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Billy Elliot

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Billy Elliot
Explain how Billy Elliot and ONE other related text of your own choosing portray the consequences of moving into the world.
The prescribed text is: – Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot
‘Into the World’ describes a concept of a growth and change experienced by an individual – whether the change is physical, emotional or intellectual- from one stage to another. In this transition there are often barriers and obstacles which the individual faces and needs to overcome. The notion of ‘into the world’ is clearly displayed through various language and film techniques in the film Billy Elliot by Daltry and the feature article Worlds Apart by Schmit which is found in the magazine Sydney Life.
The film Billy Elliot by Daldry addresses the theme of ‘into the world’ through various camera techniques, dialogue and themes. The theme of ‘into the world’ is mirrored by the theme of individual growth. Billy unmistakably grows as an individual as he is able to make the transition between being a miner’s son (during the 1984-85 miners’ strike) expected to follow a traditional path into mining and participating in sports such as boxing -to pursuing a career as a professional ballet dancer. Billy’s first transition occurs when he is handed the keys to the ballet class and he enters it to be completely astonished by the beauty of the art known as ballet. The key that Billy is handed symbolizes his gateway to a new world. This transition is reflected through the scenes when Billy is seen running the streets of Everington with his boxing gloves around his shoulders and the later scene where Billy replaces them with ballet shoes. Additionally, there is a pan of the students’ lower body of Mrs. Wilkinson’s class. Here we see Billy in his boxing boots practicing ballet amongst the students wearing ballet shoes. Shoes are a powerful symbol as he initially hides his ballet shoes and pretends that he is going to boxing. Wearing them around his neck in public represents his determination to

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