Textual analysis in Class 2
Chained to the rhythm- Katy Perry
Representation-
Chained to the rhythm is filled with lots and lots of subliminal hints to real life and the society well now live in. In my personal opinion I believe that the song is talking about modern society and the struggles everyone has to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This can we seen straight from the start of the video when everybody is running through the gates of 'OBLIVIA'. This connotes people are running towards something that they have no clue what the out come is. This links to the word oblivious meaning not aware of or concerned about what is happing around one. This could also mean that everyone subconsciously does something because everyone else is doing it, which results in a vicious cycle that no one is able to break. This can be link to the modern day society as everyone is so used to doing something because a celebrity is doing it or someone they look up to seems to be doing it. Katy can be seen walking through the gates while everyone else around her is running through them. This could be hinting to her real life as this could mean that everyone thinks she 'crazy' because she's not doing what the rest of society is doing. The lyrics sung at 0.16 seconds say "trapped in our white picket fence" this is an American reference as a white picket fence is something that can be see as a mark of American culture. This is also referenced later in the song however the visuals compliment the lyrics as people can be seen going onto a ride that throws them over the 'fence'. Furthermore, Katy can also be seen walking next to a white picket fence however the fence is extremely high. This connotes that people are trapped in their own homes and in their 'white picket fence' and they can get out as they can get over it. This is also another reference to modern day society as people are so used to the norm no one thinks or dares to go outside of the box because they are scared of being judged or looked down upon. This could also mean that everyone is too used to the norm and if anything were to break the norm society would break.
At 0:20 seconds into the music video a hamster with a big head can be seen with its eye continuously rolling, with the words 'THE GREATEST RIDE IN THE UNIVERSE'. This is mocking the Universal Studio sign that is world famous. This scene depicts people standing around the sing being 'hypnotised' by it. This could connote that people in society just believe what they are told and they just go with what everyone is doing. The eyes on the hamster can depict that people are being hypnotised by the words as the people can all be seen sanding around it with an unbroken gaze. This has similar properties as the Universal Studio's sign and can connote taking the mic out of a world famous entertainment brand, because everyone seems to be hypnotised by it because everyone goes there. At 0:24 3 ladies can be seen mimicking each other moving in a certain way and taking selfies. This is anther dig at society as can connote that everyone moves in a certain way to fit in and people takes selfies in the same way because everyone else does it and its 'cool' to be doing that. Another dig at the culture our society has now adopted can be seen by the 'IPhones' they are using to take the selfies. The hamster is again used to represent a global brand as it is strategically placed in the centre of the back of the phone mimicking Apple and their logo. The video can be seen using this to pock fun at Apple as the phones they are using are massive, mocking the iPhone 6,7&8s plus which is a bigger version of the traditional iPhone.
At 0:33 of the music video, a large ride with the name 'The Big American Dream Drop' is shown to be a popular ride in 'OBLIVIA'. This can connote the American house market crash when a devastating thing that happening to the people of America causing catastrophic effects all of the United States. The United States housing bubble was a real estate bubble affecting over half of the U.S states. Housing prices peaked in early 2006, started to declined in 2006 and 2007, and reached new lows in 2012. This can be seen through representation in the video as the American people can be seen to be very excited representing how people where hit with the news unexpectedly. This can be backed up by the scene at 0:39 where Katy is pricked by a rose. Connoting that she was cut unexpectedly and it took her by surprise which can also be taken as a metaphor for society. Something that looks pretty and something that presents itself as a pretty beautiful thing, underneath holds a truth that isn't so pretty. The rose represents society and how everyone prays themselves on social media. What you see ISN'T what you get. Everyone is too busy with putting up a front to please others and to fit into modern day society that they keep suppressing the truth just to appear beautiful, like a rose. At 0:48 the roller coaster that Katy is about to go on has blue hearts and pink hearts, segregating genders. This connotes that no matter how far we think we have come as a society and as a human race, there is still segregation and inequality between male and females. The uses of the colours 'blue' and 'pink' is interesting as the is a stereotypical view of genders. Automatically associating genders to a colour, Blue being the ore masculine colour and Pink being the more feminine colour. On the front of the roller coaster says 'Love Me' digging at the way everyone does everything to fit in and to be loved by everyone else. How people just do things because it's 'cool' and because that certain think is the new fashion.
At 1:13 of the song people can be seen to be walking in a well formulated line, mirroring the person before them and their exact movements. This connotes how everyone is too scared to be different and move outside of the box or move in a different formation to the rest of society otherwise they will be penalised for being different. Throughout the song the line can be seen to be very long and everyone is coping the person in front. As the roller coaster goes through the tunnel at 1:22 of the song hearts, smily faces and thumbs up can be seen all the way through until the end. This is again, mocking another global corporation 'FaceBook'. This is mocking their new update where you can now react to a persons Facebook post with an expression or a feeling. showing how people are just going through tunnels and not getting out of the cycle. At 1:38 of the song two heart shapes can be seen with Katie's face in the right one and another male in the left one. The male seems to have 9,478 likes on his post and Katy seems to have just 17. This could show how a female could do the exact same thing as a male but they will never receive the same result as a male would. They are sitting next to each other on the exact same ride doing the exact same facial expression yet the female gets 9,461 LESS likes than the male. At 2:07 everyone can be seen in a straight line, lining up to go on a 'giant hamster wheel'. Everyone who is going on the hamster wheel can be seem to be falling and therefore failing. This is represented by the people in the line watching the people fail. A metaphor for how in modern say society its like dog eat dog, no one wants to help each other. Everyone's in it for themselves, therefore watching everyone before them failing.
