Scott Monk Raw Analysis

“Raw”, composed by Scott Monk, Brett a young offender is sent to a detention centre to reform and attain a second chance in life. However, through the use of Brett’s derogatory colloquialism, such as ‘pigs’ in reference to the police, it’s made clear that Brett is resistant to the law. As a result Brett is sent to The Farm, a facility that aims to turn young offender’s lives around, by reforming them. The Farm works on the principals of care, trust and responsibility. There are no fences or guards, just the boys and parent figures Sam and Mary. There are no cells, rather bedrooms. As well as offering rehabilitation, The Farm also supplies educational facilities, as it aims to give young offenders a second chance in life, and excursions to reward
the boys for their good behaviour, a justification of the trust placed on the boys.

The use of contrast between characters effectively portrays the ideas of protest, compliance and reform. In contrast to Brett who constantly protests against the rules through smoking, stealing from other inmates, running away and showing an arrogant attitude towards The Farm, Josh chooses to comply.
‘Sam doesn’t order me to do anything. He is my friend. I live on the farm, I do what he says’.

The use of dialogue shows Josh’s feelings towards The Farm, it’s a home to him, as it offers the structure and security that he couldn’t obtain outside The Farm, conveying institutions benefit those who wish to reform so they comply whilst others protest.
However the effect of the institutions goes beyond the individual. The institution forces society to stereotype those who reside in them, depriving individuality and is supported through Mr Douglas in Raw, ‘it may have a fancy name, but it is still a jail for criminals,’ and Toby, in Girl Interrupted, ‘them’, ‘they’re eating grapes off the wallpaper’.

The structure of The Farm is based around care and responsibility. Brett conforms to these ideas to avoid being sent back to Sydney. However, Sam, Frog and Josh all find something to like about Brett and save him numerous times from being sent back to Sydney, for example when he ran away from The Farm. Brett tries to return the favour by dropping his attitude and in turn grows, learning to accept responsibility and show compassion for others. Brett’s change in character is most evident when he attempts to avoid fighting Smiling Joe ‘I don’t want to get into a fight. Just let me take the
kid’.

Brett grows here, as he tries to avoid fighting Smiling Joe at all costs to avoid putting Frogs safety at risk. Brett only uses violence as a last option, compared to the beginning of the text where violence was the only course of action to solve problems that arose. Brett resorts back to protest after a fall out with Caitlyn, a girl he falls in love with, which results in Brett being sent back Sydney. This enforces what Sam repeatedly says to Brett throughout the text,
‘only you can change your life’
This shows that the institution is only limited by the individual’s compliance and willingness to reform. Brett’s change in attitude is signified through the symbolism of the storm. The storm depicts the washing away of Brett’s past and the beginning of a fresh future. The sun resembles a bright future showing how the institution gives Brett a second chance in life and his change in attitude towards life.
Susana Kaysen, in Girl Interrupted, directed by James Mangold, sleeps with a married doctor, which she regrets and resorts to consuming a bottle of aspirin and vodka. As a result Susana’s parents believe she needs ‘rest’ and force her to admit herself to Claymoore, an upscale psychiatric institution that allows rest and rehabilitation. Claymore operates around a rewards system. The more a patients complies and rehabilitates, the more privileges that patient receives, such as ground privileges.

Susana’s instability and disorientation of her condition is revealed through the use of constant jump cuts, jumping from past to present, as well as the use of an unstable camera, close-ups and the high angle shot of Susana in the hospital bed in the opening scenes of the movie.

Susana, similarly to Brett, protests at first. For example when the girls escape into the basement to play bowling, sneak into the doctor’s office to read out reasons for their confinement and Susana escaping from Claymore with Lisa, showing Susana’s protest and her denial of her condition.

After seeing Daisy dead in her own home, Susana returns to the institution. The use of the road in the mid-shot symbolises Susana’s journey from denial to realisation, which ends her protest. On return to Claymore, Susana complies with the rules and receives the emotional and psychiatric support that she knew she needed, like Brett in ‘Raw’. After much improvement Susana is released, showing that the institution is only limited by the individual’s compliance and willingness to reform.

In contrast to ‘Raw’ and ‘Girl Interrupted’ the song “Prisoner of Society” sung by The Living End refers to a younger generation crying out for freedom. The opening line of the song portrays that the younger generation doesn’t wish to abide by the rules and regulations society has set.
Well we don’t need no one to tell us what to do

The first person view allows sympathy to be directed to the younger generation.
This and the use of incorrect grammer, so common to rebellious teenagers, helps portray the message of the song, which is that today’s youth are prisoners of the older generations society, which alienate the younger generation and instead of looking for support and comfort, they thrive to rebel against these rules and law enforcement bodies, with the institution of society having no effect on the younger generation as they don’t comply and don’t want to reform. This creates the younger generations culture, arguing they are their own society.
Well we don't need no one

The repetition of this phrase shows a generalisation that the younger generation holds towards authority, indicating a preconception towards authoritative figures. The final lines of the song links back to the title and meaning of the song.
You'll see I'm not the enemy
Just a prisoner of society

These lines convey to that the younger generation feels confined and trapped by society. Society has an expectation the younger generation will either follow the laws that are set down or protest against these laws. If protest is chosen, society will punish the
rebels.

As you can see, this text has many parallels to Brett in Scott Monks, “Raw”. Brett also wishes to be free to do as he pleases, however, Sam has set rules, which must be followed. The derogatory colloquialism such as ‘old goat’ in reference to Sam shows the same generation gap the song talks about.

This reinforces the argument made about Raw and Girl Interrupted that the institutions affect on the individual is limited by the individual’s compliance and willingness to conform.