Robert Ray's The Thematic Paradigm
analytical Essay
416 words
In “The Thematic Paradigm,” University of Florida professor of film studies, Robert Ray, defines two types of heroes pervading American films, the outlaw hero and the official hero. Often the two types are merged in a reconciliatory pattern, he argues. In fact, this
“reconciliatory pattern found its most typical incarnation…in one particular narrative: the story of the private man attempting to keep from being drawn into action on any but his own terms. In this story, the reluctant hero’s ultimate willingness to help the community satisfied the official values. But by portraying this aid as demanding only temporary involvement, the story preserved the values of individualism as well.” (284)
This reconciliatory pattern is vividly exemplified in Rick, the hero of the classic film, Casablanca. For example, when Rick repeats his non-committal, cold, tough guy stance to an offended customer, “I stick my neck out for nobody,” it is viewed as an outlaw hero characteristic. He appears to be the dangerous man from a gangster movie, but still promise the “safety and comfort” an official outlaw portrays. With Ilsa back into his life, he helps his love and her husband leave Casablanca at the end. He sacrifices his love to save her from being endangered from the law. Ironically, Rick is a man who once fought in war, yet he still remains neutral with others. He allows equal status with individuals. A war is going on between the German and the French, but he doesn’t take any of their side. After tragically losing the love of his life the first time, Rick ceased to show any political involvement or any strong political beliefs and began to worry only about his own well-being. Being an outlaw, Rick’s character can’t have friends, but he can have buddies that join him in his adventures. With him through thick and thin is Sam. Sam plays the piano at Rick’s Café Americian. He is a man running from the law who meets up with another man doing the same.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how robert ray, professor of film studies at the university of florida, defines two types of heroes pervading american films, the outlaw hero and the official sheo.
- Analyzes how the conciliatory pattern found its most typical incarnation in one particular narrative: the story of the private man attempting to keep from being drawn into action on any but his own terms.
- Analyzes the reconciliatory pattern in rick, the hero of the classic film, casablanca. rick is a man who once fought in war, yet he still allows equal status with individuals.
Related
- analytical
- Character Analysis: The Chosen By Chaim Potokanalytical essayIn the novel “The Chosen” by Chaim Potok, the story talks about a strong relationship between two friends. In the novel Potok also shows that the change in motives was what the main characters used to build up and make new connections. Reuven Malter, also known as a protagonist in the story, experiences many motives that led to changes, and how it affected him as the novel comes to an end. Making friends and communicating was a huge deal for Reuven and Danny. Each of them had to learn how to do those things to see how it would impact their future. The author shows a motive for each of the characters, and that the quote Ben Jonson said “True happiness consists not in multitude of friends, but in the worth and choice”, can be consider as the theme for the book.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how danny saunders, another protagonist, spends his life growing up with his father as a hasid, and explains to reuven about the silent relationship they have.
- Analyzes how chaim potok shows how the protagonist, reuven, is reveal to the silent communication. it's not easy for a father like reb, and his son, danny, to communicate with each other about their feelings.
- Explains that communication was their biggest fear, for both reuven and danny. david malter helped them overcome their fear.
- Analyzes how chaim potok's novel "the chosen" talks about a strong relationship between two friends and how the change in motives affected them as the novel ends.
- Analyzes how chaim potok shows a strong bonding relationship between reuven and his father in the novel.
1101 wordsRead More - The Thematic Paradigm by Robert Rayanalytical essayIn “The Thematic Paradigm,” Robert Ray explains how there are two vastly different heroes: the outlaw hero and the official hero. The official hero has common values and traditional beliefs. The outlaw hero has a clear view of right and wrong but unlike the official hero, works above the law. Ray explains how the role of an outlaw hero has many traits. The morals of these heroes can be compared clearly. Films that contain official heroes and outlaw heroes are effective because they promise viewer’s strength, power, intelligence, and authority whether you are above the law or below it.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how robert ray explains the role of an outlaw hero in "the thematic paradigm" and how the morals of these heroes can be compared clearly.
- Explains that society favors the outlaw hero because it has childlike talents that most of us wish we had as adults.
- Explains that superman is an official hero in the world called earth because he never lies, kills individuals, is unselfish, and protects earth.
- Explains that batman is an outlaw hero because he dresses like a bat that fights against evil and strikes fear into the hearts of criminals everywhere.
- Explains that wayne's strategies to oppose crime as a vigilante at night proved successful leading him to become an urban legend in gotham city.
