Marji's Transformation

Marji's identity is greatly altered during the course of the novel, Persepolis. Marji starts out as a
young 10 year old girl who identifies strongly with her spiritual/religious side, but she also identifies herself as a modern girl living in Iran. Before the revolt in Iran, she had her own spiritual side and often had conversations with God. During the time before and during the revolt, her spiritual side was not imposed on her, but it was her own decision to be involved with God. She was also very involved with modernizing the country and that side of her was fueled by her family's drive to do the same. The frame of Marji split at the beginning of the novel effectively shows the even split between her modern side, and her religious side. On the right, the background is filled with a traditional middle eastern design, and her vail is fully covering her hair and body. The other side shows her in western dress and her hair is uncovered. The background shows symbols of construction and technology which imply that the other side of her is interested in progressing and modernizing.

As her life progresses, the revolt is successful and a religious regime takes control over the government. Marji starts being forced to wear a veil, and religion is taught very strictly in school. We see Marji slowly loose faith in her spirituality. The more religion is forced onto her, the more removed she becomes from it. The regime is based on religion and morals, yet they are killing innocent people for rejecting their rule. Marji recognizes the hypocrisy that the government's religion is implementing, and that is a huge reason, I think, why she begins to identify more with the modern side of herself. Later in the novel she has her parents bring back western things from Turkey and she excitedly prepares to go out wearing her new clothes. The frame posted to the right shows her outfit. This frame reminded me a lot of the first frame I posted. There is a stark contrast betwween the traditional veil and the modern dress, just like the contrast in the first frame. I also see a major difference though. In the first frame, the veil was shown as a different side of her, and the veil was worn very conservatively covering her entire head and body. Only her face was exposed. In the second frame we see Marji wearing a jean jacket and a Michael Jackson pin, symbols of the western world at the time. While she is again wearing a veil, here she wears it purposefully showing some of her hair, and the veil is loosely tied around her neck. The veil no longer represents a part of her. In this frame she is wearing it because it is a rule, but even still she does everything she can to make it as modern as possible.

During the course of her life that the novel depicts, Marji loses touch with her spiritual side. This transformation is greatly catalyzed by the strict religious regime. As Marji grew into an adolescent, her tendency to rebel grew and opportunities to rebel multiplied. Marji was hardly determining her own future, as her only choice due to the combination the strict regime and her progressive family was to be rebellious.

Film Noir Stills

Film Noir movies often provide a sense of the mood by creating a scene using mise en scene techniques. L.A. Confidential and Double Indemnity are both Film Noir movies that use mise en scene to display the feeling of despair and hopelessness. They both effectively use sets, lighting, costumes, and actors facial expressions to emit this mood. Everything in the frame is thoroughly thought out.

The top still is from the movie L.A. confidential and shows Exley pushing a rape-victim down a hall in a wheelchair. Her face is in the center of the shot, which is generally unusual to see, but I think that this placement in the thin gap in between walls shows an entrapment. In this scene we find out she made up a part of her story in order to get the justice she deserved, and the framing shows that she felt she had no other choice, and was forced to make the decision. The hallway is also very dark, with just a bit of light seeping onto the ceiling in the back of the shot. The dark lighting leads to an ominous feel. Additionally, the characters both have very serious, saddened faces which leaves the viewer feeling that this is a serious dark scene.

The second still is from Double Indemnity. This still reminded me a lot of the still I talked about in L.A. Confidential. Like the previous still, this still also has very dark lighting, with just some light seeping through the windows onto the back walls. It too created a very ominous feeling. Walter is framed in a narrow opening between two walls just like the characters in L.A. Confidential. He also was trapped in a way. Once he got involved in this scheme, he really had no way out. This still has more too it than the previous though. In the forefront of the still, we see Phyllis lounging back onto her chair. This too creates a weird feeling for the viewer. It seems that Phyllis's body language is saying "I've been waiting for you." It leaves the viewer with a creepy feeling. Both stills do a great job of leaving the viewers with a creepy, ominous feeling that Film Noir movies intend to create.

Minority Report Still

In dividing this still into a grid of thirds, it is possible to analyze what the director intends the viewer to have their eyes drawn to. The two paths lie on the two vertical lines of thirds. Additionally, the two men's heads are placed at the two bottom cross-sections. Immediately, my eye was drawn towards the mens heads. From there I was able to trace where they are looking down towards the paths. Then my eyes followed the paths till the edge of the screen. The director most likely set up this arrangement so that the viewer can clearly see from the perspective of the police. Because the first thing you notice is the police, and then you notice what they are looking at, and how they are unsuccessfully scanning for John.

Additionally, this scene is set up to be very symmetric. I think that the symmetry has a strategic purpose. Because of how symmetric the still is, the viewer gets the feeling that everything looks the same. You can't distinguish one side from the other, let alone recognize John Anderton. The viewer can then determine how the guards are at a loss at this point, so John and Agatha were able to get away.

Movies I've Seen This Summer

Mud
The Purge
Insidious 2
Minority Report
Safe Haven
Notebook
Despicable Me 2
Silver Lining Playbook
Mean Girls
The Graduate
Exorcist