Les 3e NOLAN & LECONTE déconstruisent les stereotypes !

Well, the document I will talk about is obviously a drawing entitled « the how to be British collection ». I may be wrong but I suppose this drawing looks like a post card, and is probably an example of a collection of satirical and humorous cartoons about stereotypes. Martin Ford and Peter Legon must be the cartoonists and writers of this collection. 

This being said, let’s move on to the cartoon itself. 

First of all, the drawing is divided into two parts and must be read like a comic strip, left to right. On both drawings I can see an old-looking bridge in the background, probably made of red bricks. There is a lot of traffic on the road and the cars are basically bumper-to-bumper. On the left drawing there is a huge lorry with « TEA » written on it, and on the right, there is a typical double-decker bus : my guess is the scene takes place in the United Kingdom as the Brits are said to drink tea everyday and are famous for taking double-decker buses to commute. These are the first stereotypes I could identify as soon as I saw this picture. 

In the foreground now, a typical-looking British man is walking his dog by the river : he has got a black bowler hat, a long blue trench coat over a pink shirt, a colorful tie and green trousers. How odd ! On top of that he is sporting a very old-fashioned mustache. His dog looks like an English Bull-dog. Both characters are walking with their head held high. They look quite full-of-themselves and arrogant. I have to say, I suppose this drawing depicts a Brit as they are supposed to wear weird colors and to be old-fashioned. Plus, they both look unbothered and snobbish and the Brits are famous for being very stuck-up and standoffish. 

While these two characters are walking, a man is clearly in distress in the river. He seems to be drowning and looks both terrified and chocked. Indeed, there is a lifebelt by the river and the man in the bowler hat is not even considering helping him, though he is screaming for help. 

On the second cartoon however, the cartoonist tries to show the British are a very polite people : indeed the scene is quite surreal. The passer-by only seems to hear the victim’s cry for help when he recites an overly-polite request ! I find this stereotype quite hilarious ! All three characters now look rather pleased. I believe this shows the Brits are popular for being very civilized yet quite proud and snobbish. 

Though I find this document pretty funny, I have to say a stereotype is not necessarily true. It is usually a preconceived idea or a cliché about a group of people, and is generally quite derogatory. Obviously, no man in his right mind would let someone drown unless they would ask for help politely. 

First of all let me tell you about this picture. This picture is actually a drawing, and more precisely a postcard drawn by Marty Ford and Peter Lemon. It an excerpt from the “how to be British collection” postcards.

So now let me describe the postcard. In the background you can see the old houses with half-timberings. In the upper right hand corner we can see a castle. I would say it has been here since the middle ages, indeed given that it looks like a fortress protecting the late rulers of this town. It probably dates from the middle ages, when women would wear long trimmed gowns, and men would wear breaches, would go to war on horse back, with a full on armor, to defend their country and fight for their King. 

So as I said earlier we can see several old houses, some of which are actually boutiques. We can see on the left side of the postcard, an antique store. They probably sell old furnitures, or old silver wear used by some famous princess or chandeliers that were in a castle that was destroyed long ago. You can probably find old cushions used in the home of some duchess. 

Just in front of the antique store you can see a sign, I suppose it belongs to the next-door store, “Ye old traditional cream tea”. The sign says “Good old fashioned English food”. I suppose this store is a sort of restaurant, that probably sells good tea and that has a very old recipe for scones. People must come here at tea time and order a carrot cake with a recipe that was used by the old queen, and it was her favourite!

Then you can see a clock, this clock actually looks like a cuckoo clock. Given that it has doors. When the clock strikes a full hour something must come out and inform the passers-by of the time. On this clock is actually written “Times gone by” which makes us think that this clock tells the time but the passers-by actually take the time. It conceptualises time as something they have lost and not something they have left, it’s like they always look in the past.

Next to the clock you can see a store that says “former clothes”, I suppose it sells very old clothes like very long and heavy dresses with hats and gloves that go with it. For men they probably sell suits or doublets with boots, and maybe hunting clothes. I suppose there is also a seamstress that makes all the clothes, people must go there to be measured and have clothes custom-made with beautiful fabric and embroiders.

On the bottom right hand corner you can see a sign that indicates the way and places in the town. On this sign is written “historic ruins” “medieval town” and “some even older bits”. It seems as though there are only old things in this town, old food, houses, clothes…

In the foreground you can see people, on the left there are people dressed in old clothes, indeed the women is wearing an old fashioned hat and dress as well as the little girl. The man is wearing a suit as, I suppose, his son. Even the dog is wearing an old fashioned hat ! On the left you can see a man wearing a wig with a tricorn, he is holding a sign saying “Dark ages”. 

