The document is linked here. 

Cinematographic structure:

All the camera shots are taken head-on, at eye level. This suggests that this matter is serious, which requires a real connection with those speaking (in the video). Eye contact is maintained in a conversation mainly when we want to engage or get a message across – this video’s camera angle enforces that. 

Wearing their uniforms/workplace attire, such as doctors, delivery drivers, teachers to suggest how these “immigrants” are involved in everyday life, almost all the time, and we depend on them as these roles are deemed “essential.” 

This woman is seen to be wearing a hijab, suggesting that she may be muslim. We know that many Muslims face discrimination due to prejudices against them. However, the choice for her to wear the stethescope with her hijab may completely change people’s mindsets, because they now see her as a doctor. It may suggest that when they put on their uniform, they are treated well, but on a day-to-day basis, they suffer discrimination. 

Furthermore, the stereotype of men having to be doctors and the “white” ethnicity to be seen to be superior is also addressed by the doctor being a colored, female individual. The doctor also has a cleft palate surgery “scar” , which may have caused her to face bullying in her past and implies that she has gone through more than racial discrimination. The word “toil” creates the image of someone struggling or squirming, linking to how this situation is painful for the health care workers. 

This video is seen to be taken at a hospital. The equipment seen in the background such as the sink, air ventilator, and stethoscope are all essential to fight off this pandemic. This may bring out the idea that fighting this pandemic is within the hands of doctors and nurses, hence they will be seen as superior despite their ethnicity during this pandemic everyone plays a part and is bringing people together.

Gone Viral:

• Fear of others
  • Point: Poet emphasises through the “twin-structure”, the different approaches to this epidemic, and the tendency everyone has to look for someone to blame. This translates in xenophobia.
    Evidence: “How can we avoid/foreign/disease-ridden/walking pathogens..”
    Analysis: The use of “we” and “foreign” creates a stark contrast by highlighting that there is a divide amongst society. “Foreign” suggests that it is someone coming from abroad, or not from your country who is a “walking pathogens”. Furthermore, “walking pathogen” implies that they themselves are viewed as the disease – not because they carry the virus – but because they are foreign…
  • Point: Poet then suggests that this fear of others moves from being scared of one group of people, to being suspicious and fearful of anyone in society.
    Evidence: “Anyone coughing or sneezing/ be on your guard.”
    Analysis: The use of “anyone” suggests that it is not being wary of any person surrounding you, regardless of who they are. Anything as regular as coughing and sneezing (things even a normal baby does!) now prods us to “be on your guard.” Furthermore, “be on your guard” creates the image of protecting yourself from something dangerous or harmful. The poet implies that “anyone coughing or sneezing” is enough of a reason to be fearful of them, and to protect yourself from THEM (not the virus).
• Masking real thoughts and feelings
  • Point: The poet uses the mask as a metaphor to symbolise how people are covering their true intentions and true beliefs – which is the fear of other people.
    Evidence: “Xenophobes” are seen to “mask their true intentions.” Analysis: Throughout the poem, “mask” is used as the literal masks which are worn during the pandemic. However, “mask their true intentions”, suggests that this mask is also covering people’s true intentions – which is to blame someone else for this virus, and to be spiteful towards one another.
• Fear of fear itself
  • Point: The poet points out that the pandemic, which causes the eventual fear of each other, is as dangerous to our society as the virus is to our body.
    Evidence: “All this paranoia is as lethal as any other pandemic”
    Analysis: “Lethal” has a strong connotation of something deadly and dangerous. The poet is nudging the audience to evaluate their fear, and examine whether it is more lethal than the pandemic itself.
  • Point: When read horizontally, the poet chides the reader to realise that humanity’s reaction is less than ideal, as we are turning against one another, fueled by fear itself, and not fear of the virus.
    Evidence: “this disease of our own ignorance”
    Analysis: The poet draws a comparison between the real disease of COVID-19, and the disease caused by our lack of empathy and awareness. The word “disease”, highlights to the reader than although we may not be infected with COVID-19, our mindsets are infected.