Shameless Representation

Shameless


In the opening sequence of shameless episode 1 one main stereotype is projected. This is that of a "northerner". Many people feel that being northern represents being poor, working class, quite rough, not intelligent. This is seen in the character Frank as he enters looking a bit worse for wear and slurring his words, suggesting that he is drunk which links into the rough stereotype. We then see another reference to the "northerner" stereotype as the character Steve punches a bouncer outside a nightclub and the girls who he was with were not exactly classy, using taboo language to insult the bouncers as they ran away. The music in the club also relates back to the stereotype it is very common, and what people of the northern stereotype would listen to.


Sexuality is represented in a contrasting way in the first scenes of Shameless. We meet the character Lip who is a "lad". Boasting about past sexual experiences with girls to his brother Ian. In the episode we find out that Ian may be gay as Lip finds explicit pictures of men in a folder behind a cupboard. We see lip distraught. This showing that being gay - one does not fit into the normal stereotypical image of a teenage "northerner". - Two he obviously is quite insecure about it and does not want anyone to know.