The Squid and the Whale
A Critical Analysis
Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, this film is set in Brooklyn, New York City, 1986. Some critics claim that it is almost autobiographical of Baumbach’s life and the painful and confusing experience he went through when his own parents were in the process of divorce. The most obvious central theme of the movie is divorce and the crisis it causes within the family as each member is attempting to rearrange themselves, both inside their heads and in the outside world. Looking deeper, the film can also be seen as a coming-of-age story of two young boys, one on the verge of his teen years and the other on the verge of young adulthood. What makes this film special is just how painfully real it is,
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The beard adds to his “English professor” air and the audience tends to look at him as the bad guy who gave his wife enough reason to leave him. However, at several points in the film, one can see how hurt and lost he is. One such instance is the scene in which he takes Walt and Sophie, his girlfriend out to dinner. When Sophie reaches for her wallet, expecting Bernard to stop her and foot the bill, Bernard takes the money from her. At this point, Walt begins to become disillusioned when he realizes how stingy and uninterested in his relationships his father is. At the same time, the audience feels a surge of pity for Bernard, who is suffering financially due to his dwindling writing career, as he has to swallow his ego and take the money from the child. In another scene, in front of the children, Joan accuses Bernard of asking for joint custody of the children only in the hope of reducing his childcare bills- another blow to his …show more content…
He remembers looking at the squid and the whale exhibit in the Museum, and his mother explaining it to him. This allows Walt to go back to a time and place of security with his mother, before everything went out of control. When he revisits the exhibit, it appears as if he is seeing something that he couldn’t see before. Maybe he sees these two giant creatures as his parents, constantly at war. Maybe he realizes that picking a side is not a solution as there is no end to the battles he and his family will have to face. Maybe he finds some peace in the acknowledgement of what has happened and in the acceptance that things will never be the same. Or maybe, Walt realizes that he may be old enough and independent enough to confront his parents and see the wrong that they are doing, but at the same time, he also realizes how desperately he needs them and how closely his happiness and sadness is entangled with
Walter has changed his whole family. He has started so much conflict with all his family. His family at this rate will be better off without him. “You ain’t looked at it yet and you don’t aim to speak on that again? You ain’t looked at it and you have decided-well, you tell that to my boy tonight when you put him to sleep on the living room couch.” This just shows how much he wants to have HER money for himself because he is selfish and a shallow person. He is the reason why the family is tearing apart. Also, Walters actions show how edgy and inpatient he is. (Violently flinging the coat after her) He starts to get very violent, he flings things, slams doors, yells at mama, and starts to get verbally abusive towards her. He doesn’t know how to let things go and how to think in another person’s perspective. He only wants to do what he wants, he doesn’t care what the other family members want he just knows what he wants to get and forces the decision upon them all.
This only further infuriates Walter. Not only does his mother make a complete power-grab by buying the house; she bought it in a cracker neighborhood! Walter storms out and is almost ready to kill someone over it. He feels he has lost his only shot at power. Walter comes back home screaming at his whole family, they don’t support him, especially his mother. He accuses her of not supporting his dream.
Money determines how happy he is. Mama is getting tired of his complaining so she decided to trust him with the large sum of money. This money makes him happy and friendly. It causes him to become the perfect family man. When he receives the insurance money he is ecstatic, but when he loses the money to Willy Harris he lets his self-loathing side come out. Walter knows that he screwed up and he really does not know how he will face the consequences.
When Ruth, Beneatha, and Mama see Walter acting like this, they are shocked and are disappointed in how he is acting. Walter tries to cope with the current situation he is in, and he realizes that his family is by his side and that is what matters to him in that moment.
Do you like gum? Particularly Trident gum? You do? Me too! My favorite flavor is spearmint, what’s yours? But have you ever tied the name of the chewing gum in with Greek mythology? Hmmmm… I’m guessing not. Think of the logo and name ,and maybe you’ll get a hint from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. Poseidon, under the sea, trident…. yes?
