Pulp Fiction Narrative
Name: Jonathan Kadish (567731)
Module: ENGL 3004
Tutor: Prof. G. Gaylard
Elective: Celluloid Metafiction
Due date: 16 August 2013
Topic: Write a critical analysis of the significance of the non-linear narrative of Pulp Fiction.
English 3004: Post Modernism Pulp Fiction This essay will discuss the many original and revolutionary themes as well as cinematic techniques employed by Quentin Tarantino in his film Pulp Fiction, with particular emphasis on the use of non-linear narrative and its significance. I will further elucidate the reasoning behind why many critics label this film as the ‘archetypal postmodern film’.
There are two predominant styles of narration available …show more content…
to writer’s namely linear and non-linear narratives. The main difference between linear and non-linear narrative is that linear narrative progresses before you in a neat and fluid manner and allows the viewer to watch as the movie progresses in a logical chronological sequence from one scene to the next from the beginning to the end of the film. A Linear plot begins at point A, progresses through events which build towards a climax, and then finally reaching point B. A non-linear narrative on the other hand is a non-chronological sequence of events, one of its functions being to keep the audience engaged and alert. It forces them to be sharp witted as they have to place the scenes of the narrative together to create a logical chronological sequence and make sense of the movie. Nonlinear narratives take a non-chronological approach to time, reflecting the psychological process of memory. It is often used to mimic the structure and recall of human memory, but has been applied to films for various other reasons as well.
The filming of movies is not done in chronological sequence which is why it is the director’s and editor’s job to place the scenes in chronological order after all the scenes of the movie have been filmed if they choose to make it a linear narrative. If they choose to make it a non-linear narrative however the director’s and editor’s leave a substantial portion of the film in terms of the chronological order to be rationalised by the audience which is a revolutionary and postmodern idea. One of the defining characteristics of postmodernism is to challenge the conventional manner of operating, which Tarantino does in this film by adopting the non-linear form of narration. Pulp Fiction was certainly not the first non-linear movie of all time but it is one of the renowned non-linear films as it is a master class in how to execute non-linearity successfully in a film. In order for the viewer to fully grasp the depth of the non-linear narratives’ significance and meaning, a simple prima facie viewing of the film will not suffice.
The initial significance of the non-linear narrative lies on the very surface and is easily observed and understood by the viewer. The significance of the non-linear narrative in Pulp Fiction is far more layered and complex than merely stating that it is endorsed by Tarantino to induce the postmodernist characteristic of contravening the quotidian way of operating or stating that it also mimics the structure of human memory. I would argue that Tarantino’s use of non-linear narrative is far more multifaceted in terms of its significance than merely for the reasons stated in the previous sentence. The more sophisticated and arguably the more intended reasoning for Tarantino’s choice of non-linear narrative is that non-linear narrative requires the audience in order to progress and is therefore incomplete without the audience’s interaction. This narration technique heightens the immersion for many viewers by creating a bridge between the narrative world and reality. The burden of rationalising the events which unfold during the film is shifted onto the viewer and it becomes the viewers’ job to put into correct order this ‘shuffled deck’ of …show more content…
cards.
Flashbacks are a device endorsed by the screenwriter in linear as well as non-linear narrative films which provides the reader and audience with visual information that he or she cannot incorporate into the screenplay any other way. The purpose of the flashback is to bridge time, place and action to reveal information about the character. He has a flashback just before he is going to fight and the theme he takes away most prominently from it is that of heroism and this is the main reason he decides to not only win the fight but to bestow upon his opponent a fatal bout.
One of the many revolutionary ideas in this movie is the cinematic technique of role reversal not only by forcing the viewer to rearrange the non-chronological sequence of events into a chronological and congruent sequence of events but also it places the viewer into the plot by using several point of view camera angles. When Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are parked outside Brett’s apartment and go to the boot to arm themselves for the imminent murder scene, the cameraman is inside the boot which is symbolic of the cameraman being the victim and at the mercy of the villains.
The cameraman waits at the door of Brett’s apartment obsequiously like a victim told to “wait there and don’t move a muscle” would do as Jules and Vince walk down the passage, to further discuss whether a foot massage really means something, as it isn’t time to enter the apartment yet.
