Destiny Zimmerman
10/10/2018
Film Analysis: Part 1
The Up Series directed by Paul Almond and Michael Apted is a longitudinal study following the short and long-term effects of social classes on 14 participants lives based upon the assumption that their social class predetermines their future. This series does a great job at accurately representing this and how upbringing and genealogy influences the outcome and overall quality of life. The participants, ranging from extreme lower class to the upper-upper class, all faced various adversities and triumphs in life.
John Brisby and Symon Basterfield distinctly represent their respective social classes. John grew up incredibly wealthy and has remained so. He attended private schools during his childhood and was politically active by the age of 14. On the other hand, Symon Basterfield was born illegitimately and lived in a charity home for a portion of his childhood while his mother struggled with depression. By the age of 14 he had been living with his mother again, but was clearly very soft spoken and reminiscent on his life in the home. He struggled to maintain an allowance, as he was given little and it was usually taken away due to bad behavior.
Judging by the childhoods of the two, it is easy to assume where the two have ended up. John undoubtedly fits the quintessential image of a privileged white boy; he enrolled in university at Oxford and studied law. Symon maintained the image of poverty, living with his mother at the age of 21 and working odd jobs to get by. However, there were significant differences in the apparent happiness of both of them. John seemed to be chasing something that was not necessarily his dre...
