- What are the defining characteristics of the Mods?
Mod is short for modernist and they were often characterised for using bold and bright fashion. They aimed at being "cool, neat, sharp, hip, and smart" by embracing "all things sexy and streamlined", especially when they were new, exciting, controversial or modern. They were a new generation of rebellious teens and their subculture was associated with clubbing, music, dancing, drinking, drugs and, one of the most important ones, their scooters. For young mods, Italian scooters were the embodiment of continental style and a way to escape the working-class row houses of their upbringing.
- What attitude did they have towards authority figures - explain with examples towards upper class, parents and police.
1. Jimmy tells his boss to 'Shove his job'. This suggested they had little respect for their elders and cared more about their lifestyle and social status than actually having a job. This lead to the development of gangs.
2. In Brighton, the Mods destroy cafes and terrorise the town. Also they end up beating up police officers. This portrays the idea that the mods see life as world vs them and as a result any news is good news, because if the media are going to portray them as bad, they might as well show them how bad they really can be and that they don't care about the ramification their actions will have on others.
3. When Jimmy is watching his favourite band his dad tells him to 'Switch off that rubbish'. This represents the 1960's well as this was one of the first eras where parents and their children (now teens) had extremely contrasting and conflicting views. This particular quote shows how the adults and parents of the time, felt the media and the role models in the public eye were having a negative influence on there children, and as a result they didn't want them watching it.
4. When Jimmy is being sick in the toilets at work, two men are discussing business matters and ignore him. This shows how due to the actions that were being shown in the news, when elders saw teens suffering from what they assume to be repercussions of their stereotype (e.g. drug taking), they persist not to care as they did not want to get involved. Along with this, in the 1960's there was still a great social divide, (upper and lower class) meaning that those in a higher status (business men) do not care or want to know those in a lower status (Jimmy) and do not see them as equal to themselves. This further explains this example and the part when Jimmy is on the train and two older, higher class men look down upon him.
5. When Jimmy and the Mods are walking through Brighton chanting "We are the Mods" and then attack the Rockers in the cafe, they frightened multiple people and locals in the town and caused people to flee the situation. This showed how at the time they were feared and as a result the Mods decided to play on this fear in order to gain attention. Many found them intimidating and would avoid them at all costs.
4. When Jimmy is being sick in the toilets at work, two men are discussing business matters and ignore him. This shows how due to the actions that were being shown in the news, when elders saw teens suffering from what they assume to be repercussions of their stereotype (e.g. drug taking), they persist not to care as they did not want to get involved. Along with this, in the 1960's there was still a great social divide, (upper and lower class) meaning that those in a higher status (business men) do not care or want to know those in a lower status (Jimmy) and do not see them as equal to themselves. This further explains this example and the part when Jimmy is on the train and two older, higher class men look down upon him.
5. When Jimmy and the Mods are walking through Brighton chanting "We are the Mods" and then attack the Rockers in the cafe, they frightened multiple people and locals in the town and caused people to flee the situation. This showed how at the time they were feared and as a result the Mods decided to play on this fear in order to gain attention. Many found them intimidating and would avoid them at all costs.
- Quadrophenia deals with collective identity and personal identity. How does the film illustrate the collective identity of Mod culture? Find specific examples from the film that illustrate your point. Jimmy personal identity. How does Jimmy change during the film? What do you think that this change symbolises?
The film illustrates the collective identity of mod culture
as that of drug taking, care free young adults (troublesome to parents and
other adults), who steal drugs, go to parties and hang out in various cafes.
This is shown in the film with the scene where Jimmy and his friends who decide
to break into a Chemist to steal drugs for the weekend of partying in Brighton whilst
laughing, hardly seeing the negative in what they are doing. Also in the scene
where Jimmy and his friends are shouting “We are the Mods!” whilst walking near
Brighton beach, it shows how they became loud and aggressive and enjoy the fear
shown by others and don’t care what is thought about them.
The first change in Jimmy that occurs in the film is when
Kevin (a rocker) decides to help Jimmy with his bike. At first, Jimmy continues
to and justifies his reasons for hating rockers, but then sees beyond the
superficiality and segregation of it all and sees them as people too. Another
change is when Jimmy and his friends are riding after some rockers who beat up
his friend. When they catch one of the rockers and start to beat him up, Jimmy
sees that its Kevin and tries to stop his friends, but ends up riding away.
Both of these scenes symbolise Jimmy’s changing attitude towards rockers and
seeing them more as equals.
Also when Jimmy returns home from being arrested and finds
that he's been kicked out of the house by his mother who has found out about his
drugs and that he has just quit his job. As a result, Jimmy then rides away but
his bike is hit by a postal truck and Jimmy realises that he is losing
everything around him. Jimmy recognises that he has gone from having this
exciting life, to nothing, so he rips down the posters on his wall that
represent his mod lifestyle and he decides to leave for Brighton. This
symbolises Jimmy’s anger at losing everything and his need for what he had in
Brighton.
Then when he gets there he spots Ace's scooter and he walks
over to the Hotel to find him, only to discover that Ace is the Bell Boy.
Screaming at him, he steals Ace’s scooter and throws it off of a cliff. This
change symbolises Jimmy changing attitude towards the mod culture and his
lifestyle and how he is growing up.
I believe that this development of Jimmy shows how not
everyone in the mods and rockers gangs are as violent and aggressive as they
were perceived to be and many just went along with it for the need to feel
accepted in society, as it is better to be part of a group and complete these
bad things than to not be. However, as they get older they realise that it is
not as good as it is all made out to be and like Jimmy, decide it is best just
to move on and get their lives back to normal.
- Could you make a modern-day version of Quadrophenia? Is there such a definable youth culture as the mods today?
I do believe that you could, because as long as there are still negative representations of a definable youth culture in the media which there are with 'Hoodie Horror', they will be able to as a modern version of the film would be able to play on the fear that people have of the chav stereotype and could use the London Riots as the equivalent of the Brighton March.