The three most noticeable scenes which humanise the two hit men are: When we see Jules and Vincent cleaning up the car after they accidentally kill a man in broad daylight rather than taking it to get cleaned by someone who’s on the inside so to speak.
The scene outside Brett’s apartment where Jules says to Vincent, ‘Let’s get into character” to show it 's a façade they put on to intimidate their prey so to speak, they are fully aware that they are merely putting on a show when they are playing the role of the hired guns. Tarantino satirises Scarface and various other films which uphold the villain, in this sense as he would not have cleaned the car himself nor would he have waited outside one of his victim’s apartments as it wasn 't time yet thus showing a sense of
etiquette.
This movie has been called an archetypal postmodern film by many critics as it endorses many of the defining characteristics of postmodernism. Among these characteristics are: The challenging and or contravention of the quotidian and conventional way of operating. This can be seen in the film in many instances, one of the most prominent of which is the final scene in the movie where the two hitmen persuade Pumpkin and Hunny Bunny not to rob the Coffee Shop and thus showing a redemptive quality. The characteristic of Intertextuality: Tarantino first brings this cultural effect to the surface by recalling the phenomenon of pulp fiction itself. This means works that are churned out of the press at bullet speed, printed on inferior/second rate sheets of paper. He’s implying that these texts are also a work of inferior substance, put out to meet people’s insatiable demand for the new, merely a quick fix. In the scene where Butch is in Zed’s pawn shop and goes through the four weapons, each of which is symbolic Tarantino making reference to movies in the past and therefore this is an example of Intertextuality.
In the scene where Butch is about to flee the pawn shop after freeing himself, he pauses for a moment- he can either go to Tennessee and collect his money for winning his fight, or go back to help Marsellus Wallace. Near to where he pauses are a Tennessee license plate, and a neon sign for the alcoholic beverage "Killians Red" on a shelf. The only letters which remain illuminated however spell "Kill ed". We are then shown a shot of Zed 's key ring with the "Z" trinket: we are left with the subliminal message "Kill Zed", which is exactly what Butch proceeds to do, instead of going to Tennessee and possibly getting "kill ed".
Consider the further the weapon Butch chooses: a samurai sword. The Samurai are long-associated with honour towards their masters.
This is most probably why Butch goes back into the basement, namely to emancipate his master from the hillbilly’s incarceration. One could say that the short answer to what the overarching theme of the film is, it’s about honour among thieves.
The characteristic of pastiche is a further example of postmodernism. Tarantino further satirizes the gangster genre when he makes Vince talk about the person who keyed his car and speaks to the heroin dealer and says “he should be killed for that kind of a thing” to which the dealer retorts: “no trial, no jury, straight to execution”. There is an obvious irony here that Jules doesn 't see himself as being the callous and capricious hired gun that he is as being as severe a crime as keying another man’s car. There are many different genre’s Tarantino incorporates in this film from Romance between Butch and his girlfriend Fabienne, to the Gangster Genre, the Comedy Genre and Thriller genre represented by Vincent and Jules which form a pastiche.
In conclusion, there are two predominant styles of narration available to writer’s namely linear and non-linear narratives. The significance of Quentin Tarantino choosing to make Pulp Fiction as a non-linear narrative is that non-linear narrative requires the audience in order to progress and is therefore incomplete without the audience’s interaction. This narration technique heightens the immersion for many viewers by creating a bridge between the narrative world and reality. In this essay I have discussed many original and revolutionary themes in postmodernism as well as cinematic techniques employed by Quentin Tarantino with particular emphasis on the use of non-linear narrative and its significance. I have also further elucidated the reasoning behind why many critics label this film as the ‘archetypal postmodern film’ namely because it incorporates audience participation, Intertextuality, pastiche and is revolutionary in its autonomous nature.
Bibliography
Booker, M. Keith. Postmodern Hollywood: What 's New in Film and why it Makes Us Feel So Strange. United States of America: Praeger Publisher, 2007.
Tarantino, Quentin and Avary, Roger. Pulp Fiction. Miramax Films, 1994.