- Analyzes how batman fits in to the outlaw hero description because in batman begins, he is an enemy of the police; commissioner loeb sternly declares, "no one takes the law into their own hands in my city."
- Opines that the definition of "hero" should be modified to reflect current trends in american cinema.
1361 wordsRead More - Analysis of "The Thematic Paradigm"analytical essayIn the article “The Thematic Paradigm” exerted from his book, A Certain Tendency of the Hollywood Cinema, Robert Ray provides a description of the two types of heroes depicted in American film: the outlaw hero and the official hero. Although the outlaw hero is more risky and lonely, he cherishes liberty and sovereignty. The official hero on the other hand, generally poses the role of an average ordinary person, claiming an image of a “civilized person.” While the outlaw hero creates an image of a rough-cut person likely to commit a crime, the official hero has a legend perception. In this essay, I will reflect on Ray’s work, along with demonstrating where I observe ideologies and themes.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes robert ray's article "the thematic paradigm" from his book, a certain tendency of the hollywood cinema.
- Analyzes john ford's classic american western film, stagecoach, which shows many examples of political life and social behavior during its time.
- Compares the image created for the outlaw hero as the "natural man." they are adventurous but also wanderers, and loners.
- Analyzes how society identifies with the outlaw hero because of its definitive elements. the scarcity of mature heroes in american literature and mythology indicated american ideology's fundamental preference for youth.
- Analyzes how john wayne's character, the ringo kid, in stagecoach, is an outlaw hero. he skips town to avoid jail. when the sheriff informed the travelers about the rebellion of the apaches, he stays to provide assistance.
- Analyzes how ray uses the term "romanticizing of the disposed" to describe the outlaw hero's anxiety for civilized life.
- Analyzes how stagecoach portrays dallas as a prostitute, forced out of town by law and order, and ashamed of her past. ringo glamorizes her by finding and embracing what she is worth.
- Analyzes how the outlaw hero has an anxiety for civilization, while the official sheo represents family and domesticity. ray emphasizes horatio alger's priorities of physical presentation and its desire to live the settled life.
- Analyzes how the outlaw hero never put the law into consideration, however he understood what was logically correct. the ringo kid pursued revenge after the three plummer boys for murdering his father and brother.
- Compares the official hero with the outlaw, who embraces ethics and customary principles, and uses that knowledge to his power. although this myth offers a sense of trustworthiness, he is not attention grabbing.
- Explains that while the outlaw hero isn't apprehensive about the laws, the official sheo follows them and never breaks the rules.
- Explains that each myth has its own unique qualities, but they also had underlying disadvantages.
- Analyzes how ray explains that the difference of individual and community in american culture has created the substantial myths of the outlaw hero and the official heroes.
- Analyzes how the composite hero character provided the audience with the best of both worlds in film heroes.
- Analyzes how ray created a film with moth myths, using the example of casablanca. the film had both an outlaw and an official hero.
- Analyzes how america's ideology still favors the outlaw hero, despite the film industry’s attempts to combine the myths or offer both.
- Analyzes how ray's work is visible today in contemporary american film, such as clint eastwood’s role of walt kowalski in gran torino (2008).
- Analyzes how hmong gangs dominate walt's neighborhood, and they perpetually attempt to persuade his shy neighbor, thao vang lor. walt overhears the bullying, so he goes outside with a shotgun scaring them away.
- Narrates how the hmong gang pressures thao to steal walt's 1972 gran torino, but walt catches him and threatens him at gunpoint. walt learns about the culture and establishes a relationship with the vang lor family.
- Cites eastwood, c. (producer), & wagner, d (director). (1939) stagecoach.
1403 wordsRead More - Violence on Filmanalytical essayThe Western stands as one of the great genres of Hollywood cinema, as it possesses the ability to transcend both time and subject matter. Accordingly, the types of themes which this genres addresses, such as romanticism, and American heroism, can still be seen as viable commodities within modern-day storytelling. However, while The Western has focused on various topics throughout its cinematic history, what ultimately serves as the primary critique of the genre, is the exploration of role of violence and aggression within society (Lusted 16). Furthermore, at the source of this examination is the “Gunfighter” Western, which centers the focus of the genre to a more individualized and intimate perspective. Accordingly, films such as Henry King’s The Gunfighter (1950) and David Cronanberg’s A History Of Violence (2004) can be observed as examples of this focus. However, while both King and Cronenberg successfully explore the concepts of violence and aggression within their time periods, when examined in terms of their overall effectiveness in exploring the necessity, and ambiguity of these themes, Cronenberg’s willingness to explore the possibility of redemption, is what ultimately makes A History of Violence a more effective and provocative film.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the western genre transcends time and subject matter and explores the role of violence and aggression within society. king's the gunfighter (1950) and cronenberg’s a history of violence (2004) are examples of this focus.
