Representation of gender in 'Our Friends'

How does Mary change? How does this represent the wider context?

Mary seems more independent and mature since the last clip. She is currently studying for exams, which she will hopefully get a job from in a few years time. She is still scared of Tosca though, when he walks into the room she acts shifty and her body language seems scared of his presence. This represents the time where women are becoming more independent and are starting to become more equal with men.

What signs are there that Tosca and Mary hold different ideologies?

The way that Tosca is presented to the audience to be smartly dressed, arrogant and hard working . Tosca is wearing a suit to work and looks comfortable, while in the last clip he only wore a suit to a posh resturant and looked uncomfortable, it shows that he has moved up in the world and making money. While Mary is presented to be stuck at home (she is her dressing gown, we are not sure what the time of day is) studying for exams which will help her to get a job, while someone else is looking after their children and doing the housework, what Tosca believes she should be doing. This shows that Mary is becoming a independent woman.

Who is struggling with the shift in hegemony?

Both characters are struggling as they seem to have two different values to each other and it causes tension between them. Mary believes in women being more rights, making them more equal with men, while Tosca believes that they should stay at home looking after the children and doing the housework. This means that Tosca is having more trouble with the shift in hegemony as he doesn't like the new system in the country and is not accepting it like Mary is.