Film Review of High Hopes (1988) by Mike Leigh

High Hopes (1988) by Mike Leigh is an open-ended narrative film that mostly centers around Cyril, a working class motor-cyclist carrier, his girlfriend Shirley, and their relationship with Cyril’s elderly mother and his social-climbing sister. Rather than plot-driven, the film instead acts as a social commentary to London’s class system culture, which is exhibited through each character; because of this, I felt that the movie was too slow-paced for my liking. Unlike other films, the plot does not carry the film into a satisfactory end, where the protagonist finally overcomes the conflict or has an outstanding revelation. This at first annoyed me, but I realized that because of this, I am able to relate and apply the themes of the film into my life more effortlessly.

My favorite part of the film was the character of Shirley, the kind hearted and humorous counterpart to her more fractious boyfriend and his family. Although living in a less than ideal financial situation, Shirley is unconcerned with material goods and status; she is happy with her life with Cyril and brings her positive attitude to every situation, unafraid to joke around even in tense events. On the contrary, Cyril’s sister Valerie has everything she could possibly want, but is instead is shown as the most insincere and unhappiest character of the film. Even though she is financially stable and has access to all the material goods she desires, she is living with an unloving relationship and is constantly battling to rise above her current social status. While the antics were seemingly over exaggerated and highly annoying, I believe that the actress did a phenomenal job depicting Valerie’s selfishness that leads to her constant letdown and misery in her life.

A Look at Great Expectations and High Hopes

The commonalities and differences become apparent when looking at both Charles Dickens' Great Expectations (1861) and Mike Leigh's High Hopes (1988).  The common theme that both artists tend to show primarily throughout their works is the idea of social class. A staple is both pieces, we see the longing and desire that their characters hold in such high regard. We first see it in Great Expectations with Pip who, for most of his life, wishes for upward social mobility. With a stroke of luck, his dreams come true and he is able to get a taste of the wealthier, upper class lifestyle when an anonymous benefactor gives Pip a large sum of money. He finally learns to become a gentleman and begins to have a taste for the finer things in life. However, it does not last forever and Pip soon finds himself down on his luck when past characters in his life reappear. From my perspective, Pip's story is comparable with the Valerie character in the movie High Hopes. The movie does not provide much background on her upbringing but from her behavior you are able to determine that she too longs for the finer things in life. Her demeanor seems to be that of a social climber. We are shown a glimpse of her intentions when she goes to pick her mother up from the mother's next door neighbors home after she is locked out of her own house. Valerie shows up well dressed, pretending to be someone of higher class status than she truly is. However, similar to Pip's, her dreams are too shot down when she is shut out by the neighbors. The differences begin here with Valerie never truly getting the satisfaction she always wanted. Pip on the other hand found love and closure from his past encounters and was able to move on with his life while Valerie never got the chance to. When comparing Great Expectations and High Hopes, the similarities and differences can be obvious and straightforward but there are a few that you have to keep an eye out for.

Woods on Historical Materialism

Throughout the article, Woods describes what it means to be a Marxist while also providing definitions of Marxism, with words from Marx and Engels. In addition, Woods explains the “cause” of history saying that it is nothing but activity of mankind always striving toward goals; however, the perception of history is inevitably influenced by certain “interests of a class or grouping in society.” In short, history is always biased.

He mentions a section on free will where people are not blind puppets particularly but neither are they free to do what they desire. In this same section, Woods includes that mankind makes their own history with whatever existing foundations that have been built already from the past, as opposed to creating their own conditions and circumstances. Furthermore, it is heavily emphasized that the success of a socio-economic system is determined by people’s ability to develop means of production and its forces. With all of these forces working together, society is able to gradually develop.

On another note, the writer includes a comparison between Marx and evolution theorist, Charles Darwin. Like Darwin’s idea that any form of species is always changing, Marx and Engels pose ideas that a social system is also always changing and will not be fixed. However, the article mentions that the theory of evolution is widely accepted as slow and gradual process; yet, the explosive occurrences of war and revolutions are the motor force for historical development.

