Glee, Episode 10 -- "The Ballad"

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The presence of mirrors is highlighted in this episode. Before this episode there has not been an emphasis on mirrors, even though they appear in other episodes. I feel like the use of this prop is important in understanding the episode. Every time a mirror appears, there is a different circumstance that the character is dealing with. The first mirror appears in Quinn’s house. She is trying on her Chastity Ball dress with her mom, and the dress does not zip up all the way. Quinn is shown in the mirror as the mom measures her stomach. In this instance, the mirror could signify a desire to hide the truth, despite the fact that the truth is there for everyone to see. The second time a mirror is used is in Finn’s basement. He and Kurt are discussing his dad’s bravery in war, while trying on his dad’s old suit jacket. This scene is open on an emotional level, and the mirror works to illustrate that Finn is more like his dad than he realizes. It acts as a reflector for the characteristics that Finn will demonstrate later in the episode and in the series. Finally, a mirror is used with Rachel when she is being told by another student that she does not have a chance with Will. In this scene Rachel is applying makeup in the mirror. The presence of a mirror, and it being actively used, could indicate that Rachel is hiding the truth from herself. Rachel’s character rarely wears a lot of makeup, which emphasizes the use of the mirror. Instead of being honest with herself, Rachel is denying the truth that she is knows is there.

The camerawork in the show is very well done because it helps the audience understand the relationships between the characters, as well as helps draw the audience’s attention to important actio...

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... silence fills the air. Not even the sound of Quinn crying can be heard during these pauses, though through reaction shots, the audience can see she is crying. This creates a suffocating atmosphere for the audience and for the characters. It helps illustrate Quinn’s home life, which helps explain her character’s actions from previous episodes. In addition to the silence, there is also a manipulation of sound in this scene. Most of the scene involves quiet dialogue from the dad, and sometimes from Quinn, but it suddenly changes to the dad yelling. The change in volume is very startling and is almost overbearing. There is no opportunity for escape from the volume and the yelling for the audience; and just as suddenly the volume decreases to Quinn talking softly. The effect is powerful. Overall, it is one of the most uncomfortable sequences from the entire first season.

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