Representation of Disability - The Inbetweeners

Representation of Disability

The Inbetweeners

Why is this clip funny?

This clip can be interpreted as funny because according to Paul Hunt, humour of disability can provide pleasure to others due to the misfortune of disabled people. The context of the clip provides humour because the situation is awkward as the audience would not have expected that the frisbee was to collide with the disabled person until the very last moments, in which were uncontrollable and could not have been prevented.

How is the disabled girl being represented?

The disabled girl in the clip can be viewed as pitiable and also pathetic. Her character is represented as pitiable because in order to protect herself, she is assisted with a guardian, most likely a relative and relies on others to support her and protect her, in this case Donavon and his friends, as it difficult when facing against prejudice towards disabled people.

Are we meant to laugh at the disabled person?

It is not recommended to laugh at disabled people in both the media and society. However, according to Paul Hunt, disability is has been projected as a source of humour since the Ancient Greeks. Laughing directly at disabled people is obviously wrong but people may find the behaviour and response to disabled people because they do not fully understand the misfortune and inability of the disabled person.

Are they the ‘butt’ of the joke?

The disabled girl is not the centre of the joke because she is the victim who happens involved be in an awkward situation. However, her reaction to the frisbee hitting her can be interpreted as over exaggerated which does create a small element of humour.

How do you think disabled people respond to this?

Disabled people who watched this could feel hurt because they could interpret the disabled girl in the clip as themselves and to think that it humour is the resultant to this, they would feel hopeless and hurt inside. Although a small minority of people may laugh at the reaction of Will and not the reaction of the disabled girl. However the large majority would feel angry and respond aggressively.

Are we as a society cultivated to think we should pity the disabled?

I would agree that society is cultivated enough to pity the disabled because society now have an interest in helping the less able by giving them advantages so they can live similarly to physically able people and now-a-days society respects disabled people and treat them as equally as physically able people.