Toxicity

There are many aspects in both Charles Dickens’ Great Expectationsand Mike Leigh’s cinematic work High Hopes that perpetuate a constant comparison. Leigh and Dickens focus on contemporary society and use their mode of work to comment on the faults. Dickens explores social mobility with Pip, superficially leading the reader to believe that one can move up within the social strata. However, a more poignant aspect of Pip is how he loses himself and his kindness because of his lust for money and acceptance. Joe, who serves as his foil, remains true to Pip and the friendship they cultivated. Pip, on the other hand, abandons Joe in his pursuit of money and Estella thus introducing the idea of money as a poison to society. Similarly, Leigh plays with this idea in the film. He uses siblings Cyril and Valerie to highlight the toxicity of money. Two people with the same upbringing yet only one ends up a vile human. We see this through the treatment of their mother as well as how they handle their day to day. The details of how they achieve meaning are very different in the film and novel, however, both advise the audience against the over consumption of money.

Similarities and Differences in HH and GE

In both Great Expectations and High Hopes, Dickens and Leigh offer similar critiques of British society through the social classes, expectations, and personalities of their characters. One way that the two works are similar is with their critique of blatant wealth accumulation, and the emptiness that money provides. In Great Expectations, a bildungsroman following the life of a young boy, the main character named Pip aspires wealth and status after being born in poverty. He is simply an idealist and his main goals all center around self improvement to achieve his goals. However, after he is given a large fortune and eventually falls into debt, he realizes that money isn't the root of happiness, and that social class has no bearing on self worth or character. Similarly, in High Hopes, we see this theme of social class through the interactions between their different characters. Cyril and Shirley are two low-income socialists that are in a relationship, primarily surviving on Cyrils low wage as a courier. On the other hand, Cyril's sister (Valarie) lives with her husband in a rich neighborhood surrounded by many luxuries. While Leigh does offer critiques on Cyril and Shirley's lifestyle, intimately, the two are portrayed in a friendlier light than Valarie and Martin, who are portrayed as greedy, selfish, and rude individuals. Through their interactions, Leigh was offering a similar sentiment: that money and social status does not define character. As viewers, we are led to identify with and like Cyril and Shirley much more, as they are depicted as kinder and more willing to help their fellow man. These character traits, in relation to income and social status, serve to illustrate the trappings of wealth, and the immoral behavior money can bring.

On the other hand, there are many key differences between the two works. One main difference is through the overall tone present. Great Expectations is a rollercoaster ride of great heights and low falls, ending with our protagonist's arc completed, and with Estelle back in his life. Overall, the book shows his growth as a person, and ends with a satisfying conclusion to his character. High Hopes offers none of this. There is little character development, and instead of fleshed out characters, the people in the movie serve as caricatures for certain societal tropes: the disdainful old woman, the passionate, lazy, and scornful socialist, and the snobbish yuppie. The movie doesn't seem to want to tell a classic narrative, Leigh's goal was to hold a mirror up to modern society, and have us examine where we fit in in this world. While the title of the movie offers a comparison to Great Expectation, the way these themes are explored are indeed very different. 

Great Expectations vs. High Hopes

Besides the obvious parallels between their titles, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and Mike Leigh’s High Hopes (1988) have a lot in common in their thematic developments. One interesting commonality I’ve seen in both the film and the novel is Great Expectations’ Pip is loosely represented in both Cyril and Valerie's characters.

Analyzing Valerie's character, she represents what Pip could have been if he would have not become happy in living modestly. Not satisfied with her working-class upbringing, she is constantly yearning to live the “perfect” upper-class life. She feeds her obsession by buying material things and comparing her life to that of her mother’s wealthy neighbors’ Rupert and Laetitia.  Even though Valerie has married a man who seems to make a lot of money, she never seems satisfied.

With that being said, Pip’s enlightening moment is portrayed through Cyril. At the end of the novel, Pip comes to realize that money and status is not all there is to life, much like Cyril has. Unlike his sister, Cyril has come to terms with his working-class status and is happy with his current life and relationship with Shirley. Pip comes to the same terms and ends the novel content with a modest way of life. Valerie ends the film still miserable as ever by showing the audience what Pip could have been if superficiality and greed would have overtaken his life.