- Analyzes how the gunfighter turns the genre and its hero inside out and takes a more introspective look at how violence can be found at the core of social order.
- Analyzes how henry king's the gunfighter stars gregory peck as a disgruntled, washed-up cowboy who tries to redirect his life and leave his violent past behind.
- Analyzes how cronenberg's a history of violence is about a man named joey cusack, who has been able to hide his true identity under the guise of midwestern family man, tom stall.
- Analyzes cronenberg's interview on the subject of wanting to recede into the supposed american dream and the question of whether one can achieve this dream.
- Opines that every nation has a violent past that involves suppressing, repressing or dominating others. it's more the conundrum of being human and being able to imagine an ideal human existence that doesn't exist.
- Analyzes how violence only occurs when values that attributed with this life come under threat. for jimmy, the young cowboys want to challenge his abilities, and force him out of the shadows of a non-violent life.
- Analyzes how each of the films offer a conflicting message on the role of violence throughout, and the ways in which they address their protagonist’s fates at the end.
- Analyzes how the cultural and cinematic background for the production of the gunfighter was as complex as ever before.
- Analyzes how the use of black and white reflects the nature of morality, which was enforced by the hays code and later the motion picture production code.
- Analyzes how cronenberg's willingness to let tom stall live, despite his violent acts, is reflective of this ambiguity.
- Analyzes how the movie has quite an open ending, because things are not resolved, nothing is really resolves.
- Analyzes how cronenberg mimics the duality of violence by letting joey cusack live, and in doing so, brings attention to its effects.
- Analyzes how cronenberg's film rips apart the myths of violence by allowing the character to live and asking the question, "just who are we rooting for in this film?"
2300 wordsRead More - Josey Wales and the Westernanalytical essayThe enduring cultural expressions of the frontier were adapted into unique narrative traditions known as the “Western”. The Western genre portrays a story of conquest, competing visions of the land, and the quintessential American frontier hero who is usually a gunfighter or a cowboy. These Western archetypes can be observed in, The Outlaw Josey Wales, a film that employs revenge motifs that lead into and extended chase across the West and touches on the social and cultural issues of the American frontier.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes robert hine and john mack faragher's historical account of the american west. the american frontier is a tale of conquest, survival and persistence, and the merging of peoples and cultures.
- Analyzes how the western genre portrays a story of conquest, competing visions of the land, and the quintessential american frontier hero. the outlaw josey wales employs revenge motifs that lead into and extended chase across the west.
- Analyzes how texas bound and down captures the ways in which civil war memory and film overlap. the outlaw josey wales shows the effects of the war on missouri.
- Analyzes how josey wales is a farmer-turned-guerrilla who settles some where in south missouri with his wife and son.
- Analyzes how sickels and robert c. analyze the significance of this precredit sequence. josey is a family man who keeps to himself and provides for his family.
- Describes how josey joins a band of men, missouri rebels, whose families were also killed by the union soldiers. the rebels abandoned their quest for vengeance and sought full amnesty.
- Analyzes how joesy meets an old cherokee indian, named waite, in the scene where he sneaks up behind the lone watie. they form an unspoken bond and set out for mexico.
- Analyzes how watie's conversation with josey reveals a larger issue at hand between the "white man" and the indians.
906 wordsRead More - Westernism In The Searchersanalytical essaySince the dawn of cinema, the mythos embodied by westerns have maintained a hold over many a captivated audience, containing magnificent vistas, glorified violence, and the age old struggle of man vs. wild. As do many westerns, John Ford's 1956 masterpiece The Searchers, opens with a lone rider set against the backdrop of a vast, unknown wilderness. Settling into your seat, you might expect more of the tried and true formula that defines a western in this era, a well defined hero to be aspired to, acting as the last bastion of culture against the encroaching chaos that is the wild, untamed frontier. While The Searchers conforms to the conventional western theorem, the film ponders issues of race, integration, and interracial relationships as seen through the eyes of a man living beyond the era he knows. Breaking ground for future films to investigate and criticize current social issues through the medium of film.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how john ford's 1956 masterpiece, the searchers, ponders issues of race, integration, and interracial relationships through the eyes of a man living beyond the era he knows.
