Analysis of Soaps: Coronation Street

Similarly to EastEnders, Coronation is to an award winning Soap, set in the heart of Manchester, within the fictional location of Whetherfield within the factual area of Salford. The Soap was first broadcasted on December 9th 1960, following production at the hands of creator Tony Warren. It is currently the longest running Soap Opera in British history, due to a number of factors though of course.
In a style similar to that of EastEnders, Coronation Street is set in an urban area, namely the fictional area of Weatherfield. The area is self is thought to be located within the general location of Manchester, due to a number of references and smaller hints such as the postcode being related to Manchester City. When creating our Soap, we will try to implement these smaller hints into it if and where it is applicable. Of course, it would be inapropriate to involve these features when it isn't neccesary, as it will come accross as being clichéd and for that matter, random.

As previously mentioned, Coronation Street is set in the fictional location of Weatherfield and its surrounding areas, which to an extent plays homage to the local area, as well as attracting the audience by providing a location that they can relate to. For instance, in terms of location, Weatherfield has the typical Codes and Conventions of a Soap, in that it is centralised around a set number of characters, whom each have their own unique life and for that matter, affluences. The general ethos behind Coronation Street of course is the fact that it is effectively a working class Soap, that comes with it's own working class characters and for that matter, it's own working class jobs. The Rovers Return Inn is the centralised area in which that the Soap takes place around, a typical Code and Convention os Soap dramas. To an extent the Rovers Return effectively acts as a Sphere of Influence in that it is a centralised location that the characters focus around and to an extent, what they adapt their lives to. For example, it's very common within the Soap for their to be characters visting the pub throughout the day, and meeting fellow characters. For instance, accross the road from the pub is a number of workplaces that use the Rovers Return as their primary location in which they meet others, and discuss and enhance story lines. The locations around the pub are:

- Underworld - A factory in which a number of characters work producing clothing.
- The local Café - Owned by Roy and Hayley, to of the most notable characters within the Soap.
- The shop - Owned by Norris and Rita - Two of the Soaps oldest members.

These locations often play home as work to new characters. For instance, a newer character known as Becky was hired by Roy to work at the local Café when she came to the area looking for work, once again higlighting the fact that this is a working class Soap, whereas in Emmerdale, it is more common for soap characters to move to the Yorkshire dale as a holiday location that to seek a job.