Sam Collins Film Essay:
2012 question: Analyse how symbols are used to present an idea or ideas in a film
Shutter Island by legendary American director Martin Scorsese is an elaborate labyrinth of a film. It's ever changing plot line and deeply emotional scenes make it compulsory viewing for any avid film goer. Scorsese has constructed this intricately woven film by using various film techniques the most significant of which is symbols. In the film symbols are used to present many different ideas to the audience. Scorsese who is a modern film icon constantly uses symbolism throughout his films to convey subtle ideas to the audience without them knowing. Three different motifs or symbols are used in the film to achieve this result. Water
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The symbol of water is used to represent truth in another of Scorsese's films, titled Raging Bull. This is the film where Scorsese records the boxing life of the perennial underdog Jake LaMotta. LaMotta fights not only his opponents but the poverty, mob connections and inner turmoil which encapsulates his life. Throughout the film water is used to represent the truth or reality which Jake experiences. The story is narrated by LaMotta in the future after his career ended and he became a comedian to "pay the bills ". Water is used in this film to portray truth or reality which LaMotta struggles with. The use of this symbol is highlighted when before a fight when sleeping Jake has a vision. Jake sees his wife cheating on him with his upcoming opponent. He comments how it seemed "so vivid, I just thought it was real". He then realises it was a fantasy and from then on before he goes to sleep Jake splashes water on his face and states, "You know what is real, you know her". This highlights how water being splashed on his face purifies LaMotta and stops his mind playing tricks on him. Water therefore allows LaMotta to understand and grasp what is real, and not simply a fantasy. He understands the importance of deciphering truth from lies. LaMotta like Daniels has a truth which they struggle to comprehend. Both characters however internally want to know the truth as it is necessary for
Everywhere you go you see a symbol. Symbols could be everything from letters put together to make words, or even a hand gesture meaning love. Communication would literally be impossible without the use of symbols. For Jordan he had a lot of symbols in his life. The most noticeable symbol for Jordan is money.
Opportunity’s life shattered as soon as the first gunshot went off. All because of the other student’s actions that built up, until Opportunity couldn’t stand the pressure anymore.
The house is where Carl and Ellie first met each other as kids, where they chose to spend the rest of their lives together and turned it into the home of their dreams. As the movie gets going Carl 's house symbolizes his connection with Ellie and how he is holding on to her memory by staying with the house, even if it’s inconvenient or unnecessary. Carl isolates himself from the rest of the world and his house seems a refuge from everyone and everything that want something from him.
In every society there are rebels that oppose what the majority thinks is normal. Many of these people seek shelter in nature. In Jon Krakauer’s novel Into the Wild, Krakauer uses symbolism to show Chris McCandless’s struggle between society and nature. Chris sets out into the Alaskan wilderness in an attempt to escape civilization and find himself, knowing that at some point he will need to rejoin society. His trip to Alaska ended up being his last and when going through Chris’s belongings, the rescuers found a diary that revealed some of Chris’s thoughts.
Pat Conroy’s memoir, “The Water is Wide,” is about his life on Daufuskie Island, also known as Yamacraw Island in the book. Conroy spent a year teaching on the island in a little two room schoolhouse. The Yamacrawans were rural African-American people that by leaving on the island had basically no knowledge of anything beyond the island. Conroy tells of all the troubles he faced while teaching on the island and all the struggles he faced with outside forces. Conroy uses the setting, the title of his book, symbolism, and different themes to express what the year he spent teaching there was like.
Another character development showed an example in the move, “Spirited Away” when Master Haku, a boy in the spirit world who assisted Chihiro seemed as though he couldn’t be trusted; however, the scene flipped where Haku was shown as a loving caring person. Additionally, in “Ponyo” an example was also shown of Sosuke, a little boy helping Ponyo when she was trapped in a jar; at first, the way the director depicted that scene, it seemed as if the boy was going to hurt Ponyo which turned out not to be the case, that he too, like Haku was a loving caring human being. From the narrator’s point of view all of the characters looked suspicious, that some of them needed something; towards the end of the movies, the audiences could tell that the director was trying to alter the human perceptions.
Within Shaun Tan’s picture books ‘The Red Tree’ and ‘The Lost Thing’, surrealism is utilised to deliver the themes of hope and rejection. Visual techniques and extended metaphors aid in the transmission of these themes. Symbolism, colour, positioning, drawing styles, and cultural referencing are techniques used to convey the messages. Tan utilises these techniques to help the reader realise, and interpret, for themselves the overarching messages within in the picture books.
I wanted to give a brief introduction to the language of symbols by giving my opinion on some very common examples. Correlation does not equal causation but the pattern of association can often lead us to a more discerning perspective when examining usage of symbolism. Symbolism is used purposefully and with intent in many cases as we will see but it is also frequently used unintentionally as well. I chose a few simple examples for this video to get us started on the topic. Some of these images may be disturbing to you so now may be a good time to pause this
Symbolism is a characteristic that stands out in a person or thing. People usually use symbolism for something that means to them or represents to them. The symbols are used for many things, for example the apple on the iphone, laptop or iPod symbolizes the brand. Symbols are also used in churches, for example the cross symbolizes Jesus Christ. It symbolizes how he was crucified, put to death on a cross. The colors symbolize something’s to for example the colors white, red and blue symbolize freedom in the United States, it also represents the United States flag. Symbols are also used in movies like the hunger games catching fire; their symbol is a mocking bird with an arrow on it.
You will be completing this assignment in two stages: for the first stage (1500 to 1800 words), you will analyze an entire movie; in the second stage (300 to 600 words), you will reflect on how you analyzed the movie as well as how your ability
“The Fountain House” presents the idea of relinquishing for a loved one at any cost. Ludmilla Petrushevskaya weaves a dreamlike reality to capture a father’s conviction that his daughter can still live in spite of various medical professionals pronouncing her dead. The effect characterizes the father as delusional. The story’s pathetic symbolism emphasizes the heartbreaking situation of a father, so desperate to save his daughter that he is willing to commit the ultimate transgression.
Analyse how symbolism was used to convey an interesting idea in an extended written text
contest. Parallels can be drawn to many of the other themes of the film from this
Shutter Island and Insomnia use stylistic features to unpack the theme of appearance versus reality and documents the effects of the psychological effects on the protagonists. Both films portray the common theme of appearance vs reality in different ways. Noticeable similarities and differences can be seen in the portrayal of social issues, cinematic techniques and characterisation.
I agree with this statement that texts which deserve attention are those that challenge our thinking. Martin Scorsese’s 2010 masterpiece, Shutter Island, challenges our perception on the human mind. Scorsese’s film deserves our attention in the way that it creatively employs plot twists, uses symbolism and how it portrays the complexity of trauma within the human mind. As a psychological thriller, Shutter Island captivates the audience, taking us on the same journey that Teddy Daniels experiences in his quest to find the truth.