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Assignment 2: The Angry Young Man

Format: 800-1,000 words analytical essay Film: Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960, dir. Karel Reisz)

Submit by September 13th, 2025 through 📥 this link. No account needed.

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Background Reading

The Cultural Context

In the mid-1950s, British critics identified a new cultural figure: the "Angry Young Man." This term emerged from John Osborne's play Look Back in Anger (1956) and represented a generation frustrated with post-war Britain's social conditions. These works challenged traditional class structures and questioned established values.

The movement found expression in kitchen sink realism — a style of drama and cinema that depicted working-class life honestly, without romanticization. These films showed ordinary domestic spaces and everyday struggles, contrasting sharply with the polite drawing-room comedies that had dominated British theatre.

Research Requirements

Research these topics using at least two credible sources:

  1. "Angry Young Man" origins and connection to British New Wave cinema
  2. 1950s Britain social conditions affecting working-class communities
  3. Kitchen sink realism definition and two other films from this movement
  4. Contemporary reception of these films

Start with: Encyclopedia Britannica "Angry Young Men" entry

Questions

In your essay, address all three questions without answering them separately. Consider the scenes as illustrations for analysis.

  1. What triggers Arthur's rebellious behavior?
  2. How do class, work, and generational conflicts shape his anger?
  3. What 1950s social conditions appear in the narrative?

Key scenes to analyze (discuss at least three as illustrations):

  • Opening factory sequence: Arthur's introduction and work environment
  • Weekend pub scenes: Arthur's escape and behavior toward authority
  • Relationship with Brenda: Class tensions and moral conflicts
  • Fairground confrontation: Arthur faces consequences
  • Final scene: Evidence of character change or continuity

Guidelines

Do not just summarize the plot, provide analytical interpretation. Use specific film scenes with detailed description, and quote dialogue if you can. You should have a clear thesis statement addressing all topics, as well as logical paragraph organization with smooth transitions. At the end, compose a conclusion that synthesizes your analysis. Don't forget to support all claims with evidence from the sources and from analysis of the film.

Submission Requirements

  • 800-1,000 words (excluding bibliography)
  • At least two credible academic sources (no Wikipedia, no YouTube videos, no ChatGPT, no TikTok, etc)
  • Specific references to at least three film scenes