High Expectations and Great Hopes

     The film High Hopes by Mike Leigh can be interpreted as having drawn inspiration from the novel Great Expectations by Charles Dickens not only in name, but in spirit and narrative as well.
     High Hopes has many themes that Leigh artfully weaves together. The distinction between classes and class interaction being first and foremost, the movie also invites the viewer to ponder the meaning of family, as well as abuse. Leigh's characters are all in very distinct separate roles and classes. Cyril and Shirley, who serve as the moral ground and relatable characters, are clearly depicted as working class, making ends meet but not ascending or climbing the social ladder in any way. Valerie, Cyril's sister, is diametrically opposed to his personality, and to a certain extent his way of life. Valerie and her husband are devoted to climbing the social ranks and in doing so shun certain virtues that those "below them" seem to commit to naturally. Examples of this include making sure that the mother is warm, comfortable, or simply spending time caring for her. Finally, the haughty neighbors are caricatures that are meant to embody the snobbery of the nouveau riche. Each class "has their place" that, once deviated from, the upper classes endeavor to restore. The mother of Cyril is locked out of her house and then, with great effort and disdain from the neighbors and daughter, finally "put back" into her council home. a symbol of poverty and lower class.
     Although the main cast of characters largely hails from one family, the differences in lifestyles tends to spread cracks throughout their foundation. The relationship between brother and sister and mother and daughter is splintered because of different expectations of life. Living free versus living lavishly proving to be the center of conflict. Abuse between classes isn't the only focus here though, as we see Valerie abuse her mother several times. In this way, the abuse is metered out by someone who isn't in control of their life, finances, or love. Because they aren't in control, they seek control over something they know they can overpower, something that they feel couldn't survive without their attention.
     Great Expectations also carries the same themes as class difference, family, and abuse, yet instead of using a handful of different characters to portray the different struggles, the conflict is largely centered in the growth and interactions of one character, Pip, with the world. Pip begins as working class, poor and uneducated yet upon gaining wealth and prestige, tends to shun his family and upbringing. Not only does this highlight the class difference, but it shows how the move between classes can affect someone. Later in the novel, as Pip has his metaphorical fall from grace, he seeks redemption and recompense for his past sins and transgressions. Pip gains an understanding of some virtues that he hadn't thought of as natural before, and in doing so makes peace with who he is and what he feels is right.
    In terms of abuse, High Hopes mirrors Great Expectations and the situation of Mrs. Joe with Valerie. Both feel that they must be in control of something, to give their life meaning as they spiral further down. Mrs. Joe turns to using Joe and Pip as punching bags for her frustration and anger, while Valerie takes her pains out on her mother. Both are seen/heard to say something akin to "You should be grateful for all that I do for you". Mainly both characters serve to highlight the effects of abuse and the toll that can take on a family. Wayne in the beginning of High Hopes also appears to mirror Pip's experience in that Pip was sent away to somehow achieve success or learn something. The difference here being that Wayne was wholly unsuccessful and ended up returning home rather than live a high society life, however brief.
     High Hopes lacks a true ending while Great Expectations has two, as such, Great Expectations can seem more satisfying to the average person, however, both works elegantly combine their themes to produce a thought-provoking commentary on class and relationships.
   

Great Expectations and High Hopes

In both Great Expectations by Dickens and High Hopes by Leigh, the desire of obtaining a great fortune and future from characters with a low socioeconomic status is portrayed. In Great Expectations, the character Pip wishes to escalate to a wealthy social class in order to marry Estella, the daughter of Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham is a wealthy widow who can be compared to the characters in High Hopes, Rupert and Laetitia, as they are a wealthy couple within an emerging social class. Similar to Pip, Valerie is a character in High Hopes who longs to fit in with the wealthy class just like Rupert and Laetitia. 

At the end of Great Expectations, Pip learns to value the relationships he lost during his path to wealth as opposed to only valuing social class advancement. Pip became humble and content with his lifestyle, just as the couple, Cyril and Shirley in High Hopes. Cyril belonged to the same lower social economic class as Valerie since they were siblings, but both characters had completely different values and desires. On the other hand, Valerie remains miserable throughout the film as she constantly continues to attempt to fit in with the upper social class and live in a “perfect” world.

