Record `97 vs Capitalism
It seems like Record ’97 has 8 characters. But it is obvious that the record shop “Vinyl Countdown” is another character/ post-character. We all witness things through the Vinyl Countdown. The record shop knows each characters stories and things take place in there. The record shop is the protagonist of the Record ’97. The record shop wants to survive against to the construction. Just like the characters the record shop doesn’t belong to capitalist world. It is something old for its time. The record shop and all the records don’t exist in technological world.
“DAISY. This place is old news. People have compact disks now. Sherice gave all her vinyl’s to me the other day because she has a cd player now. She didn’t even sell them to me, she just put them on the shelf. Well, the floor anyway. To be honest, what’s the difference?”
(Jack Briggs, 2017)
Record ’97 not only has a protagonist but also has an antagonist called “the construction”. As another post-character the construction wants to destroy the record shop to build a new shopping complex. This little isolated world now in danger, step by step construction gets closer. Characters don’t have much to do for this progress. They need to find a solution if they don’t want to leave.
On the other side Sherice and Sabastian are the only characters who have job in the capitalist world. Sherice works in Burger King. This can be seen as one of the worst job in the capitalism. Even though she works in Burger King she has nowhere else to go apart from the record shop. She doesn’t have money or a brilliant future.
“SHERICE. We did. Got a new job innit.
TIFF. Oh. Are you leaving BK?
SHERICE. Too much competition with McDonalds, innit. Gonna work at Woolworths. Gonna be manager in ten years.”
(Jack Briggs, 2017)
After too many job applications Sebastian starts working with his father’s company. When he starts working with his father to help the construction he turns in to “the evil business man”. He has no place in the record shop. No one even talk to him. Now he can exist in the capitalist society but not in the record shop. He has to choose the real society or the outsiders.
“SEBASTIAN. You don’t understand! This will benefit the entire city! It’s not about you!
DAISY. You’re unbelievable. You’ve helped to destroy my business. After everything I’ve done for you, you do this to me! How could you do this?
SEBASTIAN. It’s my family’s company though! If we work with them, we can survive!”
(Jack Briggs, 2017)
Work Cited
Briggs, J. (2017) Record ’97. Lincoln :