Themes Presented In The Film 'Witness'

‘Witness’ remains a text that speaks truths to audience today. Discuss.

The themes presented in the film ‘Witness’ are definitely still existing to the audience of today due solely to the fact that the Amish still remain in present society. The Amish are a community where modern technology does not exist. The film establishes a culture clash between the Amish and the ‘English’ which still occurs today.
The idea of a culture clash in the film ‘Witness’ is played on by Weir as he establishes a clear difference in the ‘English’ and Amish communities. The scene where a long shot is used to show a horse and carriage and a truck, drive alongside each other is a juxtaposition that displays a lack of technology in the Amish community and lifestyle.
In effect to this scene Weir shows a twist of cultures that do not fit together, the theme of a culture clash. This idea still occurs in modern society today as it is stereotypical to believe that not being able to access modern technology is as if you are being cut off, pushed away as an outcast to the mainstream world of technology.
This can be linked to the film ‘Witness’ as the Amish, who do not use modern technology, inhabit a part of the land that is a far enough distance from suburbia to not be affected by technology and the lifestyle it brings. The difference of the two cultures in the film ‘Witness’ are significant. Even though the two communities, the Amish and the ‘English’, live by completely different morals and laws, they still operate and function normally knowing that each community frowns upon the other. This perception of another culture is seen widely in the world today, for example immigrants living amongst Australians. Both culture groups have a completely different lifestyle
and some of these rules clash with each other, however the two communities still carry on with their daily lives almost unaffected. This coincides with the Amish and ‘English’ in the film. “And you be careful out among the English” indicates Eli’s and also the Amish attitude towards mainstream American culture yet Rachel still travels to the city unaffected by its technology and surroundings until the murder.
The theme of ‘good triumphs over evil’ is presented in the film by Weir to create a heroic sense of feel good situations such as the scene where book beats Schaeffer morally, not through force, symbolic of what he has learnt from the Amish.
This scene is relevant to audiences today as the people tend to encourage this type of behavior when ‘good’, Book, overcomes the ‘evil’, Schaeffer, in a battle to prove right from wrong. An example of this theme in today’s society could be the war and the techniques we use to overcome the enemy instead of going in guns blazing, the way in which we fight is somewhat morally right. This idea can also be related to another theme used in the film ‘Witness’, Violence vs. non-violence. An example of this is in the ice-cream scene where ‘English’ people intimidate Daniel by wiping ice-cream over his face encouraging him to fight back with violence when that is not the Amish way of life. Book goes on to say “But it’s my way” and confronts the men with violence. Book’s act of violence is an example of the film linking back to society of today where violence is an answer to numerous problems. This relates back to the war where the problem of two communities is resolved with violence, just as Book resolved the problem with the
‘English.
Even though other themes are presented in the film, Culture clash is the most relevant theme that occurs in modern day times. Examples of culture clashes are seen all over the world; the Cronulla riots on Australia day, the ongoing war, gang related violence, the list goes on. The theme of culture clash is seen right throughout ‘Witness’ mainly through the image of lack of technology in the Amish community that seperates them from the rest of the world, forming clashes with laws and moral codes, the clash of two lifestyles.
Because of these themes and how they are linked to modern society, the film ‘Witness’ establishes truths that still remain today, themes that the audience can relate to their own life and experiences.