High Hopes review

High Hopes helps one understand two different stereotypes London dealt with in the late 1980s. Mike Leigh introduces two couples Cyril and Shirley who are Marxists. Also you have Valeria, Cyril's sister and her husband Martin who portray as well off. Mrs. Bender contributes very much to the plot of the movie, she is the mother of Cyril and Valeria.
 At the beginning of the movie you have Wayne someone who is seeking a job in London. He runs into Cyril because he is lost and needs help with directions, Cyril with positive intentions welcomes him into his home and helps him out. After Wayne fails looking for a job Cyril received him at his home with open arms. Later Wayne leaves, which is really confusing and you ask yourself "why did Leigh input this scene?"  but later Mrs. Bender forgets her keys to her home and she knocks on her neighbors door who is this young rich couple seeking for help however, Laetitia asks many questions to poor elder lady standing in her door way swerving from having to deal with her. After all, she realizes she must welcome Mrs. Bender in her home. These two situations are similar however each couple treats it differently. The young rich couple rather not deal with poor people.
The main point of this movies is between the Cyril and Valeria's relationships. Cyril and Shirley are a poor couple who are happy with each other and are very humble about it. Than you have Valeria and Martin who seem to be rich and have a great life but we see in a scene that Martin cheats on his wife consistently. From this you can say money does not buy happiness. At the end of the movie you have Valerie crying in her bathtub because she threw this well put together party for her mother and Mrs. Bender did not enjoy it. Leigh wants the audience to know materialism is not happiness. Mrs. Bender enjoyed more the presence of her daughter and son on her birthday.

The Tale of Two Stories

The comparison between the High Hopes and the Great Expectationsstrikes a similar one. The characters Pip in the book and Valerie in the film are from similar backgrounds. Pip and Valerie both come from poverty and want to have a better socioeconomic status. It is evident in Pip’s change in attitude after spending time with wealthy Ms. Havishman and her adopted daughter Estella. Valerie as well is very curious about her mother’s new next-door neighbors, whom happen to be wealthy and creating gentrification in the community that was once a working class neighborhood. Although both characters at a certain point have enough to live comfortably they are not satisfied with life.

It is interesting to see the development of brothers and sisters raised in the same household end up being very different people. Pip’s sister and her husband Joe who is a sweet kind man raised Pip. Joe always looked out for Pip, yet Pip because of his ambitions deteriorates the relationships with Joe. Cyril who is Valerie’s brother is also a kind-hearted man with no ambitions and is content with his dead end job. Laetitiareflects many characters in the book especially Estella who treated the lower class as if they were a subspecies and could not be bothered with their problems. Cyril and his girlfriend Sheryl do not have much to offer in terms of capital or social connections but compassion and love including Joe are the ones who were there for the people who needed help at their lowest points. Watching the dynamic between relationships unfold and develop depicts the human nature in people. Both Mike Leigh and Charles Dickens portray that really well. 

Great Expectations vs. High Hopes

We kick off class with a film which is always a bonus and even better, it is comparable with the assigned reading. Between the novel Great Expectations and the film High Hopes (1988), I find that they possess many similarities in terms of themes in spite of differences in characters and plotlines. For Mike Leigh’s film, he had a very straightforward and realistic portrayal of life. Although High Hopes was not quite my cup of tea, I appreciated his style and was able to understand the significance of social and cultural systems.
The clashes between the different backgrounds of each character whether it be age, gender, social, or economic form a parallel with Charles Dickens’ novel. For Pip from Great Expectations and Valerie from High Hopes, theses characters find themselves in lower class systems and go throughout their respective narrative recognizing the difference between socioeconomic classes. In short, Pip and Valerie have these “great expectations” and “high hopes” with life but unfortunately get let down. For example, Pip constantly desires to return to Satis House and experience a wealthy life gifted by Miss Havisham. But, he is forced to unhappily be an apprentice at the village blacksmith’s forge instead of his dream to be a gentleman. Valerie, portrayed rather dramatic, has high hopes by attempting to blend in with the higher socioeconomic class. Always wanting to dress up and see what the lives of the Boothe-Braines are like, Valerie tries to climb the social ladder. For both works, life does not work out the way one typically wants but everybody simply live amongst each other regardless of socioeconomic class.