Then next to him you can see to people maybe a couple, they are probably tourist given that they are wearing new clothes that are fashionable. They are also looking at a book, that I assume is a guide for the town with all the important places. 

So now let me analyse, I suppose this town is in England given that the English are known to be old fashioned and stuck in the past, Indeed in this drawing you can see that people are all wearing old clothes and all the boutique indicates that they are selling old things. As they are living in the past men are still known to be gentlemen. 

Now lets talks about the two tourist, we can see them asking at passers if “there is anything new here”, given that everything around them looks like it dates back to the middle ages. The British people look scandalised by the question, the dad is even covering the ears of the little boy, like what the tourist said is actually a foul word. They are also probably scandalised by the rudeness of the question, given that the British are supposed to be extremely polite.

This picture is actually a representation of the preconceived idea foreigners have of the English, very polite, stuck in the past and men are known to be gentlemen. This postcard represents all the cliché of the English, and all the stereotypes you could have of them.

Let me present this document.

First of all, this document is a satirical drawing. In the background I can see a village, but it’s older so I suppose it’s a medieval village. In this village. I can see a castle in the top right hand corner. On top of that, I can see, nearby, some really old-looking mansion. I suppose the village is from to the 13th century. The homes look like viking houses or from the Middle Ages. I can see some signs on the right of this drawing and on it, there are written some weird things such as : historic ruins, some even older bits or medieval toilet.

Let’s move to the foreground. So in this part of this drawing, there are some people in the street. On the left, there is a girl, maybe she is a teenager or a young adult. She is wearing an old-fashioned hair cut with old-looking clothes. She seems really weird because she is looking at the two tourists with a strange expression. On her right, I can see close to her, a family who are walking by. The mother seems to have the same expression on her face: she is clearly distraught. There are wearing old clothes too with all the typical classic bits like a tie, a hat, and the father is even sporting a moustache. I suppose the family is so flabbergasted that they seem to be running away from the tourists as maybe there think they are strange. Behind this family, there is a stray dog who is walking on the street too.

Now is time to explain who those tourists are and why their very presence seems to shock every local. «  Is there anything new to see around here ?  »
With their sweatshirts, trousers and a big pack back they are obviously standing out. The girl is wearing a yellow neon shirt with short pants and, in my opinion, I think she is Asian because she has slanting eyes and really dark straight hair. They are fashionable yet quite plain and expressionless compared to the people who live in this, apparently old village.

I do believe the cartoonist here wanted to show stereotypes about the Brits. The group of locals are looking taken-aback because they are not used to seeing newcomers and because the British are famous for living in the past and being old fashioned. They are supposed to be humble like the royal family. Of course, this is just a mere stereotype and it has to be taken with a pinch of salt.

Well, let me present this drawing extracted from the collection «How to be British». The drawing in itself represents a medieval scene. So, let me describe ! In the foreground, on the right hand side, we can see a sign where it’s written « Medieval Town », « some even older bits » or « historic ruins ».

At the bottom, in the middle, I’m not sure but I guess we can see a father with his son. The man is wearing a blue suit like his son. They look quite shocked. Next to them, we can see a grey-looking bold man. He is wearing a colorful jacket with a white shirt. He is sporting a mustache.

Finally, on the right hand corner I can see a man who has a newspaper in front of him where it’s written « Dark ages » as a reminder the scene does take place in an old city. He has also a bell close to him. 

On his left, there are two people who clearly stand out from the drawing. In fact, they are dressed with two different colours : the man who holds a book has a blue jacket and grey trousers while, I may be wrong but I guess, his wife, wears a yellow top with green short trousers. She has a backpack. The man is asking out people around them « Excuse me, Is there anything new to see around here ? ». The question he asks stands out from the picture because the speech bubble is almost in the middle of the drawing. They look like tourists. The locals are totally flabbergasted and taken-aback by this question and the concerned father even covers the ears of her innocent boy.

Let’s move on to the background. We can see many old houses where it’s written « Antiques », « Time gone by » , « old traditional creams tea » or « good old fashioned English food » who also remind us of the medieval side of the drawing. On the right we can observe a castle, in direction of the sign « medieval town » so I may be wrong but I suppose Its a medieval castle. The houses are typical and traditional half-timbering houses. 

I do believe the stereotype illustrated here is quite obvious. First, except for the two tourists, we can see the locals look rather old fashioned. They must live in the past, maybe in the Middle Ages, because the British are said to be very old money and famous for their History. The background links this very idea to the medieval era. 

Next, the two tourists brilliantly illustrate the typical tourist cliché. Indeed, when they ask to people if there is anything new, they seem so rude and impolite in the face of the English because instead of visiting the town and discover their culture, they don’t respect their custom and look for something that doesn’t celebrate the Brits peculiarity.

