darian, 2007, p.23). It is Best Of British Magazine and it is created to remind all people who consider themselves as British people about countries’ past, traditions and other important issues. It shares with readers nostalgic stories and pictures, helps readers to find their cultural identity and reminds them about who they are.
The Best Of British Magazine gathers all the recollections from British people who remember the 30th, 40th, 60th, 70th, 80th and can share with others interesting facts about the British lifestyle of that time and about their search for cultural identity. According to the editor’s opinion, the last is a very important feature of British culture and can be seen in all spheres of life. He also thinks that despite the fact that Great Britain consists of four parts, there is something that always united these parts: it is more than just a historical aspect. People are on the top of Britishness and those people have so much in common: the mixture of traditions, beliefs, humor and other unique characteristics (Goodrum, 2005, p. 211).
In my opinion, there is a magazine like Best Of British Magazine exists in every country. However, all those magazines do not necessarily bring the idea of such a strong social interaction that exists among British people. Best Of British Magazine helps its citizens to know everything about their past, present and future and not to lose their identity in the modern world (Dronke, 2008, p.4).
Analyzing all three media texts, I came to the realization that Britishness is something more than just a word that describes the interaction among British people (Park, 2005, p.179). It is a lifestyle and a state of the soul that consists of various aspects of British life. It is also reflected in movies, shows and magazines. All three analyzed media texts taught me that British culture is unique and has many peculiarities that are distinguished by the whole world (Storry, 2002, p.68).
Reference List
Arnold, D., 2004. Cultural identities and the aesthetics of Britishness. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Caunce, S., 2004. Relocating Britishness: Studies in popular culture. Manchester: Manchester University Press.
Darian- Smith, K. & Grimshaw, P. 2007. Britishness abroad: transnational movements and imperial cultures. Melbourne: Melbourne Univ. Publishing.
Bradley, I., 2007. Believing in Britain: the spiritual identity of ‘Britishness’. UK: I.B.Tauris.
Dronke.N., 2008. A couple of words about our magazine. Best Of British Magazine. Bourne: Warners Group Publications. 12(1), 4.
Goodrum, A., 2005. The national fabric: fashion, Britishness, globalization. Oxford: Berg Publishers.
Oakland, J., 2002. British civilization: an introduction. London: Routledge.
Gervais, R., 2001. The Office. British Broadcasting Corporation.
Park. A. & Thompson. K. 2005. British Social Attitudes: The 21st Report. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Pegg, S. & Frost, N. 2007. The Buddy System. Spin. 23(4), 98.
Storry, M. & Child. P., 2002. British cultural identities. London: Routledge.
Turner, G., 2003. British cultural studies: an introduction. London: Routledge.
Walters, B., 2005. The Office. Los Angeles: University of California.
Ward, P., 2004. Britishness since 1870. London: Routledge.