- Analyzes how ethan returns to his brothers' farm after serving in the confederate army for an extended period, dismissing the presence of their adopted, part indian son martin pawley. they are recruited to join the texas rangers to pursue supposed cattle rustlers.
- Narrates how ethan shoots out the indians' eyes as the mob stumbles across the grave of one of the raiders.
- Analyzes how martin and brad continue with ethan (lucy's sweetheart) on the hunt for lucy and debbie as the trail grows cold.
- Narrates how the two men continue their search as years pass, every day martin stays he loses ties to his loved ones at home. martin fears that ethan no longer wishes to save debbie, but instead believes that she is better off dead.
- Analyzes how scar's sons were killed by white men and raids to seek retribution, and ethan strayed from the path of the hero.
- Analyzes how scar parallels ethan in his views and actions, yet they are bitter enemies for the same reason.
- Narrates how ethan, martin, and the texas rangers are informed about scar and his band and quickly ride out and seek to end the chase.
- Analyzes how ethan carries debbie to the stoop of the house and jorgensen's as martin and laurie embrace outside before following them into the cabin as well.
- Analyzes how ford's the searchers refutes many of the stereotypes attributed to the western genre. ethan is presented as the straight, white, male hero, but he is psychologically unstable, bigoted, and will likely always be an outcast.
1372 wordsRead More - The Use of Classical Hollywood Theory in Die Hardanalytical essayBeginning the mid 1920s, Hollywood’s ostensibly all-powerful film studios controlled the American film industry, creating a period of film history now recognized as “Classical Hollywood”. Distinguished by a practical, workmanlike, “invisible” method of filmmaking- whose purpose was to demand as little attention to the camera as possible, Classical Hollywood cinema supported undeviating storylines (with the occasional flashback being an exception), an observance of a the three act structure, frontality, and visibly identified goals for the “hero” to work toward and well-defined conflict/story resolution, most commonly illustrated with the employment of the “happy ending”. Studios understood precisely what an audience desired, and accommodated their wants and needs, resulting in films that were generally all the same, starring similar (sometimes the same) actors, crafted in a similar manner. It became the principal style throughout the western world against which all other styles were judged. While there have been some deviations and experiments with the format in the past 50 plus ye...
In this essay, the author
- Explains that hollywood's ostensibly all-powerful film studios controlled the american film industry, creating a period of film history known as "classical hollywood".
- Analyzes how die hard utilizes a step-by-step style of narration, where the end and the objectives of the protagonist, john mcclane, are not arrived upon until all complications are resolved and enemies in the film are eliminated.
- Explains that hollywood films have reconnoitered numerous ways to tell a story, styles of cinematography, and technological effects, but one element remains: the notion of 'neatly' happy ending.'
574 wordsRead More - The Automobile: A False Sense of Freedomanalytical essayMills, K. (2006). The road story and the rebel: moving through film, fiction, and television. Southern Illinois Univ Pr.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes how the dependency on the automobile is shifting from an american problem to a global one.
- Analyzes how the american vacation showcases both false promises and blatant lacks of freedom.
- Analyzes how our dependence on the automobile is present in american culture. the automobile defines the life we live and often serves as ‘extended selves’.
- Analyzes how an auto-obsessed culture is a paradox. we are allowed mobility and the cost of our social and economic freedoms.
- Analyzes how the normalcy of dependency blinds us to the true effects of our lifestyles.
- Explains that the average commuter is more affected by the automobile than the city dweller. the growth of suburbia across the united states has only increased reliance on automobiles.
- Analyzes how the book, suburban nation, focuses on the victims of suburban sprawl, which is the consequence of our auto-dependent society.
- Analyzes how children are denied access to the outside world due to their auto dependency. they are forced to become scared of the world they live in, instead of being allowed to explore.
- Explains that teens are not allowed access to the car until they reach a certain age. they are bombarded with the images of freedom with an automobile, while also being denied access.
- Explains that the elderly are taught the importance of the automobile throughout their lives, and are allowed to enjoy the ‘good life’ only to have it taken away. current housing patterns (suburbia) leave them stranded without a way to access daily life needs.
