Elegance

 The status and authority of women depended upon their social status. Women of the royal family could have some political influence. A young wife was expected to be obedient and recognize her mother-in-law. The emperor and the royal family were at the top of society. The elite lived in elegant multistoried houses and lived a good life with everything they could want.

The “Battle Royal” provides the reader with many examples of symbolism including the battle itself, the blind folds during the battle, and the electrified coins after the battle. The foremost symbol utilized in the story is the battle royal itself. The battle royal symbolizes the struggle for equality for the black culture.

However there is also evidence that increasing media coverage of the royal family had other significant effects, such as increasing the popularity of the royal family and interest in their lives. This keeps the royal family relevant to our society as a symbol of Britain, so it is quite important. As well as this more coverage of the private lives of the royal family would have allowed people to relate better to them, and therefore support them more.

Ralph Ellison wrote “Invisible Man” which was his story of the black experiences in America and “Battle Royal” was derived from the opening chapter of “Invisible Man”. “Battle Royal” was published as a short story in 1947 and provides the reader with a look at the struggles of black people in a white America. After giving a speech at his graduation, the narrator is invited to give the speech to many of the leading white people of the town only to discover eylwsktd that he was to be part of that battle royal.

All of the blacks were expected to entertain the whites in the Battle Royal. The black were symbolic and was represented as objects used to entertain the whites. Ellison uses many symbols in Battle Royal to demonstrate the lack of black equality. The battle itself is a symbol the narrator’s never ending battle for social equality.

Another prime example of how media influence damaged the image of the royal family was when the Royal Family failed to publically display their grief for the loss of Diana. Previously, this would not have been a problem but such was the extent of the media coverage of the royal family by this time, people were expecting to hear from the Windsors about Diana’s death. When a message of grief did not come, people thought the royal family were uncaring and rather out of touch with the public.

Source 15 supports the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it says the slapstick gameshow ‘It’s a Royal Knockout’, which many members eprtjcos of the royal family took part in ‘seriously dented their dignity: the nation was not amused’, which suggests the people of Britain lost respect for the royal family as a result of media coverage. This is supported in source 16 when it says ‘We hope the Windsors and their advisors are watching the mood on the streets and learning from it’, which implies that the royal family should be careful how they act so they do not lose any further respect from the public. Source 17 also supports the view the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it talks about a ‘time of uncertainty’.

Ralph Ellison’s Battle Royal provides a realistic perspective of a encwpksd Negro man striving to live in a nation dominated by white supremacy. The story speaks of the conflicts between the white and blacks as well as the conflicts that arise within the narrator and himself. Battle Royal resembles a black man’s place in society, the American Dream, and the use of symbolism to convey this thought.

Do you agree with the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy? There is evidence to suggest that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy. However there is also a case to argue that increasing media coverage of the royal family had other significant effects.

Source 16 contradicts the view that the main effect of increasing media coverage of the royal family from the 1970s onwards was to damage the image of the monarchy when it says that the royal family have ‘grasped the lesson of Diana’s popularity’, implying that the royal family’s reputation is not being ruined by media coverage and egwstdks rather that it is increasing their popularity. This is supported in source 17 which says ‘the monarchy was still respected as Britain’s most prestigious institution’ also suggesting that the royal family’s reputation had not been damaged by media coverage, they had just become more popular and maintained their prestigious status in the meantime. From 1981 onwards there was huge media interest in Diana, Princess of Wales.