English

ENGLISH ESSAY

Being foreign to a certain group, place or setting or simply being different. These are just some of the notions explored in the elective area of study, ‘the outsider’, a notion, which is well explored through the two studied text, ‘the awakening’ a nineteenth century novel by Kate Chopin and a 2002 film ‘far from heaven’ by Todd Haynes. Both texts correspondingly convey a similar idea of an individual’s self-actualisation and inner desire to breach their societal constrains obligatory to the context of setting.

The text ‘the awakening’ portrays the novella of the protagonist Edna Pontellier, a typical creole woman whose self-contained personality is evidently parallel to her societies expectations in being a model mother and wife hence setting her as the outsider in her archetypal high-end community. Chopin embodies an omniscient narrative structure in order to present a gradual lead up to Edna’s ‘awakening’ or in other sense her gradual detachment from her constrains of her society.

Life is a gradual and inevitable process, a process that can transform an individual’s life completely and perhaps place them in a position which inevitably labelling them as an outsider. This idea is strongly presented through the ‘the awakening’ as the text conveys the concept of the inevitability of our fate through the idea that the things we desire so much and love are often substituted with something that’s simply just adequate. As the text supports this with Edna’s description of her and Leonce’s marriage as the ‘climax of her fate’ metaphorically highlighting their spontaneously mistaken marriage. This concept of un-satisfaction is foreshadowed in the early stages of text through the symbolic presentation of the caged birds constantly wanting to escape representing Edna’s social constrains and inner urge to free herself from the life she un-wanting conforms to.

Another issue raised through the text is the discriminatory treatment and classification of woman in the context of setting as woman were often seen of as a personally possession to their husbands symbolically representing the lack of rights and equality inherent in the studied context. This again highlights Edna’s struggle for identity hence again placing her as an evident outsider in her community and family. This furthermore correlates to the concept that every person has a certain tendency to cooperate and abide by various laws or beliefs or as shown in ‘the awakening’, the constrains of their society. This is evident as Chopin’s illustrates this through Edna’s gradual ‘awakening’ or self-actualisation, which is first introduced through Edna’s dual life – ‘the outward existence that conforms and inward life that questions’ which metaphorically presents Edna’s juxtaposing life in the sense she can unwillingly conform to her outward existence as an outsider yet question her life itself by her inward life hence her inner thoughts and mind. Edna’s complete awakening is presented through the concept of her swimming out to sea and inevitably drowning in deep water yet this symbolically representing her suicide as an escape from the constrain of not only her marriage but her life itself. This metaphorically highlights the concept of her awakening through suicide in the paradoxical sense of her dismissal as Chopin does not highlight the drowning as an accident or intentional thus leaving doubt to believe multiple causes and effects of her death.

Furthermore the notion of ‘the outsider’ is similarly depicted through the text ‘far from heaven’ a film based upon a 1950s setting, which explores the notion of the social and racial issues facing society in the context of setting, 1950s. The film reflects a contemporary depiction of a rather rational illustration of social discrimination of different individuals who classify as outsiders due to various racial and sexual views. The general idea of social injustice evidently contracts to modern society in the sense of evolution of acceptability of concepts such as homosexuality or discrimination. Never the less issues such, as these are still inherent in current society hence this is the composer’s main motif of production as he aims to raise awareness for equality between both racially equality and sexual views. Thus embodies the juxtaposition of the racial and sexual issues to highlight these issues.

Hayne introduces this notion of inequality through the opening of the text as he signifies the apparent model society of New Heaven in the opening mise en scene whilst metaphorically foreshadowing the façade of this notion through the title ‘far from heaven’. Hayne emphasises this façade through the life of Kathy Whittaker, who is shown as the archetypal 1950’s perfect house wife yet contrastingly having emotions for a African American man and as shown makes her evident outsiders in the sense of her difference to the rest of her community. The notion of this façade lifestyle is also correspondingly presented through Kathy husband Frank, publicised as a model successful man yet juxtaposes to befalls as an outsider due to his sexual intentions.

These evident differences in the main characters sparks a decay in the relationship of Mr and Mrs Whittaker of which is symbolically presented by the autumn leaves and the Kathy’s scarf flying away and thus frequently highlighted by half-lit shots used to represent Frank. This notion of being an outsider is also comprehensively shown through the treatment and discrimination of African American as outsiders as this heavily emphasises by the symbolic representation of the pool being deem contaminated as of the young African child goes into it highlighting the gratitude and racial inequality evident in the context.

Hence both studies text, ‘the awakening’ and ‘far from heaven’ explore a similar understanding of the area of study ‘the outsider’. As both texts heavily reflect issues and ideas that do and often can deem an individual as an outsider.

Word count: 945