Alice Munro has built a career on creating narratives that bring so much complexity amidst its characters as well as remaining true to the structure of a short story. Never has she felt the need to write a full-length novel but none of the works she has in her repertoire necessarily need it. The comparison of Munro's "The Bear Came Over the Mountain" and Sarah Polley's film adaptation gives us a greater understanding of the influence short stories have within film. There is also the challenge of how directors must expand or limit specifics of the story due to the translation from the written to visual. This translation affects the story in multiple aspects, more particularly with how faithful Polley attempts to remain to the original story; …show more content…
This relationship is altered in Polley's film as a way to draw in audiences and allow for the romantic relationship that Hollywood cinema is notorious for. She establishes that there are two narrative structures within the film, a love story and a discovery story. The one that is most evident in the film is the love story, where Polley places emphasis on the lifestyle that Grant and Fiona have built around one another. This is seen in the opening sequence of the couple cross-country skiing, which would establish how their relationship would play out within the film. They begin to ski in tandem with each other, then separate, and later come back together. By incorporating this scene open the film, it is unconsciously planting in the audience the trajectory of the film: unity, separation and back to unity. In the film, they are seen together living their usual lives amidst their cabin happy. Then when Fiona's condition appears to be worsening, we see how their separation begins as Grant takes her to Meadowlake. This separation continues on when Aubrey becomes Fiona's center of attention, leaving Grant to feel cheated, ironically. The couple's unity is only evident in the final scene between the two when she embraces him. "You could have just driven away," she said. "Just driven away without a care in the world and forsook me. Forsooken me. Forsaken" … "He said, "Not a chance". This final interaction allows for the conclusion that Grant may never be able to just leave his wife alone at Meadowlake, but could allow her to lead another life from their own. Maintaining this theme of coming together or closure throughout the film is how Polley also allows for this other narrative to play out; Grant's narrative of
Sarah Polley’s film Stories We Tell is as much about how we interpret images – what we take as “true” – as it is about how we remember. Through a close analysis of the film discuss what you think the film sets out to do and how it achieves these aims. In answering this question you might also want to look at reviews of the film.
... to find his wife..as characters find what they are looking for they leave the boarding house..thus the audience can predict what's going to happen as they read.." ( Ross 37).
The film Wendy and Lucy, directed by Kelly Reichardt, presents a sparse narrative. The film has been criticised for its lack of background story, and as a short film, much of the story is left to the viewer to infer from what is presented in the plot. However, Wendy and Lucy is able to depict the intimate relationship between Wendy and her dog as well as reflecting more broadly on the everyday, and commenting on the current economic state of the film’s setting in America. This essay will examine how film form contributes to the viewer’s awareness of the story in Wendy and Lucy and allows a deeper understanding of the themes presented. The aspects of mise-en-scene, shot and editing and sound in the film will be explored.
Diane Glancy is an award winning American author. She grew up in Kansas City, Missouri, in a part Cherokee household which is what inspires her interest in teaching and writing about the Native American heritage. Glancy is from Native American descent and is also a Christian. Glancy is known for her ability to incorporate both genres into her writings. In Glany’s 1996 novel, Pushing the Bear, Glancy uses a historical novel to depict the journey of the Native American’s that walked the trail of tears. The two main characters of this novel are Maritole and Knobowtee. They are a married Cherokee couple from North Carolina. Not only does the Trail of Tears take a toll on them physically, but the trail puts their relationship to the test. Through the marriage of Knobowtee and Maritole, Glancy shows the
Grant is a character introduced as Jefferson’s old teacher. His aunt Tante Lou is friends with Jefferson’s godmother Miss Emma. Miss Emma asks Grant to go and visit and talk to Jefferson. Miss Emma knows that Jefferson must be going through hard times, being depressed knowing that he is simply waiting for the day of his death. Grant agrees to help and talk to Jefferson so that he dies a man; however deep down inside him Grant questions whether he can actually help Jefferson. Grant is not a happy person; he questions what he really wants in life. However Grant continues to visit Jefferson and attempts to help him, it seems...
