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AO3: Understanding Context

Unlike historical plays, DNA's context is rooted in modern sociology and psychology. To hit the top bands, you must explain how Dennis Kelly was influenced by the 2007 media panic surrounding youth crime, the psychological concept of the "Bystander Effect," and classic literature about primal human nature.

2007 Society Bystander Effect Absent Adults Lord of the Flies

Click the nodes to explore the contextual influences.

"Broken Britain" & ASBOs

When DNA premiered in 2007, the UK media was obsessed with youth crime, "hoodie culture," and ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders). Teenagers were frequently demonized in the press as feral, out-of-control, and entirely disconnected from traditional morality.

🎭 Examiner Tip: Discuss how Kelly subverts this stereotype. The gang isn't a group of mindless thugs; they are articulate, middle-class students (like John Tate) who commit a horrific act out of panic, not malice.