At 2:33 of the song Katy can be seen to be starting to rebel against 'society'. This is represented through the synchronised placing of the 3D glasses as Katy has yet to put them on. Therefore breaking the circle everyone is caught up in. This is the part in the song where she starts to break free from society to pursue the path to her truth authentic self. At 2:52 Katy can be seen to be taking off her glasses breaking her self away rom the metaphoric society. To open her eyes to the truth as the lyrics say "Break down the walls to connect, inspire", connoting she should start connecting to everybody, inspiring others to open their eyes to the truth of the world. This is when Katy can be seen to be in the middle of the crowed around her trying to stop them from doing what everyone else is doing. This is a metaphor for hoe she has now broken free from society and is now trying to persuade others to join her. At 3:45 Katy can be seen to have accomplished the hamster wheel, unlike everybody who has tried before her. This could also represent the rise of the female as she is the first person to accomplish the hamster wheel and she is a female. Showing that women are in fact better then men at certain things. At the end of the music video 3:56 she can be seen to have fully broken free from vicious cycle that she has been apart from for her whole life.
Editing-
The music video looks as though it has had a lot of post production editing and there are a lot of different cuts throughout the video.
Camera-
Lots of the camera angles used within the music video showing people of society can high angle shots. This connotes how people are oppressed by the cycle they are forced to follow. This could also represent how people are looked down upon and how people aren't able to have their own opinion. At the end of the music video Katy Perry can be seen in the big hamster wheel with a low angle shot. This is when she successfully survives the hamster wheel juxtaposed to everyone else before her who has fallen attempting to do this ride. the low angle shot shows how she has over come this and could also represent her real life and how she has overcome all of the hate and trying to fit in. The low angle shot also places her in the middle of the frame making sure the audience notice her as the centre of the attention. This low angle shot also represent the view point of the people in the queue and how they are looking up at her as an inspirational character.
Mise-en-scene-
The whole music video can be seen to be set in a theme park. This could be a method for how society can be seen as a joke or as funny and how no-one takes it seriously. This can also be seen through the clothing they are all in. They are in colourful and vibrant coloured clothing.
Chained to the rhythm is filled with lots and lots of subliminal hints to real life and the society well now live in. In my personal opinion I believe that the song is talking about modern society and the struggles everyone has to deal with on a day-to-day basis. This can we seen straight from the start of the video when everybody is running through the gates of 'OBLIVIA'. This connotes people are running towards something that they have no clue what the out come is. This links to the word oblivious meaning not aware of or concerned about what is happing around one. This could also mean that everyone subconsciously does something because everyone else is doing it, which results in a vicious cycle that no one is able to break. This can be link to the modern day society as everyone is so used to doing something because a celebrity is doing it or someone they look up to seems to be doing it. Katy can be seen walking through the gates while everyone else around her is running through them. This could be hinting to her real life as this could mean that everyone thinks she 'crazy' because she's not doing what the rest of society is doing. The lyrics sung at 0.16 seconds say "trapped in our white picket fence" this is an American reference as a white picket fence is something that can be see as a mark of American culture. This is also referenced later in the song however the visuals compliment the lyrics as people can be seen going onto a ride that throws them over the 'fence'. Furthermore, Katy can also be seen walking next to a white picket fence however the fence is extremely high. This connotes that people are trapped in their own homes and in their 'white picket fence' and they can get out as they can get over it. This is also another reference to modern day society as people are so used to the norm no one thinks or dares to go outside of the box because they are scared of being judged or looked down upon. This could also mean that everyone is too used to the norm and if anything were to break the norm society would break.
At 0:20 seconds into the music video a hamster with a big head can be seen with its eye continuously rolling, with the words 'THE GREATEST RIDE IN THE UNIVERSE'. This is mocking the Universal Studio sign that is world famous. This scene depicts people standing around the sing being 'hypnotised' by it. This could connote that people in society just believe what they are told and they just go with what everyone is doing. The eyes on the hamster can depict that people are being hypnotised by the words as the people can all be seen sanding around it with an unbroken gaze. This has similar properties as the Universal Studio's sign and can connote taking the mic out of a world famous entertainment brand, because everyone seems to be hypnotised by it because everyone goes there. At 0:24 3 ladies can be seen mimicking each other moving in a certain way and taking selfies. This is anther dig at society as can connote that everyone moves in a certain way to fit in and people takes selfies in the same way because everyone else does it and its 'cool' to be doing that. Another dig at the culture our society has now adopted can be seen by the 'IPhones' they are using to take the selfies. The hamster is again used to represent a global brand as it is strategically placed in the centre of the back of the phone mimicking Apple and their logo. The video can be seen using this to pock fun at Apple as the phones they are using are massive, mocking the iPhone 6,7&8s plus which is a bigger version of the traditional iPhone.
