Chloe Ward, Reepham High School and College (18333), 3219

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Teddy Boys News Coverage

This article from Brighton's Evening Argus - 1954 has a lot of interesting things to say about the Teddy Boys. The authoress, Mrs Ruby Starr, calls the Teddy Boys 'silly little self advertising nincompoops', showing how disdainful she feels at their presence in her town. She clearly feels that their actions (the way they are dressing and their social activities) are being put on for attention from the press. She calls them 'nincompoops', attacking their intellectual ability and therefore suggesting that it is people who are not clever who join these subcultures.
She also refers to them as 'nauseating', claiming that they make people feel physically ill when they encounter the Teddy Boys. This is followed up by them being referred to as 'specimens',  which brings to mind thoughts of a lab experiment. This takes away their humanity as they are being referred to as something kept in a jar in a lab, such as a frog or blood slide. It suggests that, like a lab experiment, the Teddy Boys ought to be looked at and closely examined from afar, in the interests of safety.
She believes that local authorities ought to 'remove' them, as though the subculture is a piece of graffiti or something else unpleasant that has been left on the streets. It is a very clinical term and shows just how detached and uncaring Mrs Starr feels towards the Teddy Boys.

Another article, from the Sunday Chronicle two weeks before is titled "Gangs Menace Report". This opens with the words '"Edwardian" spivs'. The word 'spiv' looks and seems to be similar to the more modern word 'chav', and is certainly being used as a derogatory term or slur.
The article claims that Brighton and Hove has been 'terrorised' by the Teddy Boys. This suggests that they are something that causes absolute terror, not just fear amongst the general population. They are portrayed as being worse than monsters almost, which is a big label to have placed on a person.
The article then mentions the police having to 'cope' with the threatened 'invasion' of the Teddy Boys. It seems to be inferring that the Teddy Boys coming to Brighton and Hove carries a big threat with emotional implications, and the use of the word 'invasion' shows that the subculture is going somewhere they aren't supposed to be going and that they are some kind of alien to the area - again, something scary and not something about which people have much knowledge (potentially why they feel so threatened and terrorised in the first place.)
The article talks about 'savage battles', suggesting that they are wild and uncontrollable. The word 'savage' suggests that they weren't raised properly and have a wild side, causing them to be violent and brutal in their actions.
The clothing worn by the Teddy Boys is referred to as a 'thugs uniform', bringing to mind thoughts of premediated and organised crime, akin to how the mafia is seen to wear sharp suits. It reinforces the idea of being a Teddy Boy as having an identity and a role. They are seen as being more of a serious subculture if they have a dress code.
The article claims that local business people 'dread their arrival', suggesting that the Teddy Boy's visit often and cause trouble every single time.

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