The film The Wrestler takes advantage of society’s deep-rooted assumptions of domesticity. It teases and plays with one’s heart until the very end when the master narrative is surprisingly overthrown. Through its cinematic realism and awareness of audience expectations of domesticity, The Wrestler creatively rejects this master narrative of domesticity with its unconventional conclusion.
The master narrative is a compelling force that dictates audiences’ expectations of stories. Ingrained into one from a young age, master narratives are steeped in Western culture. Audiences unwittingly accept the master narrative as how life ought to be. When reading a story or viewing a film, the master narrative can be so compelling that audiences sometimes cannot accept or are shocked by a narrative that diverts from it.
One such master narrative is society’s attitude toward domesticity. Preconceived notions of domesticity guide one through a story. This can easily be seen in contemporary literature and film. One expects the “boy meets girl” and “they lived happily ever after” stories. One hopes for the characters to fall in love, marry, and have 2.4 children (maybe 2.5 if they can afford it!), because that is how things should be. That is what will make the characters happy no matter what obstacles they encounter. Audiences tend to fall into the “Love Conquers All” trap by expecting this formulaic conclusion.
Admittedly, in a modern, multicultural society, the stereotypical domestic scene does not always apply. However, in stories in literature and film, this master narrative of the domestic is pervasive, spanning multiple genres. Portrayals of conventional forms of love and family are extensive in Disney films for example. Author and creat...
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... preconceptions of domesticity—the “Love Conquers All” trap--the film The Wrestler gives us an unexpected ending that is a welcome change of pace, and not the “rote” formulaic happy ending.
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The Wrestler. Dir. Darren Aronofsky. Per. Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, and Evan Rachel
Wood. Twentieth Century Fox, 2008. DVD.
The dominant narrative is the story of an event that has gained support from the powerful, the narrative that has been written into historical texts and taught to each generation. Most importantly, the dominant narrative is what has existed throughout time because of the elite’s control. It is one version of the “truth”. Following th...
Due to the impressionable essence of the audience, the film’s message has a responsibility as it will leave an impact on the viewership. The film Stagecoach (1939) was a Western film which essentially spoke to generations of men seeking a model of manhood grounded in bravery, moral violence, and independence; whereas with the women characters, they represented civilization and domestication” (Dr Nance week 3). The reception of the audience was positive; the film thrived in society as it came out at a time where the Great Depression saw a time of family breakdown and disillusionment of the American Dream (Dr Nance week 3). Essentially, the dark aspects and the gendered representations resonated with the audience as it was relevant to their own lives. The impact of this film, however, can come from the desensitization to violence in society. Another example can be from the film King Kong and the representation of the ‘damsel in distress’ trope of a woman needing to be saved. Although it generated an overall popular response, the detrimental effects comes from the domestic imbalance and influence it had on
In Kate Chopins “Story of the Hour”, several elements contribute to the overall meaning of the story itself.
Kate Chopin. “The Story of an Hour.” Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 10th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin 's, 2013. 15-16. Print.
Chopin, Kate. “The Story of an Hour.” An Introduction to Literature. Eds. Sylvan Barnet, William Burto, and William E. Cain. 15th ed. New York: Longman, 2008. 193-199
There are smaller, pivotal stories that make up the basic structure of the one big story such as:
Chopin, Kate. "The Story of An Hour." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Ed. R.V. Cassill and Richard Bausch. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, 2000. 106-109.
Each compelling personal narrative should contain is a well-developed theme that makes the reader think. For example, in “My Fanged Tooth” by Jim Son a reader could tell that the theme of the story is that we live in a survival of the fittest world. Son goes on vacation for a few days with expectancy of coming home to his hamsters just like he left them. However, He comes home to the realization that one hamster had eaten the other hamster. Coming home to this he realizes that the hamsters are not as cute and fluffy on the inside as they are on the outside. Son realized that hamsters have an instinct to survive and can be ruthless (by using cannibalism in this instance) as one of their methods of surviving. His mother even told him “Every animal, including human beings, has an instinct that makes them want to survive, no matter what.” (14) As a young child Son is protected and sheltered and wouldn’t really expect to learn this lesson. What makes it even worse for young Son is that his hamsters had the be the way he learned this lesson. But when you see one hamster literally ripped into pieces, the mother could not have given a better explanation than what she gave. Additionally, Son then realizes he thinks, and makes us think that he sees a sharp tooth coming out of his mouth before he goes to sleep that night. “That night before going to bed, standing in
...verything around us is made by our actions. Positive or negative they cause an effect that will ultimately lead to a different story base on how we interpret life. Narrative elements are used as a bridge by the directors in their film to create any master plot that is currently known. Any modification at any narrative element used by the director at important moments inside the story can help you portray a different master plot. This used of narrative elements can be best described as an ever changing process that takes place inside an individual’s head. Depending on the individual that may be exposed to those narrative elements can create different meanings. This new interpretation can be different for everyone. We have to be aware that one change in the surface scenery can lead to many ideal outcomes in our minds and that is the main power the audience has.
In the story of an hour, Kate Chopin uses many literary devices. Imagery, irony and symbolism makes the story interesting and the ending of the story raises many question came to my mind? How can such an event take so little time? What is the significant of that one hour? What does her heart trouble symbolize? These are some questions that came across my mind and the beauty of her writing is the symbolism and ironies she used and readers can have different interpretation.
In the simplest form, there is a basic structural pattern to narratives, as expressed through Tzvetan Todorov’s explanation of narrative movement between two equilibriums. A narrative begins in a stable position until something causes disequilibrium, however, by the end of the story, the equilibrium is re-established, though it is different than the beginning (O’Shaughnessy 1999: 268). Joseph Cam...
Throughout history, the art of storytelling has been an imperative tool for an array of purposes. Humans have utilized storytelling for nearly everything, such as passing down traditions or just pure entertainment. Storytelling in its most basic form is something that humans need, as they give everyone a sense of everything it means to be human. However, along the path of humanity’s development and growth, stories themselves and the way they are told also seemed to change. With humanity's innovation and push toward new technologies, narratives were then passed along in a variety of forms, spanning from novels and radio to film and television. Although the push for new technologies has provided a stellar platform for different stories to find
Kate Chopin is able to illuminate her stories with clever language and meaning. As well as an immense criticism as to how society oppresses the individual in the glorified institution of marriage. Through language, she is able to introduce the thought of deeper meanings. “The Story of an Hour” being a prime example of the individual that has a need for freedom for herself. Through symbolism and straightforward comments, the freedom that Mrs. Louisa Mallard is notable just as her marriage is oppressive.
Knapp (2005 : 220) say that, “Narrative text is one of the most commonly read, though least understood of all the genres. Narrative also has a powerful social role beyond that of being a medium for entertainment. Narrative is also a powerful medium for changing social opinions and attitudes”.
Love comes in all forms with no discrimination to sex, age, and ethnicity. The human kind is constantly searching for it, and chasing it, and many times scared to let it go even if it is harmful. In order to understand what is love we must solve the mystery of why humans are so fascinated with love and will do anything to get it.