At 0:33 of the music video, a large ride with the name 'The Big American Dream Drop' is shown to be a popular ride in 'OBLIVIA'. This can connote the American house market crash when a devastating thing that happening to the people of America causing catastrophic effects all of the United States. The United States housing bubble was a real estate bubble affecting over half of the U.S states. Housing prices peaked in early 2006, started to declined in 2006 and 2007, and reached new lows in 2012. This can be seen through representation in the video as the American people can be seen to be very excited representing how people where hit with the news unexpectedly. This can be backed up by the scene at 0:39 where Katy is pricked by a rose. Connoting that she was cut unexpectedly and it took her by surprise which can also be taken as a metaphor for society. Something that looks pretty and something that presents itself as a pretty beautiful thing, underneath holds a truth that isn't so pretty. The rose represents society and how everyone prays themselves on social media. What you see ISN'T what you get. Everyone is too busy with putting up a front to please others and to fit into modern day society that they keep suppressing the truth just to appear beautiful, like a rose. At 0:48 the roller coaster that Katy is about to go on has blue hearts and pink hearts, segregating genders. This connotes that no matter how far we think we have come as a society and as a human race, there is still segregation and inequality between male and females. The uses of the colours 'blue' and 'pink' is interesting as the is a stereotypical view of genders. Automatically associating genders to a colour, Blue being the ore masculine colour and Pink being the more feminine colour. On the front of the roller coaster says 'Love Me' digging at the way everyone does everything to fit in and to be loved by everyone else. How people just do things because it's 'cool' and because that certain think is the new fashion.
At 1:13 of the song people can be seen to be walking in a well formulated line, mirroring the person before them and their exact movements. This connotes how everyone is too scared to be different and move outside of the box or move in a different formation to the rest of society otherwise they will be penalised for being different. Throughout the song the line can be seen to be very long and everyone is coping the person in front. As the roller coaster goes through the tunnel at 1:22 of the song hearts, smily faces and thumbs up can be seen all the way through until the end. This is again, mocking another global corporation 'FaceBook'. This is mocking their new update where you can now react to a persons Facebook post with an expression or a feeling. showing how people are just going through tunnels and not getting out of the cycle. At 1:38 of the song two heart shapes can be seen with Katie's face in the right one and another male in the left one. The male seems to have 9,478 likes on his post and Katy seems to have just 17. This could show how a female could do the exact same thing as a male but they will never receive the same result as a male would. They are sitting next to each other on the exact same ride doing the exact same facial expression yet the female gets 9,461 LESS likes than the male. At 2:07 everyone can be seen in a straight line, lining up to go on a 'giant hamster wheel'. Everyone who is going on the hamster wheel can be seem to be falling and therefore failing. This is represented by the people in the line watching the people fail. A metaphor for how in modern say society its like dog eat dog, no one wants to help each other. Everyone's in it for themselves, therefore watching everyone before them failing.
At 2:33 of the song Katy can be seen to be starting to rebel against 'society'. This is represented through the synchronised placing of the 3D glasses as Katy has yet to put them on. Therefore breaking the circle everyone is caught up in. This is the part in the song where she starts to break free from society to pursue the path to her truth authentic self. At 2:52 Katy can be seen to be taking off her glasses breaking her self away rom the metaphoric society. To open her eyes to the truth as the lyrics say "Break down the walls to connect, inspire", connoting she should start connecting to everybody, inspiring others to open their eyes to the truth of the world. This is when Katy can be seen to be in the middle of the crowed around her trying to stop them from doing what everyone else is doing. This is a metaphor for hoe she has now broken free from society and is now trying to persuade others to join her. At 3:45 Katy can be seen to have accomplished the hamster wheel, unlike everybody who has tried before her. This could also represent the rise of the female as she is the first person to accomplish the hamster wheel and she is a female. Showing that women are in fact better then men at certain things. At the end of the music video 3:56 she can be seen to have fully broken free from vicious cycle that she has been apart from for her whole life.
Editing-
The music video looks as though it has had a lot of post production editing and there are a lot of different cuts throughout the video.
Camera-
Lots of the camera angles used within the music video showing people of society can high angle shots. This connotes how people are oppressed by the cycle they are forced to follow. This could also represent how people are looked down upon and how people aren't able to have their own opinion. At the end of the music video Katy Perry can be seen in the big hamster wheel with a low angle shot. This is when she successfully survives the hamster wheel juxtaposed to everyone else before her who has fallen attempting to do this ride. the low angle shot shows how she has over come this and could also represent her real life and how she has overcome all of the hate and trying to fit in. The low angle shot also places her in the middle of the frame making sure the audience notice her as the centre of the attention. This low angle shot also represent the view point of the people in the queue and how they are looking up at her as an inspirational character.
Mise-en-scene-
The whole music video can be seen to be set in a theme park. This could be a method for how society can be seen as a joke or as funny and how no-one takes it seriously. This can also be seen through the clothing they are all in. They are in colourful and vibrant coloured clothing.
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