Taylor Swift – We are never ever getting back together

Analysis of representation

The song we are never ever getting back together by Taylor Swift starts and ends with Swift sat on her window sill lip syncing to the camera, the difference is her costume which represents her mood and how circumstances have changed. At the start she is in her pyjamas moping around over a boy which is a stereotypically feminine thing to do, in the background we can also see that her it is feminine with the small touches such as the blue knitted bird in the tree outside or the lamps and cushions in the room. However the predominant colour is blue which is seen to be a masculine colour which could be seen to represent her as being feminine yet with a masculine edge to her.

Swift has her hair tied up and is wearing bright red lipstick, when she puts on her glasses she has a very sophisticated look, this makes her look like she is in power when her partner appears who is wearing casual clothes, this makes him seem as if he hasn’t been ‘moping’ around, neither does he show any emotion throughout.

The mid-shot of the male looking through the window by the door at Swift makes him look powerless in that tiny slim gap compared to the door that Swift has just pushed him through.

In the wide shot of Swift and the man they are both at opposite ends of the table, they are distanced from each other which could tell us a lot about their relationship. The man is wearing headphones and arguably is ignoring Swift, if this is so he could be said to be very rude and not understanding of the situation. Swift is again looking sophisticated in a red and white polka dot top, red lipstick and short skirt giving her a feminine touch. However the man is wearing casual clothes again showing he doesn’t make the same effort as Swift – clothing or otherwise.

It then does to a split screen of Swift on the phone to the man in the club. We can see that the man has another lady all over him and arguably cheating on Swift with this woman. The dark lighting of the club represents him as being a dark character and also dark secrets being hidden

It then switches to Swift and the man being in the make shift car made out of cardboard, the situation would of seemed a lot different if it was in a real car. The make shift car shows the childishness of the situation as children are typically the ones to build a make shift car. As the make shift goes past the people dresses as animals are in the back playing instruments but evidently not properly again emphasizing the fact that they are all young.

It now jumps to Swift and her partner walking on a sunny day under a pink heart shaped banner that says ‘happy days’ letting the audience know that this is now a happy time she remembers, the man gives Swift his scarf which is a typical boyfriend thing to do reinforcing the fact they are together and happy at that precise moment. However soon after pathetic fallacy happens where there is a change in the mood and weather, the weather turns snowy and icy as Swifts mood changes to an ‘icy’ mood as she storms off

Swift storms off onto a bed with a teddy next to her as a symbol of her youth. She is on the phone to someone unknown, this is also something a youth would typically do after a argument with a boyfriend, they would ring their best friend.

It then goes back to her house, as it does every time she splits up with him, where there is a party going on celebrating her freedom and her youth; their youth is also shown as most of the people are dressed in animal costumes, representing the situation at the party as just being fun.

• At the party Swift is in a change of clothes, she is wearing a girly dress with bright red lipstick looking happy with her friends partying. There is then a knock at the door which Swift answers, however she looks at the male then the camera then shuts the door without saying a word to the man, this shows she is in ultimate control as she has finally decided she is ‘never ever getting back together’ with him.

She then walks back through the now empty house back to the window sill and sits just like she did before but this time in a dress and looking a lot happier.

Overall this video represents women as being strong and able to be independent and make decisions for themselves, the man is shown to be a stereotypical unemotional, unable to understand male that a lot of Swifts following of mainly teenage girls will be able to relate to this as a lot will have gone through the heartbreak of their first love. Also noted is that there is never any close ups of the man however there is a lot of close ups of Swift making us as the audience feel closer to her so we can sympathize with her as a character.

To conclude…