Module: ENGL 3004
Tutor: Prof. G. Gaylard
Elective: Celluloid Metafiction
Due date: 16 August 2013
Topic: Write a critical analysis of the significance of the non-linear narrative of Pulp Fiction.
English 3004: Post Modernism Pulp Fiction This essay will discuss the many original and revolutionary themes as well as cinematic techniques employed by Quentin Tarantino in his film Pulp Fiction, with particular emphasis on the use of non-linear narrative and its significance. I will further elucidate the reasoning behind why many critics label this film as the ‘archetypal postmodern film’.
There are two predominant styles of narration available …show more content…
to writer’s namely linear and non-linear narratives. The main difference between linear and non-linear narrative is that linear narrative progresses before you in a neat and fluid manner and allows the viewer to watch as the movie progresses in a logical chronological sequence from one scene to the next from the beginning to the end of the film. A Linear plot begins at point A, progresses through events which build towards a climax, and then finally reaching point B. A non-linear narrative on the other hand is a non-chronological sequence of events, one of its functions being to keep the audience engaged and alert. It forces them to be sharp witted as they have to place the scenes of the narrative together to create a logical chronological sequence and make sense of the movie. Nonlinear narratives take a non-chronological approach to time, reflecting the psychological process of memory. It is often used to mimic the structure and recall of human memory, but has been applied to films for various other reasons as well.
The filming of movies is not done in chronological sequence which is why it is the director’s and editor’s job to place the scenes in chronological order after all the scenes of the movie have been filmed if they choose to make it a linear narrative. If they choose to make it a non-linear narrative however the director’s and editor’s leave a substantial portion of the film in terms of the chronological order to be rationalised by the audience which is a revolutionary and postmodern idea. One of the defining characteristics of postmodernism is to challenge the conventional manner of operating, which Tarantino does in this film by adopting the non-linear form of narration. Pulp Fiction was certainly not the first non-linear movie of all time but it is one of the renowned non-linear films as it is a master class in how to execute non-linearity successfully in a film. In order for the viewer to fully grasp the depth of the non-linear narratives’ significance and meaning, a simple prima facie viewing of the film will not suffice.
The initial significance of the non-linear narrative lies on the very surface and is easily observed and understood by the viewer. The significance of the non-linear narrative in Pulp Fiction is far more layered and complex than merely stating that it is endorsed by Tarantino to induce the postmodernist characteristic of contravening the quotidian way of operating or stating that it also mimics the structure of human memory. I would argue that Tarantino’s use of non-linear narrative is far more multifaceted in terms of its significance than merely for the reasons stated in the previous sentence. The more sophisticated and arguably the more intended reasoning for Tarantino’s choice of non-linear narrative is that non-linear narrative requires the audience in order to progress and is therefore incomplete without the audience’s interaction. This narration technique heightens the immersion for many viewers by creating a bridge between the narrative world and reality. The burden of rationalising the events which unfold during the film is shifted onto the viewer and it becomes the viewers’ job to put into correct order this ‘shuffled deck’ of …show more content…
cards.
Flashbacks are a device endorsed by the screenwriter in linear as well as non-linear narrative films which provides the reader and audience with visual information that he or she cannot incorporate into the screenplay any other way. The purpose of the flashback is to bridge time, place and action to reveal information about the character. He has a flashback just before he is going to fight and the theme he takes away most prominently from it is that of heroism and this is the main reason he decides to not only win the fight but to bestow upon his opponent a fatal bout.
One of the many revolutionary ideas in this movie is the cinematic technique of role reversal not only by forcing the viewer to rearrange the non-chronological sequence of events into a chronological and congruent sequence of events but also it places the viewer into the plot by using several point of view camera angles. When Jules Winnfield and Vincent Vega are parked outside Brett’s apartment and go to the boot to arm themselves for the imminent murder scene, the cameraman is inside the boot which is symbolic of the cameraman being the victim and at the mercy of the villains.
The cameraman waits at the door of Brett’s apartment obsequiously like a victim told to “wait there and don’t move a muscle” would do as Jules and Vince walk down the passage, to further discuss whether a foot massage really means something, as it isn’t time to enter the apartment yet.
