The Village Essay

English Essay Plan
Discuss how at least one feature film studied in class this year makes a comment about society.
Ideas:
1. People and groups lock themselves away from world when they are afraid i.e close down borders.
2. Fear is instilled through education and becomes irrational.
3. Those who have knowledge in society have power (fear is a control mechanism). Appropriate Evidence:
1. Camera looking out of house to outside.
Elders sitting in closed circle.
Tight camera angles as fear grows – threat closing in on borders.
2. Recurring motif of red as the 'bad colour'.
Noises from forest – sound convention. People at dinner table go silent.
3. Black boxes symbolise power.
Camera angles looking up at Elders + Noah.
Noah laughing – is a game to him because he knows.

Films often reflect commentary about the pressing issues facing society of the time. Following the events of the 2001 World Trade Centre terrorist attacks, some film-makers have incorporated ideas of fear, power and 'others' into their works. The Village, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan in 2004, was influenced by the attacks, and although it seems to be set in the late 19 th century, is actually a present day story. The plot follows the journey of Ivy
Walker and Lucius Hunt as they seek to unravel the truth behind their existence and try to save their future as a couple. Shyamalan explores ideas such as the fear of others, the irrational forms fear takes on and the exploitation of power. Through the use of audio and visual conventions, and symbolism, Shyamalan presents a statement about a contemporary society surrounded by fear.
A contemporary characteristic of many western nations is their readiness to close down their borders to keep outsiders away from their shores to maintain prosperity and safety. In America, a prime example of this was the measures the nation took to protect its national security following 9/11, including the founding of the Department of Homeland Security, random civilian searches and for three days the almost complete shut down of domestic flights in the country. Longer term, this has led to stricter airline security and an overall awareness of the threat from outside. The Village takes this protective element of society and conveys it to the extreme, in which a group of people who have each experienced a societal trauma, lock themselves and their families inside a reserve. The film-maker explores this idea of defence in numerous scenes using repetitive visual techniques. For example, in the scene in which villagers return from beyond the border for a wedding,
Shyamalan uses a narrow camera angle to look through the door of one of the houses and into the unknown of the forest, the door being a frequent motif of a gateway between the village and the outside world. The tight camera angle creates a sense of claustrophobia and isolation showing the villagers aren't willing to pass through this gateway, as they fear what lies beyond. If they knew that nothing was going to harm them, they would have no reason to be scared. To protect themselves from the unseen entities, they wear yellow cloaks when venturing near the forest to discourage the creatures, and also have poles with fire on top surrounding the edge of the dwelling. The actions the villagers take to ensure their safety reflects the measures America took to protect itself from the outside threat. Similarly, this notion of isolation is depicted in the scene in which the Elders conduct a meeting in a small circle.
The circle is a symbol of having no beginning or end, but also of being confined and not allowing escape or entry. The Elders, being in charge of the community, are similar to the governing body of a country and hold an extreme version of some western countries' policies on border protection and migrant and refugee intake. Their small circle reflects their mentality on allowing others in or out, wanting to maintain the prosperity and culture they have created, similar

Show More

The village Essay

The Village Theme Essays

Essay On Urban Village

Essay On Village Theatre

The Deserted Village Essay

Essay about Lottery: Village and Sacrifice

Essay Jing: Employment and Westminster Village

Summer Olympic Games and Olympic Village Essay

An Analytical Essay: The Village Of La Paz

alpine village case study Essay example