Field Of Dreams Themes

1098 Words3 Pages

The theme of a particular film is its subject or idea, however, films may contain several themes depending on the viewer. These may vary from religious themes, to political themes and may not be the intended target of a films writer or director. (Goodykoontz & Jacobs 2014) For the purpose of this paper, I will argue the film Field of Dreams does not contain a baseball theme, but one of inner conflict between father and son. Field of Dreams is a film of perseverance, fear, ingenuity, and good old fashioned stubbornness, from a man who fears becoming like his father. Resources will prove how this films use of acting style, cinematography, and direction are used to portray the father/son persona. Additionally, you will realize the reasoning behind this films theme, due to the unsecure masculinity during the 1980’s when this film was released. Although key elements pertaining to baseball were seen throughout this film; The sport of baseball is not the movies theme. Field of Dreams has several classifications for a sports themed film; However, due to acting style, direction, and cinematography, portrays a masculine balance between father and son. Released in 1989, Field of Dreams is a feature length film about a …show more content…

The acting style of Moonlight Graham is one of authority and wisdom. Personally, I feel this character is meant to teach Ray responsibility. Just as a father teaches his son to be responsible, Moonlight advises Ray that dreams are fantastic, but priorities must come first. For example, he chose to stay and help others are a Doctor and not run away to play a game. Furthermore, he taught Ray about sacrificing your dream, in order to save his daughters life. Nilssen also enforces this by stating, the relationships Ray has with these “father like” characters during his quest, all lead him to his

Show More
Related

  • The Big Field by Mike Lupica

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hutch, the main character of The Big Field, has played baseball all of his life. He has always played shortstop, the same position that his father dreamed of playing as a professional. “Hutch, had always thought of himself as the captain of any infield he’d ever been a part of” (Lupica 1). Hutch finds himself being demoted to second base because there is another player, Darryl, on his new team that is expected to go pro and also plays shortstop. Hutch struggles because he does not want to play second base and his father does not support him because he does not want baseball to break Hutch’s dreams like it did his own. Hutch is betrayed by his father and Darryl when he finds them practicing together. Hutch has to learn to adjust and eventually becomes friends with Darryl, the up and coming shortstop. He understands that if he wants to win, then he needs to work together with Darryl. His father also comes around and finally gives Hutch his approval. Students should read this book in a high school English classroom because it demonstrates how relationships can be difficult, but teamwork can help to solve many issues.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Film Fernando Nation

    1266 Words  | 3 Pages

    The film Fernando Nation is a documentary highlighting the Major League baseball Career of Fernando Valenzuela. This movie illustrates a new type of American dream through the eyes of Mexican Americans by showing their historical struggle to be accepted in society, portraying the humble beginnings of Fernando, and highlighting the national fame which he acquired throughout his Major League career. In so doing, Fernando Nation helps viewers to understand the Mexican people’s desire for social equality with others in the United States, as well as what their version of the American dream looked like.

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis: Dick's Sporting Goods

    1005 Words  | 3 Pages

    The warm summer evening. The butterflies in the stomach. The determination and desire to win. This is a moment that many young men experience - Little League Baseball. But, unfortunately, schools lacking funding are looking to cut costs by getting rid of youth sports. That is when Dick’s Sporting Goods, a company with resources to bring attention to this problem, steps up to bat. Their message is effective through the emotional and ethical tie it creates in the audience through the story of a young man who overcomes tragedy through succeeding on the baseball diamond. Relying heavily on pathos and ethos, this message touches the hearts of the audience, calling them to step up as well.

    Read More

  • Courage in To Kill a Mockingbird

    907 Words  | 2 Pages

    An idea that recurs in or pervades a work of art of literature can be referred to as a “Theme”. Themes often explore timeless and universal ideas and may be implied rather than stated explicitly. Theme is an important part of fictional stories. Several themes are presented in the novel to kill a mocking bird. One of the reoccurring themes in to kill a mockingbird is courage.

    Read More

  • The Brothers K

    560 Words  | 2 Pages

    2. The novel, The Brothers K, enables the reader to understand a child’s idolization of a given sport, in this case, baseball.

    Read More

  • Genre of Science Fiction Illustrated in Beginning of film Independence Day

    1200 Words  | 3 Pages

    This is suppose to show significance of science fiction so the audience would except to see in the future. The Director chose the film to be a science fiction genre is because the story line and the type of story could show that it was a science fiction genre. The theme is often reflected in the title. In this type of genre it would normally show the importance of freedom and the use of political power to protect countries. So in Independence Day the theme is 'a superior power that has come to destroy planet earth and the Americans have to use their political power and their weaponry to protect the earth.'