To conclude, this cartoon brilliantly illustrates both stereotypes.

Well, we will tell you about a British stereotype drawing by Martin Ford and Peter Legon. It is extracted from « The how to be British » collection. It must be taken with a pinch of salt because stereotypes could be mean. I guess this « cliché » could appear funny for foreigners who might even think it depicts a real scene.

We can see a well-dressed men, who wears a rain coat, so our guess is the scene takes place in London as in London it’s always rainy – or so everyone keeps thinking.

He looks quite arrogant and standoffish, as he is walking an English bulldog who is sporting the same look as his owner. At the right of the dock, there is the Thames, as we are in England. In the background, we can see Westminster Bridge, with a traffic jam : there is a tea lorry. This goes to show all the Brits drink tea. In the morning, at night, every 10 minutes.

Yet again, the double-decker bus on the bridge goes to show the scene takes place in the UK. 

The drawing is a cartoon as there are speech bubbles and two vignettes. I have to say there is something quite weird about this picture because the old man doesn’t want to help the man who he is drowning but in the second cartoon though, he doesn’t seem to hesitate to help the man at all. 

To conclude, this British stereotype has been drown by English people. Indeed it is not a necessarily « bad » stereotype. All stereotypes are summed up in this drawing : being polite, well-dressed, drinking tea, dressing fancy, double decker buses, the weather…

Of course, it can also be seen through a different lens: The Brits aren’t altruistic as you really must recite a poem to be rescued if your house is on fire.

To us it goes to show how the Brits have a sense of humour about themselves.

First, let me tell you about this document. This document is a postal card, Martyn Ford made it in 1993 and entitled it « How to be British collection » It is made of two drawings who represents before and after.

Now, let me describe this postal card.

First, in the background, I can see a bridge across a river, I imagine it’s Westminster Bridge because it’s made out of stones. On this bridge, I can see cars and a lorry full of tea, I can see a double decker yellow bus, a traditional means of transport in England. I can tell you for sure that the river is the Thames given that in England there is obviously only one river, the Thames ! 

Next, in the foreground, I can see a well-dressed man who has a mustache and wears a blazer with a tie and a bowler hat. He is wearing that because in England, everyone is well-dressed ! The man is walking with his dog, an English Bulldog of course ! Legend has it that in England there are only Bulldogs ! This dog looks stubborn, just like his master. They are making this weird face because someone is drowning and only says « HELP » so the man refuses to rescue him and goes away. 

While in the second picture, the man who is drowning says courteously and politely « Excuse me, sir, I’m terribly sorry to bother you, but I wonder if you would mind helping me a moment, as long as it’s no trouble, of course ». Immediately, the well-dressed man with his Bulldog both run to help him. He is using a life belt that is magically near the Thames, this shows how England wants to protect her people.

To conclude, this postal card shows that when people are impolite, nobody cares even if someone is in danger, but when they are extremely polite, English people are ready to listen.

Well, today, I am going to present to you this picture. I am not sure but I guess this picture is a post-card and it looks like a cartoon entitled « How to be British collection » and it was made by Martin FORD and Peter LEGON. This supposedly post-card shows us, I think a little village in England.

Now, moving on to this cartoon. I can see in the background many old typical English houses. I suppose one of them is a very chic and old restaurant because I can see a sign which says : « Good old fashioned English food ». I’m not sure but I assume they serve very fancy food. Close by there is an Antique shop because I can see roman numbers. Nearby this restaurant there is perhaps a tea saloon which name is « ye old traditional cream teas ». It’s maybe time to drink tea. Indeed the English are famous for drinking tea, sometimes at 4pm. Nearby this tea saloon there is an old clothes shop. Behind all these houses, I guess there is medieval castle. I may be wrong but I assume this castle hosted Kings and Queens during the middle ages.

Then, let me introduce the characters. I can see a couple, I think the woman is Asian because she has slanting eyes and dark hair. The man has pale skin. They are both dressed casually. I suppose they are tourists because the man is holding a book which, I imagine, is a touristic guide and he looks lost, given that he asks out « Excuse me, is there anything new to see around there ? ».

The others characters also have pale skin and they are well-dressed. Even the stray dog is well-dressed. The men are wearing suits and the women are wearing very old-looking old-fashioned dresses. The man on the right next to the couple is wearing a traditional guard livery and he has a sign for the news of the day. The characters look flabbergasted because, for them, the couple looks weird. One of the protagonist is even covering the ears of his poor innocent child. They appear to be quite judgmental towards this couple because they look different. Indeed, like I said they aren’t dressed in the same fashion. 

I suppose the authors wanted to show how the English are said to be living in the past and I may be wrong but I think they are scared about the present.