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SCENE ANALYSIS
In order for students to effectively study or analyze a scene from the film,
they
will need some guidance and practice. Be sure to review the LANGUAGE OF FILM
and CAMERA SHOTS in this guide. In analyzing a scene, it is important to watch it more than
once. Different students might be assigned to be on the lookout for different
elements. Those elements might include: camera angles, camera movement, music, sound
effects, lighting, wardrobe, setting, expressions, etc.
Confrontation
at the jail
DVD Chapter 21 The
Lynch Mob 1:01:33
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The scene begins with Jem, Scout
and Dill in the bushes, looking from
a distance, at their father who sits
alone outside the jail the night
before the trial is to begin. Atticus
expects trouble, and sure enough a
number of cars pull up and men with
guns get out. The men, one of
whom is Walter Cunningham, intend
to lynch Tom Robinson. (Notice
how
calm Atticus is in the face of the
threats.) The children quickly make
their way to the front of the mob.
Atticus, surprised to see them, tells
them to go home, but Jem refuses.
A brief scuffle ensues, after which
the children move from the crowd
up to the area where Atticus is.
It’s at that moment that Scout
recognizes Mr. Cunningham and
engages in a polite conversation
which quickly defuses the incident.
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Analysis of this Scene:
There is an establishing
shot in the dead of night in which Atticus reads a book under a lamp.
Here Atticus sits surrounded by darkness and engulfed by the lone light
of his lamp. It gives a metaphoric
impression that he is a man protecting the light of truth in a dark and
hostile environment. Many of the
camera angles used for Atticus are low angle
shots. This fact seems important
for two reasons. First, we see
Atticus the same way the children would seem him.
In other words we are forced to look up at him in the same way Scout of
Jem would. Second, the angle
enhances the sense of stability we feel from Atticus and helps support the
fundamental strength of his ideas.1
More
here in perspective.
See
bibliography for all source material cited here
©2003
Frank W. Baker
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