Monday, May 23, 2016
Places in the Heart
So, I imagine you've noticed that this film does not have an especially clear plot. Whether Edna will be able to hold on to her house stands out most prominently but other matters such as her sister's marriage and the prospect of Moze's future also are up in the air. And then there is that storm brewing.... So, what does the film seem to be about in this welter of stories? What is the general thrust of the action half way through the film?
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Yes, this does seem to be a very much character driven film. The only real motive for our main character right now is to get money to pay off her house (and the wellbeing of her children). Although we do not know the effects that this storm could have, it will most likely hurt Edna's prospects of cotton growing. And with her being religious, whatever happens she will take it as a sign from God. So even though the storm could cause a lot of damage, it could lead for good fortune if she believes that this is what God wants.
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ReplyDeleteJoanie Dorfman
Like the Apostle, this is a very character-driven narrative. The characters create the plot, not the other way around. In fact, the plot's main purpose seems to act as a catalyst to push this odd cast of characters together and highlight their emotional struggles. This story isn't one about a woman trying to regain her farm; it's one about the emotional conflicts of a town and how these hardship both teat them apart and bring them together. The plot only serves to make such an analysis of these characters possible.
So far, in the welter of stories, I believe the the common theme is the value of trust. In the first scene, we see Edna’s husband get shot and she is saddened because all of their family’s income came from his police work and buisnesses. She put her trust in him to make money for the family in order for them to survive, so now there is a huge hole of money that needs to be filled. In a couple of scenes later, we see Moze plead to help Edna and hopefully, work for her. She doesn’t budge and when her back is turned, he steals some spoons from her house. Later, when Moze is caught, she defends him, but trusts him to help and give her knowledge creating a cotton field business and not steal anything else. There are so many other scenes that involve the trust in one another. The value of trust can be seen in the later scene at the party and when Edna trusts Will to live in her house and not mess up anything.
ReplyDeleteThe general focus of the film seems to be how we cope with accidents, bad luck, and less than ideal situations. Early in the film, we see two funerals happening simultaneously fundamentally because of the same accident. Both Royce and the man who shot him were doomed the moment that bullet left the gun. The men who lynched Wylie for manslaughter obviously are guilty, but given the setting of the movie, he died as a direct result of an accident. Each of the issues, including the whole depression, was basically just an accident. The movie shows how people cope with plain old bad luck.
ReplyDeleteAt this point, the film is still very character driven, but I think the plot will contain more action going forward. The first part that we watched today helped the viewer understand the different people and their relationships to one another. I think all of the conflicts that are being set up will collide and the plot lines will intertwine. The storm could be the catalyst for the action that will ensue. However, I think the film will closely follow Edna's personal growth, and that will continue to be the main focus of the film. Edna does not seem to have come to terms with her husband's death yet, so that will most likely resurface, and it will be interesting to see how Edna's relationships with Will and Moze develop.
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ReplyDeleteI think that the film is about the people of the town's luck and it might be about how god chooses to let certain events happen. Maybe, depending on how each character reponds to their struggle and if they remain faithful, then God will help the faithful characters. This film also has a lot to do with racism and sexism. Mrs. Spalding faces a very long list of men that enter her home, without her husband to protect her. She also is painted as incompetent, but is a quick learner. Female stereotypes are not denied in this movie. The black characters are very important, so in 1984 maybe the moviemaker wanted to put depth in a black actor, not necessarily prove or deny stereotypes.
ReplyDeleteI think the general idea of the film is how the characters will get through tragedy. Nearly all the characters we've encountered have faced some sort of tragedy. Will was blinded in the war, and can't live without being treated like a different person. Edna lost her husband and now has to face the hardship of living without him while trying to provide for herself and her family. Moses has been treated horribly as it seems. Edna's sister's husband is cheating on her, despite her not knowing it yet, but when she finds out I imagine her sadness will be overwhelming. So, with all these characters facing tragedy, I thin the film will show how they work past these tragedies and go on living their lives successfully.
ReplyDeleteI think the general plot or idea of the story is about how each character can handle the changes and unfortunate events that occur in the movie. Edna we obviosly see how she is coping with the death of her husband. At first she continues to be the average women of the time a very kind and hospital person. But she still wants to hold on to her family and her property. We see the towns folk react by maliciously killing the African American boy. Moses has to deal with the fact that the town doesn't like him because he Black. When Edna's son tells how an African American killed his dad instead of getting mad Moses just changes the subject to the rabbit's foot.
ReplyDeleteI think this is a character driven movie. There are many subplots and stories going on at once that make it hard to hone in a single goal or direction that the movie is moving towards. However, this loose plot gives the movie more "leverage" to explore a variety of different themes and subjects, such as marriage and remaining faithful to ones partner. There is a more broad theme of race which is presented in the first scene with both a African American family amd a white family eating a the dining table, and both families burying loved ones. This movie has presented us with dilemmas such as financial problems to marriage problems and also race problems. It is unclear to me how these all connect as of now but I am sure there will be some connections between the themes and issues later on in the movie.
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