Walter seems to be overcome with a search for power and a drive to become wealthy and leave the life of being a worker behind him. It also shows that he cares for his family seeing how he is striving to give them the best, but that aspect is overshadowed by his greed. I feel the scene also shows the Younger family at its lowest point in the movie. Walter is on the complete edge and is thinking of stealing a community's money and the rest of the family, besides Momma, seemed to lose their faith and trust in him. When things seemed hopeless with the loss of the money, they only became worse as a loss in more than money occurred. A loss in their character, faith, history, and respect for each other overcame the family, particularly Walter and Beneatha. Nevertheless, Momma soon sets Beneatha straight with an emotional and positive speech about how there is "always something left to love" and sets the standard that the family should adhere to. It marks the turning point at the end of the movie
As the events unfold the money is lost, without the money Walter thinks his dreams are gone. Mama on the other hand feels that with the money gone, it will not change things, she thinks they can make due. Throughout, all of this both Mama and Walter seem to have forgotten about Ruth and the baby on the way. The fact appears to be that neither of them have considered what is really necessary for the family to grow and have the environment it needs to be healthy. Once they both are able look at the bigger picture they realize sometimes they have to give up their dreams and things they want for the good and growth of the younger
Walter's frustration festers and his anger turns inward towards his family who, in Walters eyes, do not understand him. Walter's family members do understand him and they also want to amass material dreams, but Walter's family members know that it is going to take work to get there.
The film I’ve chosen to analyze is the film Finding Nemo, an animated comedy-drama adventure film, directed by Andrew Shanton and Lee Unkrich. Major actors include; Alexander Gould as Nemo, Ellen DeGeneres as Dory and Albert Brooks as Marlin. The film was officially released in May 30th, 2003. This blockbuster film was nominated Best Animated Feature, also winning more than forty different awards. Nemo, an adventurous young clownfish, is unexpectedly taken from his Great Barrier Reef home to a dentist’s office fish tank. It is now up to the worrisome father, Marlin and his new friend Dory, to set off across the ocean to find Nemo. As his epic journey to find his son continues, Marlin and Dory are faced with challenging situations, which put their fears to the test; allowing them to not only create a new great friendship, but also learn valuable lessons. One of the highlighted lessons in
Another scene in which the character of Walt deals with the prejudices of ageist yet
The beard adds to his “English professor” air and the audience tends to look at him as the bad guy who gave his wife enough reason to leave him. However, at several points in the film, one can see how hurt and lost he is. One such instance is the scene in which he takes Walt and Sophie, his girlfriend out to dinner. When Sophie reaches for her wallet, expecting Bernard to stop her and foot the bill, Bernard takes the money from her. At this point, Walt begins to become disillusioned when he realizes how stingy and uninterested in his relationships his father is. At the same time, the audience feels a surge of pity for Bernard, who is suffering financially due to his dwindling writing career, as he has to swallow his ego and take the money from the child. In another scene, in front of the children, Joan accuses Bernard of asking for joint custody of the children only in the hope of reducing his childcare bills- another blow to his
Many believe that Ariel is a bad role model for children, especially young girls who look up to Disney Princesses. Many of these people believe that she changed her body for a man, and that no young girl should be taught to do the same. Many people think that the little mermaid is one of the least feminist princesses created by the Disney company, but unfortunately, these views are incorrect, and have weak supporting evidence. Ariel was anything but an anti-feminist, and actually was an advocate for women’s and mer-people’s rights. The little mermaid is the youngest (only sixteen at the time) in her family. While she may be little, but she made a big impact in her world, and is still making an impact on the world around us today.
Beginning in 1848, feminism has been the result of various women bringing to light the inequalities suffered by women. These women, such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Coffin, met at the Seneca Falls convention in New York. The movement spread throughout the states as more women fought for higher education, entrance into male-specific professions, rights to property, and the right to vote. The National Organization for Women was formed in 1966 and, along with other feminist groups, pressed for changes, including abortion rights, federally supported day cares for the children of working moms, equal pay, and even economic power to women. Some feminists do not agree on all of the ideas
On some level he knows he can't control others, and that learning fills his edginess. In "The Fly," Breaking Bad's most clearly ruminative scene, Walt miracles provided that he can uncover a way out of the profound mess he's in. “I truly believe there exists some combination of words,” he tells Jesse. “There must exist certain words in a certain specific order that would explain all of this. I just can’t ever seem to find them.” Walt imagines that provided that he can uncover a succession of expressions as flawlessly requested as the gem designs he uncovered in graduate school, he can legitimize all his movements to Skyler and repair his broken family — maybe much adjust the unalterable wrongs he has done. However Nietzsche's cautioning about dialect rings a bell again: expressions can't catch what we without a doubt feel, and we can't control how others will hear even the most.
The opening of the film introduces us to WALT KOWALSKI at the funeral of his wife. The opening scene and the next (the wake) show us that Walt has no desire to belong either to his family or to his religion. Everything jars with Walt, from the young priest giving the eulogy to his granddaughters belly button ring, from the Japanese car driven by his son to his granddaughters crass selfishness. He perceives his family as selfish, materialistic and shallow. His family also reject and are intolerant of him. He also rejects the ties of belonging represented by religion though we only learn the real reason for this later. It’s quite plain he thinks