Great Expectations and High Hopes

As we look at the titles of both the movie (High Hopes) and book (Great Expectation), we can see both of the main characters struggling to get of out their Socioeconomic class for what they believe to be a better lifestyle. However both movies ask the true question; Does money really buy happiness or is it something you're create for yourself and the people around you? In his childhood Pip, from the great expectation wanted to follow on his father footsteps and be a blacksmith. Once he started to work with his father, he could not take it anymore and had greater aspirations. He was “lucky” enough to come into a property which changed his socioeconomic status and started to prepare to become a gentleman. As he goes through his life he realizes he keeps losing things close and precious to him, like his sister, the girl he loves, and the reality of where his money comes from. As the book come to an end, he realizes that’s there were all these hollow expectations that he did not want to accomplish. He wanted to cherish the relationships and the people around him not money. Thus he runs back home to find rekindle relationship with Biddy but finds out Joe and Bibby are going to be married. Even though he could not find his happiness, he was content with their marriage and happy for them. The same goes with Cyril and Shirley from High hopes, where they are marxists hippies who are very content with their lifestyle and each other. This is compared to Cyril sister, Valerie, who has everything she can ask for and more but a cheating husband and a miserable life. At the end of the movie you can Valerie in the bathtub drinking and crying her sorrows away. In both we can how money does not bring happiness but only despair and sorrows.

My opinion of High Hopes by Mike Leigh

On Tuesday the 29^th of January we watched High Hopes a movie by Mike Leigh. This movie was very interesting because it gave a view into how London has changed and how certain social classes are treated throughout time.

            The movie started off rather slow and I didn’t really understand the point of the first character we met, Wayne. I suppose that his point was just to show that there was very little work for someone without a college degree. But I didn’t understand why they sent him away in the middle with the movie without him somehow overcoming that obstacle. In my opinion, that part seamed like a sub-plot that maybe could’ve been left out or shown in a different way. My favorite character in the movie was Cyril’s girlfriend Shirley she was hilarious and seamed like a very genuine person.  I enjoyed how they were so comfortable being in poverty and that to them they didn’t care that they didn’t have much money. It their eyes it wasn’t about having money or status it was all about being happy and supporting their community. Then in stark contrast to them was Cyril’s sister, Valerie. She lived in a very upscale neighborhood married to a used car salesman and seemingly had everything that she could want. Yet as you find out later in the movie she was very unhappy.

            What has more value money or happiness? This question is what I took to be the main point of this movie. You see two vastly different life style’s between Cyril and Valerie. Valerie having everything she wants but not enough, Cyril having not enough but everything he wants. Without money Cyril and Shirley are happy they love each other and make due with what they have. Their concerns are about helping their community and making the world a better place. Valerie on the other hand, cares about no one but her self (she doesn’t even care about her own mother) and because of this she is in capable of being happy. I believe that the more you love and care for other people that more happiness you bring to yourself. I think that we could all take away from this movie is that if we cared a little less about money and a little more about each other then as a group we can be happier and lift each other up.

Blog Post - Charles Dickens and High Hopes

While the comparisons between Charles Dicken's Great Expectations and the film "High Hopes" are plentiful, this blog post will emphasize the theme of social class and the portrayals of characters in their respective circle.

Looking at Great Expectations' protagonist Pip, we see there is a sense of pride and workmanship based on the working class.  Despite Pip's shortcomings in terms of his means, he is portrayed as a wholesome, hard-working, and genuine.  Genuine is emphasized as it's a theme that is particularly prevalent in "High Hopes" with its stark difference in persona in relation to the characters social class.  In relation to Great Expectations, Pip is considered genuine as opposed to other characters of high social class.  While he desires class mobility, his wants are based off of a genuine yearning to educate himself and to freely express his love for Estella.  This is in contrast to the superficial and overtly insipid ambitions of those considered higher class than himself.  Drummle, a peer of Pip and a member of nobility, utilizes his status to act in a manner that is unjustifiably mean.  His hollow and superficial nature is an exaggerated portrayal of a lack of depth amongst those in a high status of society.

Similarly, the dichotomy of social class in "High Hopes" is almost completely identical.  Focusing on the theme of the genuine, the characters of each respective class are given traits that seem to play in tandem to the theme of Great Expectations.  Cyril, who is the closest character in the film to Pip, is shown in the first scene as a working class, "rough around the edges" type individual.  His kindness is prevalent early on, as him and his girlfriend, Shirley, invite a vagabond into their modest flat.  This genuine and kind spirit is juxtaposed by the overtly obnoxious and aloof mannerisms of Lætitia, a yuppie neighbor of Cyril's mom.  Lætitia can be closely compared to many characters in Great Expectations, but Drummle's unusually cruel disposition is reminiscent of Lætitia's cold and selfish attitude.  Despite being well-off, she is unwilling to be kind and open to her neighbor who suffers from dementia, which is an obvious distinction from Cyril, who doesn't have much yet without hesitation offers accommodation and kindness.

