Forthisanalysis,youwillneedtoextendthereachofyourinterpretationintoareasoutsidethemovieitself.
Ratherthansimplyexplainingthatacertainobjectissymbolicorwhyacertaincharactersaysacertainline,you
willshowmehowthatsymbolismorhowthatlineofdialoguecreatesalargerholisticmeaningforthemovie
thatrelatestotherealworldinsomeway(thiscanbeANYaspectofourworld,bytheway).Inotherwords,
youareattemptingtoexplainwhatoneofthemoviessaysaboutourlives,theworldwelivein,orrealityin
general.Iwanttoseethatyoucantakenumerousaspectsofamovie,dissectthem,andthenpatchthemall
togethersothatyouhavesupportforassertingthatthemoviehasanoverarchingmeaningthatrelatestothe
realworld(and,ofcourse,sothatyoucanexplainwhatthatbiggermeaningis).
Youcouldapproachthemoviethroughanynumberofotherequallyvalidwindowsofinterpretation,including
butnotlimitedto:
popularculture/culturalstudies(whichcanincludestudiesofrace,gender,sexuality,class,etc.withinaspecific
culturalgrouplikeAmericans,forexample)
sociologyoranthropology(whichcanincludestudiesofrace,gender,sexuality,class,etc.asapplytopeople
acrossculturesi.e.,humanityatlarge)
politics(whichcanincludewarandeconomicissues)
filmtheoryand/orphilosophy
othermovies(intertextuality)
religionandspirituality
scientificinquiryandscientificprogress
Solongasyouaregivingmeananalysisofthefilmanditsoverarchingmeaningand,further,relatingthat
meaningtotheworldaroundus,youwillbeaccomplishingtheassignment.
Inordertomoreeffectivelysupportyourassertionsastothemovie’smeaning,youshouldprobablycite
literarycriticswhohavepreviouslywrittenonthemovieORonthesubjectthatyoubelievethemoviedeals
with.Findoutwhatotherscholars(yes,you’reascholar)havesaidabouttheparticularfilm/topicyou’re
analyzing.Seehowwhatthey’vesaidmightbesimilarordifferenttowhatyou’dliketosaythosesimilarities
anddifferenceswillbepointsforyoutoexpandoninyourpaper.Indeed,byutilizingthescholarshipofother
literarycritics,youmakeyouranalysismoreforceful,morefocused,andmorerelevanttothepeoplewhomight
beinterestedinreadingaboutthissubject(thestoryyou’veanalyzed).
Examplesofpreviouspapersinclude:
anargumentthatTheShiningisafilmaboutaboutdomesticabuse
anexaminationofphilosophicalideasofjusticeandrevengeinANightmareonElmStreet
astudyoftheroleofsexandsexualityinHalloweenandAmericanPsycho
adiscussionoftheeffectsoffirstpersonperspectiveinhorrormoviessuchasJawsorHalloween
Requirements:
57fullpages
12pointfont,doublespaced
35secondarysources
