Hum 231:…Thematic Elements cont.

THEMATIC ELEMENTS….cont….focus on ideas

Moral Implications

  • Films that make a moral statement for the intention of convincing the audience of the wisdom and practicality of moral principles….thus persuading the audience to apply the moral principles to our lives.

 

The Truth of Human Nature

  • Films that have their characters take on significance beyond themselves and the context of the film. These character is a representative of humanity….the characters serve as cinematic vehicles to illustrate the universal truth about human nature

 

Social Problems

  • Films that focuses on social problems…by exposing social vices or criticizes social institutions.

 

 The Struggle for Human Dignity

  • Films that display a basic conflict or tension between two opposing sides of human nature…

One side is the desire to surrender to animal instincts and wallowing in human slime of weakness, cowardice, brutality, stupidity and sensuality

The other side is the struggle to stand tall, to display courage, sensitivity, intelligence, a spiritual and moral sense and strong individualism

         This conflict may be external…character struggling against some dehumanizing force, system, institution, or attitude

This conflict may be internal…character struggling for dignity against the human weaknesses presented in his or her own personality

 

Complexity of Human Relationships

  • Films that focuses on the problems frustrations, pleasures, and joys of human relationships: love, friendship, marriage, divorce, family interactions, sexuality…

 

Coming of Age/Loss of Innocence/Growing Awareness

  • Major character or characters that are (usually young…but not always)…going through experiences that force them to become more mature or gain to awareness of themselves in relation to the world around them…

A Moral or Philosophical Riddle

  • Films that intentionally strive to evoke a variety of subjective interpretation by developing a film around a riddle or puzzling quality…the story/film attempts to mystify instead of communicating clearly…thus the film pose a moral or philosophical question(s) rather than provide answers..