Masculinity In Billy Elliot
Billy Elliot (Jamie Bell) is an shy 11-year-old living with his proud miner father (Gary Lewis) and older brother Tony (Jamie Draven) during the political and social unrest of the 1984 miner's strike. Times are hard - the men of the house spend their days on the picket lines clashing with the police, while Billy navigates the minefield of adolescence and takes care of his increasingly senile grandmother (Jean Heywood).
Determined to forge his son in his own image, Billy's father sends him for boxing lessons with pal George (Mike Elliot) at the local village hall. Unfortunately, Billy isn't interested in expressing himself with his fists, he's much more taken with the ballet lessons next door, run by jaded Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters).
When Billy's old man learns that his son has forsaken boxing gloves for ballet shoes, he is distraught: dancing is not a manly pursuit, certainly not for a miner's son. Fearful of what his friends might say, Billy's father bans him from taking classes and searches for a glimmer of hope in the bottom of his beer glass.
One night, during the long trek home from …show more content…
The main ideologies presented are apparent in the binaries regarding Billy and his Father, and Billy’s ballet teacher and his Father. Billy is constructed to oppose his Father in several ways. In some aspects Billy’s Father is a representation of the dominant masculinity. He appears to be tough, hard working – in the coal mining industry, and he conforms to the masculine values within the society through attempting to make Billy attend boxing classes with all the other boys in the community. The opposition is presented in Billy not conforming to the values of the society. His major defiance occurs when he commences ballet classes. This initiates several other challenges regarding masculinity such as the discussion of feelings and who has more authority and
Determined to forge his son in his own image, Billy's father sends him for boxing lessons with pal George (Mike Elliot) at the local village hall. Unfortunately, Billy isn't interested in expressing himself with his fists, he's much more taken with the ballet lessons next door, run by jaded Mrs Wilkinson (Julie Walters).
When Billy's old man learns that his son has forsaken boxing gloves for ballet shoes, he is distraught: dancing is not a manly pursuit, certainly not for a miner's son. Fearful of what his friends might say, Billy's father bans him from taking classes and searches for a glimmer of hope in the bottom of his beer glass.
One night, during the long trek home from …show more content…
The main ideologies presented are apparent in the binaries regarding Billy and his Father, and Billy’s ballet teacher and his Father. Billy is constructed to oppose his Father in several ways. In some aspects Billy’s Father is a representation of the dominant masculinity. He appears to be tough, hard working – in the coal mining industry, and he conforms to the masculine values within the society through attempting to make Billy attend boxing classes with all the other boys in the community. The opposition is presented in Billy not conforming to the values of the society. His major defiance occurs when he commences ballet classes. This initiates several other challenges regarding masculinity such as the discussion of feelings and who has more authority and