Notes on Witness Essay Example
Module B: Witness
Syllabus:
This module requires students to engage in a detailed analysis of the text…respond imaginatively, affectively (emotionally) and critically. Explore and analyse particular characteristics of the text…
Topic Sentence
Witness, directed by Australian director Peter Weir, made in 1985 combines a crime story with a love story, creating a dual narrative.
Introduce question…
Plot * This dual narrative film is set in 1984, in Lancaster, Philadelphia. * Amish members Rachel and Samuel Lapp are visiting the city after Rachel’s husband death, when Samuel witnesses the murder of a policeman. * As Samuel is a witness, he is needed to stay with the police in the city, to help the investigations, forcing the conservative family out of their comfort zone. * After Samuel identifies the murderer to the protagonist John Book, the criminals then find out that Book has this information, and try to kill him. * Book hides out in the Amish community, so they don’t find him.
* When book’s car crashes into the bird house on arriving at the Amish farm, it symbolises the two worlds colliding, which is very effective in visually showing the purpose and theme of the film. * Book develops a relationship with Samuel, acting as a father figure, and an intimate relationship with Samuel’s mother, Rachel. Although in the end they are forced not to be together, as they are from such different backgrounds
Characters
Empathetic characters are essential in any film. They must identify similar problems to the audience’s lives.
At the beginning of the film John Book is presented as a hardened police detective, who is very focused on his job, with his world full of aggression and corruption. Although the other side of Book slowly emerges and the film progresses, and he appears warm to Samuel and Rachel, and we see his soft side as he falls for Rachel, and becomes comfortable in the Amish society. By the end, the audience
Syllabus:
This module requires students to engage in a detailed analysis of the text…respond imaginatively, affectively (emotionally) and critically. Explore and analyse particular characteristics of the text…
Topic Sentence
Witness, directed by Australian director Peter Weir, made in 1985 combines a crime story with a love story, creating a dual narrative.
Introduce question…
Plot * This dual narrative film is set in 1984, in Lancaster, Philadelphia. * Amish members Rachel and Samuel Lapp are visiting the city after Rachel’s husband death, when Samuel witnesses the murder of a policeman. * As Samuel is a witness, he is needed to stay with the police in the city, to help the investigations, forcing the conservative family out of their comfort zone. * After Samuel identifies the murderer to the protagonist John Book, the criminals then find out that Book has this information, and try to kill him. * Book hides out in the Amish community, so they don’t find him.
* When book’s car crashes into the bird house on arriving at the Amish farm, it symbolises the two worlds colliding, which is very effective in visually showing the purpose and theme of the film. * Book develops a relationship with Samuel, acting as a father figure, and an intimate relationship with Samuel’s mother, Rachel. Although in the end they are forced not to be together, as they are from such different backgrounds
Characters
Empathetic characters are essential in any film. They must identify similar problems to the audience’s lives.
At the beginning of the film John Book is presented as a hardened police detective, who is very focused on his job, with his world full of aggression and corruption. Although the other side of Book slowly emerges and the film progresses, and he appears warm to Samuel and Rachel, and we see his soft side as he falls for Rachel, and becomes comfortable in the Amish society. By the end, the audience