    Read More

  • Magnificent Movie Themes

    464 Words  | 1 Pages

    Disney conveyed many life lessons or themes in the movie Maleficent;this movie teaches us that to not betray other people or they will get their revenge sooner or later. According to the movie King Steph Betrayed Maleficent by cutting off her wings because King Steph wanted to be king because he would rather be king then join her. This supports the theme because When Maleficent woke up and she realized that her wings were off, she wanted to get revenge on king Stephen for cutting off her wings and she didn't know why he would do that to her, she thought that they were really good friends and from that point on she knew she had to get her revenge on him. Another example found in the text show that when Maleficent was mad about when King, Steph cut off her wings. So she went to his castle and said that she was going to put a curse on their newborn daughter;the curse was that on Aurora's sixteenth birthday, she would

    Read More

  • Angela's Ashes And The Street Theme

    860 Words  | 2 Pages

    Theme is the subject of talk, a topic, or morals that the author is trying to get readers to comprehend. When reading an excerpt, the theme is not directly stated in the text, so you must dig deeper into the context to understand the matter trying to be portrayed. In both Angela's Ashes and The Street, we can distinguish a like theme of struggling through life’s complications. After reading the two different stories, we could select the theme from using character, events, and the setting.

    Read More

  • Comparing Sexy versus A Temporary Matter in Interpreter of Maladies

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...rves the way for the plot, the theme is the central idea around which a literary piece revolves. Without the theme the plot would be meaningless and there would be nothing for the readers to derive from the literary piece. Without the plot, the theme would be meaningless as there would be nowhere to consign the message the writer intends to give the reader. It can be said that the plot and theme are the two most important literary elements of a literary piece and are inter-dependant.

    Read More

  • Racism And Sexism In Baseball: The Symbol Of Baseball

    878 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the early 20th century, baseball became the first professional sport to earn nationwide attention in America. Because it was our first national professional team sport, because of its immense popularity, and because of its reputation as being synonymous with America, baseball has been written about more than any other sport, in both fiction and non-fiction alike. As baseball grew popular so did some of the sportswriters who wrote about the game in the daily newspaper. Collectively, the sportswriters of the early 20th century launched a written history of baseball that transformed the game into a “national symbol” of American culture, a “guardian” of America’s traditional values, and as a “gateway” to an idealized past. (Skolnik 3) No American sport has a history as long—or as romanticized—as that of the game referred to as our “national pastime.”

    Read More

  • Thank You M'am, by Langston Hughes and The Storyteller, by H.H. Munro (Saki)

    744 Words  | 2 Pages

    Theme is the underlying power beneath a story; the “force” that makes the whole experience worthwhile. Theme is “an idea or message that the writer wishes to convey” (Holt 874). A theme can be either stated or implied. A stated theme is a theme “that the other expresses directly in his work (protic.net); an implied theme is a theme “that is not directly stated in the work” (protic.net). As mentioned before, both of these stories have an implied theme, which now is revealed to mean that the author of the story insinuated it. Themes exist in all stories (verbal or written) and can be long, short, true or false. “Earth people will beat out any other intelligent life-form in any and all competitions” is a theme, but “good always beats evil” is one too. “Once upon a time . . .” stories have themes too, except they are more one-dimensional. For example,...

    Read More

  • Comparing Two Great Directors: Roman Polanski and Pedro Almodovar

    1503 Words  | 4 Pages

    When speaking of themes, Polanski’s main theme in the movie is human isolation, and most of his movies are quite sad and about lonely people. Almodovar’s themes are more about human chemistry, relationships between different people and families. Sexuality and desire is important for Almodovar’s movies.

    Read More

  • Social Psychology Concepts in the Movie A League of Their Own

    532 Words  | 2 Pages

    Schemas, the mental structures that we use to organize information around us, were predominate in the movie (Aronson, Wilson & Akert, 2013). The schema of what a professional baseball payer looked like was not what was around to play. All the men were off fighting the war so when the women started playing they did not fit the schema of what most people saw as a baseball player (Marshall, 1992).

    Read More

  • Social Issues in America in Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

    883 Words  | 2 Pages

    Americans have become addicted to gaining quick rewards of satisfaction through sports and action because they want to be entertained thoroughly without needing to ponder any hidden meaning so it doesn’t take away from the pure entertainment of the action. In his time, Bradbury was fearful of the way that the television’s empty shows were in invading every home in America. The culture in the novel demands for “everything (to be boiled) down to the rag, the snap ending” (Bradbury 52), leaving nothing for the viewer to ponder; they would rather enjoy themselves “a solid entertainment” (Bradbury 58). The same is true in today’s movies and shows, in which most must contain many action scenes in order to keep the viewer’s attention, and the meaning and symbols must be clearly spelled out for them. This is also why Bradbury includes sports as being the main focus of schools in his story, since th...

    Read More

  • Things Fall Apart Theme Essay

    1621 Words  | 4 Pages

    For an abundance of authors, the driving force that aids them in creation of a novel is the theme or number of themes implemented throughout the novel. Often times the author doesn’t consciously identify the theme they’re trying to present. Usually a theme is a concept, principle or belief that is significant to an author. Not only does the theme create the backbone of the story, but it also guides the author by controlling the events that happen in a story, what emotions are dispersed, what are the actions of characters, and what emotions are presented within each environment to engage the readers in many

    Read More

More about Field Of Dreams Themes

Open Document