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The Theme of Individual vs. Society: Brokeback Mountain and High Noon

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The Theme of Individual vs. Society: Brokeback Mountain and High Noon
The Western genre is often dismissed as predictable, shallow and transient; however, this is not the case in these two Western films known as “High Noon” and “Brokeback Mountain”.

Both Brokeback Mountain and High Noon possess the theme of “individual versus society”. In both movies the main characters have different challenges that they need to face which goes against the ways of society.

High Noon explores themes such as good versus evil, indoor versus outdoor, courage and honour, love and relationships, morality and nature. In High Noon, the outdoors portrays a feeling of uneasiness and danger. The outdoors seemed to be where everything bad happens in the film. The bad guys tended to be outdoors the majority of the film and the final battle took place outdoors. In the beginning of the film, Marshal Will Kane is seen as a heroic figure in a position of high power. We are able to understand how important he is from all of the low camera angles on him, portraying him as very powerful and important.

High Noon is not a typical Western film as the very person appointed for controlling all the crime and trouble in the town is now portrayed as a trouble maker himself. The justice in the town seems to disappear. All high officials who generally play a part in keeping the town safe have either quit or fled and the only one who is left to defend the town is Marshall Will Kane. The time works differently, instead of thing taking place over a long period of time (for example days, weeks, years), it takes place over a couple of hours.

This movie contains very god fearing people. When Kane goes to the Church to request help, they are all ready to help him until one person makes them all reconsider as they are too petrified of Frank Miller who for some unknown reason was pardoned and released from prison.

People tend to feel safer inside in the safety of their homes or inside any building. When they are outside, there is this feeling of uneasiness and danger.

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