GE and HH

In this blog I’ll be examining the meaning of the title’s of each of these works, and their common theme reached via separate stories.

In the reading Great Expectations we get the title directly from Pip and his great expectations of London and the life of a gentleman.  The story following his rise through the strata of english society by nothing short of a miracle, allows for a rather personal view of the class spectrum from poor working Joe to the jaded Mr Jaggers.  But throughout the story there is always a defense and esteem held to honest work. Joe is content in his place in life, ignorant to the rat race and desperate climb for wealth that most notably the Pocket’s scratch towards.  In many places of the book Pip represents a longing to have never been exposed to the concept of wealth and to have never met Estella, who seemed to be the sole catalyst behind his desire to be a gentleman. In Great expectations, Pip’s expectations are never met, and that is how Dickens’ critiques London society.

In Mike Leigh’s High Hopes the title comes from a more ambiguous source, and alludes to of course, Great Expectations.  In High Hopes there is not so central a character as Pip, but there is a protagonist by loose definition in Cyril. The somewhat friendly burn-out hippy and his wife of the same nature serve as the most respectable people in a movie about unrespectable people.  This does not mean however that this movie makes a defense for their behavior, Cyril is a lazy cynic, who seems to revel in his slummy apartment. His sister, a caricature of the consumer, is constantly on the verge of a breakdown and unhappily wed to her equally unhappy capitalist husband, serving as the foil to the Cyril.  These two couples represent the extremes in that generation of the working class, stemming from the bitter grandmother. On a separate page we have the generation of new money. The true wealth, deserved or not, and the utter disconnect with humanity they suffer from is about the peak of evil in the movie. The title in High Hopes could apply almost to the burn-out of the working class couples.  Cyril, at the grave of Karl Marx, wonders what happened to the welfare state. His sister, similar to Great Expectations, breaks down because she is disappointed and unhappy in her mildly successful life.

Both of these stories draw the  same critique via separate stories

High Hopes and Great Expectations

High Hopes and Great Expectations give insight on the relationships between the high-class and working-class. One similarity between the two works are the relationships between the characters. For example, the relationship between the widow’s children, Cyril and Valerie is very poor. They constantly argue on what’s best for their mother and clash on social issues. They live completely different lives as Cyril lives in a small flat, making it from paycheck to paycheck on his motorcycle messaging job. Valerie, on the other hand, lives in an upscale neighborhood, which isn’t enough. This relationship between these siblings can be compared to the relationship between Pip and his older sister, Joe. Pip is afraid of her and dislikes her abuse.

Pip and Cyril both serve as social outcasts. Pip, living in a unpleasant environment next to prison ships, forms his aggressive attitude towards society. Cyril is also an outcast because he and Shirley are old-style socialists. Throughout the novel, Pip tries to better himself and climb up the ladders of the society. In the beginning, he has nothing but remains positive because he wants to make the most of himself. He’s content with the life he lives. Pip can be compared to Cyril because Cyril is a part of the working-class but he isn’t unhappy with his life. He’s content with his motorcycle and small flat. It’s interesting because you’d think these characters would want more but they are content with what they have. Although Pip had a rough upcoming, he remains an honest personality while constantly trying to better himself. Cyril is constantly overcome high-class lifestyle when visiting his sister but doesn’t seem to want to change his current life.  On the other hand, Valerie and his husband are yuppies from a nice, rich neighborhood. They live a comfortable lifestyle but it’s not enough for Valerie. When Valerie visits the neighbors of Mrs. Bender, she portrays the higher socioeconomic class of the snooty neighbors but the facade is easily seen through. Valerie and her husband are also unhappy with their marriage. Her husband turns to his girlfriend and alcohol for happiness while Valerie also finds alcohol to be very comforting. Alcohol tends to be the therapist for their relationship. The relationship between Valerie and her husband can be compared to Estella and Drummle. Estella said she married Drummle out of spite of her many suitors. It was the only way for her to get control of her life, even though it left her unhappy. The difference between these two works are the time periods. Great Expectations was set in the early nineteenth century and High Hopes was set in the 1980’s. The significance of the time period shows that socioeconomic issues exist in multiple decades.