- Analyzes how the growth of the car and consequential suburban development has left the poor not only carless, but separated from the jobs they need to get out of poverty.
- Explains that in a culture engrossed with the automobile, towns and municipalities must ensure that the infrastructure is suitable for its constant use.
- Argues that the car is a system of privilege that affects every american at each stage of their life.
- Opines that the amish believe that cars pull people apart, and that a car distorts its owner’s sense of self-importance.
- Describes s' books on the rise of suburbanization and the decline of the american dream.
2335 wordsRead More - Jim Jarmusch’s Film Deadman, as a Manipulated Westernanalytical essayDirector Jim Jarmusch’s film Deadman displays many of the accepted conventions for Western genre films, but manipulated in such a way as to create a revisionist, rather than a classical, western. The most obvious example of this manipulation are the characterizations of the hero, William Blake, and his Native American partner, Nobody. Blake is an awkward easterner who travels westward unaware of the different rules governing western life, instead of the rugged, knowledgeable outdoorsman who “does what he has to do” to defend justice and honor. Nobody’s character is unusually independent, educated, and kind towards Blake, instead of the traditional Western genre’s violent, unintelligent Indian.
In this essay, the author
- Analyzes jim jarmusch's film deadman as a manipulated western. the hero, william blake, travels westward unaware of the different rules governing western life, instead of defending justice and honor.
- Analyzes how blake's behavior is inconsistent with traditional western violence and creates a revisionist western film.
- Analyzes how deadman deviates from tradition with its portrayal of native americans in the west. nobody is intelligent and peaceful, contrasting with the traditional image of the violent, simple-minded indians.
- Analyzes jarmusch's unique characterization of william blake and nobody against the stereotypical conventions of traditional westerns provides the foundation for the film’s revisionist approach to the western genre.
549 wordsRead More - Similarities, Differences and Connections between two Western Movies: Rio Bravo and El Doradoanalytical essayFew Hollywood film makers have captured America’s Wild West history as depicted in the movies, Rio Bravo and El Dorado. Most Western movies had fairly simple but very similar plots, including personal conflicts, land rights, crimes and of course, failed romances that typically led to drinking more alcoholic beverages than could respectfully be consumed by any one person, as they attempted to drown their sorrows away. The 1958 Rio Bravo and 1967 El Dorado Western movies directed by Howard Hawks, and starring John Wayne have a similar theme and plot. They tell the story of a sheriff and three of his deputies, as they stand alone against adversity in the name of the law. Western movies like these two have forever left a memorable and lasting impressions in the memory of every viewer, with its gunfighters, action filled saloons and sardonic showdowns all in the name of masculinity, revenge and unlawful aggressive behavior. Featuring some of the most famous backdrops in the world ranging from the rustic Red Rock Mountains of Monument Valley in Utah, to the jagged snow capped Mountain tops of the Teton Range in Wyoming, gun-slinging cowboys out in search of mischief and most often at their own misfortune traveled far and wide, seeking one dangerous encounter after another, and unfortunately, ending in their own demise.
In this essay, the author
- Explains that few hollywood film makers have captured america's wild west history as depicted in the movies, rio bravo and el dorado.
- Analyzes how western movies such as rio bravo and el dorado illustrate america's rugged and picturesque scenery explaining life as it was in the wide open country, at a time when few laws were in place to safeguard the public.
- Analyzes how the seized and frustrated prisoner uses his power and influence by employing the men he has working for him and hiring a legendary gunfighter to get him out of jail.
- Analyzes the similarities between the movies, which depict an era when legislation was weak and unregulated and the rural countryside was ruled by the almighty powerful and dangerous gun.
- Analyzes how similar the events of each of these two movies are and indicative of how common these occurrences were in western movies.
- Compares the final scene of rio bravo and el dorado, where chance and dude compliment each other on their marksmanship.
- Analyzes how the similarities between the two movies are significant. dean martin, a famous crooner, and ricky nelson, on the guitar sing "my rifle, my pony and me."
- Analyzes how rio bravo is divided at times with senseless banter, and humor which is in contrast to the appropriate humor in el dorado.
- Analyzes how thornton turns down the job offer, not wanting to go up against his good friend, j.p. harrah, who he considers a more than formidable foe.
- Explains that both rio bravo and el dorado are more similar than they are different. both movies feature outlaws, powerful ranchers, gunslingers and two lawmen that become alcoholics over failed romances.
1525 wordsRead More