The three most noticeable scenes which humanise the two hit men are: When we see Jules and Vincent cleaning up the car after they accidentally kill a man in broad daylight rather than taking it to get cleaned by someone who’s on the inside so to speak.
The scene outside Brett’s apartment where Jules says to Vincent, ‘Let’s get into character” to show it 's a façade they put on to intimidate their prey so to speak, they are fully aware that they are merely putting on a show when they are playing the role of the hired guns. Tarantino satirises Scarface and various other films which uphold the villain, in this sense as he would not have cleaned the car himself nor would he have waited outside one of his victim’s apartments as it wasn 't time yet thus showing a sense of
etiquette.
This movie has been called an archetypal postmodern film by many critics as it endorses many of the defining characteristics of postmodernism. Among these characteristics are: The challenging and or contravention of the quotidian and conventional way of operating. This can be seen in the film in many instances, one of the most prominent of which is the final scene in the movie where the two hitmen persuade Pumpkin and Hunny Bunny not to rob the Coffee Shop and thus showing a redemptive quality. The characteristic of Intertextuality: Tarantino first brings this cultural effect to the surface by recalling the phenomenon of pulp fiction itself. This means works that are churned out of the press at bullet speed, printed on inferior/second rate sheets of paper. He’s implying that these texts are also a work of inferior substance, put out to meet people’s insatiable demand for the new, merely a quick fix. In the scene where Butch is in Zed’s pawn shop and goes through the four weapons, each of which is symbolic Tarantino making reference to movies in the past and therefore this is an example of Intertextuality.
In the scene where Butch is about to flee the pawn shop after freeing himself, he pauses for a moment- he can either go to Tennessee and collect his money for winning his fight, or go back to help Marsellus Wallace. Near to where he pauses are a Tennessee license plate, and a neon sign for the alcoholic beverage "Killians Red" on a shelf. The only letters which remain illuminated however spell "Kill ed". We are then shown a shot of Zed 's key ring with the "Z" trinket: we are left with the subliminal message "Kill Zed", which is exactly what Butch proceeds to do, instead of going to Tennessee and possibly getting "kill ed".
Consider the further the weapon Butch chooses: a samurai sword. The Samurai are long-associated with honour towards their masters.
This is most probably why Butch goes back into the basement, namely to emancipate his master from the hillbilly’s incarceration. One could say that the short answer to what the overarching theme of the film is, it’s about honour among thieves.
The characteristic of pastiche is a further example of postmodernism. Tarantino further satirizes the gangster genre when he makes Vince talk about the person who keyed his car and speaks to the heroin dealer and says “he should be killed for that kind of a thing” to which the dealer retorts: “no trial, no jury, straight to execution”. There is an obvious irony here that Jules doesn 't see himself as being the callous and capricious hired gun that he is as being as severe a crime as keying another man’s car. There are many different genre’s Tarantino incorporates in this film from Romance between Butch and his girlfriend Fabienne, to the Gangster Genre, the Comedy Genre and Thriller genre represented by Vincent and Jules which form a pastiche.
In conclusion, there are two predominant styles of narration available to writer’s namely linear and non-linear narratives. The significance of Quentin Tarantino choosing to make Pulp Fiction as a non-linear narrative is that non-linear narrative requires the audience in order to progress and is therefore incomplete without the audience’s interaction. This narration technique heightens the immersion for many viewers by creating a bridge between the narrative world and reality. In this essay I have discussed many original and revolutionary themes in postmodernism as well as cinematic techniques employed by Quentin Tarantino with particular emphasis on the use of non-linear narrative and its significance. I have also further elucidated the reasoning behind why many critics label this film as the ‘archetypal postmodern film’ namely because it incorporates audience participation, Intertextuality, pastiche and is revolutionary in its autonomous nature.
Bibliography
Booker, M. Keith. Postmodern Hollywood: What 's New in Film and why it Makes Us Feel So Strange. United States of America: Praeger Publisher, 2007.
Tarantino, Quentin and Avary, Roger. Pulp Fiction. Miramax Films, 1994.