Distinctively visual language and cinematic techniques highlight to the responder the particular literal and metaphorical experiences characters are faced with, within a text. Peter Goldsworthy’s novel Maestro, Don McLean’s song ‘Vincent’ and the intriguing film Australia by Baz Luhrrman, explore the ways in which the human experiences of an individual’s connection to landscape is fundamental in shaping one’s sense of identity, personal growth and development. Composers further explore the realisation that our lives can be enriched by an understanding and appreciation of art as well as a deeper understanding of the importance of love and lust. The depiction of characters is conveyed through distinctively visual images to highlight the subsequent development of courage and resilience leads responders to a deeper understanding of how human experiences can create a sense of individuality.
In Alice Munro’s “Boys and Girls” she tells a story about a young girl’s resistance to womanhood in a society infested with gender roles and stereotypes. The story takes place in the 1940s on a fox farm outside of Jubilee, Ontario, Canada. During this time, women were viewed as second class citizens, but the narrator was not going to accept this position without a fight.
The relationship between Kiki Belsey and Carlene Kipps begins with the relationship of their children, a union vehemently opposed by both families, and more specifically both fathers. The two families are incompatible in almost every conceivable way. The Kipps are wealthy, conservative, and aesthetically beautiful, while the Belseys are middle-class, liberal, and plain. Despite these differences, and in direct defiance of their husbands and children, in the time of greatest need in both their lives, these two women each become exactly what the other needs, a friend.
Roses are red, violets are blue, Snow White has changed, everything’s new. This is a different beginning than the original story of Little Snow White by the Grimm Brothers and retold by the director Rupert Sanders, in the movie Snow White and the Huntsman. The original story portrays Snow White as a beautiful, but naive, young woman, leading up to her eating a poisoned apple from the evil queen. The evil queen has been jealous of Snow White after she has grown up and become more beautiful. Although in both the story and the movie, Snow White eats a poisoned apple, Snow White in Snow White and the Huntsman is portrayed as more brave and courageous, even after she wakes up from the poisoned apple. In the end, both the story and the movie show that Snow White’s triumphs out rules all, no matter what is thrown at her, but the difference is in how. While there are many common motifs across the story and the movie; Gender roles have changed over time, as shown in the
"All of it is clear to a person who has understanding and right to those who have acquired knowledge." (Proverbs 8:6-9)
Throughout time the way we visualize things has changed. When the Brothers Grimm’s created “Little Snow White” in 1812 they did not have any way to visually show their ideas to the public. They could not just make a movie or hire an illustrator to bring life to their words. So instead they relied on their readers to use their own imagination to create the characters and scenarios throughout the s...
Alice Munro’s “Boys and Girls” is a story about a girl that struggles against society’s ideas of how a girl should be, only to find her trapped in the ways of the world.
Curiosity is the wick in the candle of learning and also the basis of education. Curiosity had killed the cat indeed, however the cat died nobly. Lives of Girls and Women is a novel written by Nobel Prize Literature winner, Alice Munro. This novel is about a young girl, Del Jordan, who lives on Flats Road, Ontario. The novel is divided into eight chapters; and each chapter refers to a new, unique event in Del's life. As an overall analysis of the book reveals that Del Jordan's intriguing curiosity has helped her throughout her life, and enabled her to gain further knowledge The character is often seen in scenarios where her attention is captivated, and through the process of learning she acquires information in order to her answers her questions about particular subjects. There are many examples in the book that discuss Del’s life, and how she managed to gain information, as well as learn different methods of learning along the way.
In her short story “Deep-Holes,” author Alice Munro vividly describes Sally, a mother of three children who is married to Alex a famous and successful geologist. Munro describes Sally as a admirable woman with impeccable traits that has accepted her role in society. Sally is selfless and willing when it comes to providing for her husband and children, she often has to multi-task with all the work she is accountable for. With enthusiasm and grace, Sally is able to excel at her duties and responsibilities as a mother,wife and women. Sally is capable of seeing hope in a troublesome and uncomfortable situation, her optimism shines within her personality.
Born in 1931 to a fox farmer and a school teacher, Alice Munro lived “just beyond the most disreputable part of town” and wrote short stories in her spare time. She grew up to attend the University of Western Ontario to study English and Journalism but dropped out to move to Vancouver with her husband. She published her first short story collection in 1968 titled Dance of the Happy Shades. Afterwards she gained recognition for her short story collections, including three awards from the Governor’s General Literary Awards (Britannica, 2018). “[Short stories are] often sort of brushed off in general, you know, as something people do before they write their first novel.