Swing Vote Is An American Political Culture Film - 2005 Words

The film Swing Vote is an American political culture film that relies heavily on film subtext to depict the negative attitude many Americans have towards voting, corruption inside a political election, and the spectacle of media frenzy. While the film gives a light hearted impression of a rare political snafu it is still consistent with the main themes of other political films of manipulation, money lust, and power hungry political heads that will stop at nothing for their own personal gain. We also see the political candidates merely as puppets while their campaign managers are the ones truly calling the shots. Swing Vote is a unique political culture film because due to the ordeal in the film’s plot, the politicians are at a disadvantage when they are usually the ones in power. With the tables turned we see how they construct their corrupt schemes and the direct effect it has on the character representing the American perspective. The strong symbols that convey the cultural norms in America’s political system are in need of a deeper analysis. In the closest presidential race in history, a malfunction at the voting booth leaves the decision up to a single man—Ernest â€Å"Bud† Johnson. Ernest has no political affiliation, stance, nor the initiative to stay informed on current events. Ernest is an alcoholic, neglectful, single father who is apathetic toward politics and rather decides to be a bystander. Bud alienates himself from the outside world living in a run-down trailerShow MoreRelatedUS Senate Case Study1693 Words   |  7 PagesCalled to confront a massive technological debate in the United States in the modern day, the US Senate will discuss the possible impacts and effects of automation in the workforce and vote on a resolution. The Senate committee will replicate parliamentary procedure and will be based off the current United States Senate. 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Definitions, Types Characteristic of Drama free essay sample

Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning action which is derived from the verb meaning to do or to act. Drama, in some form, is found in almost every society, primitive and civilized, and served a wide variety of functions in the community. It is a unique literary form because it is designed to be acted out on a stage before an audience, where actors take the roles of the characters, perform the indicated action, and utter the written dialogue. It is an enacted fiction primarily based on mimic action. That is, drama is something that one goes to see, and which is originally organized to be seen rather than to be read. Some specialists have defined drama as the most elegant expression of thought nearest to the truth, the most concrete form in which art can recreate human situations and relationships, and the most wide ranging of all the arts: it not only represent life, but it is also a way of seeing it. ? 2. Characteristics of Drama The major characteristics of drama are as follows: 2. 1. Characters: Characters are the people in the plays plot. Most plays have a round, major characters and flat, minor characters. The main characters are more important to a work and usually have a bigger part to play. Miranda from Shakespeares Tempest is an example of a main character. We learn much about her characteristics throughout the play, and she plays a big role in the reconciliation of the characters toward the end of the play. On the other hand, minor characters are less important. An example of a minor character is Marcellus from the play Hamlet, whose role is only to inform about Hamlets fathers ghost. We do not know nor do we need to know anything about his character or what happens to him thereafter. He just departs in peace. Lets take a look at the different characters. -Protagonist: The main character, usually the one who sets the action in motion. Example: Hamlet is the protagonist in the play Hamlet. -Antagonist: The character that stands as rival to the protagonist is called the antagonist. He is the villain. Example: Claudius is the major antagonist in the play Hamlet as he contrasts sharply with the main character in the play. -Foil: A character whose traits contrast with those of another character. Writers use foil to emphasize differences between two characters. For example, a handsome but dull character might be a foil for one who is unattractive but dynamic. By using foil, authors call attention to the strengths or weaknesses of a main character. Example: In Hamlet, the passionate and quick to action Laertes is a foil for the reflective Hamlet. -Confidant: A character that lends an ear and gives his input to usually the protagonist is a confidant. This type of character is most commonly a closest friend or trusted servant of the main character, who serves as a device for revealing the mind and intention of the main character. The confidants inputs are revealed only to the audience and not to the other characters in the play. Example: In Hamlet, Horatio is the confidant. -Stock characters: A stereotypical character who is not developed as an individual but as a collection of traits and mannerisms supposedly shared by all members of a group. These characters are easily recognized by audience due to their recurrent appearance and familiar roles. Example: A comic, a servant, a fool, a coward, a naive stepmother, and wicked witch. Each character is distinct from the other and must have their own peculiar personality, background, and beliefs. The mannerisms and use of language too may differ. The way the characters in the play are treated by the playwright is important to the outworking of the play. 2. 2. Dialogue: The words uttered by characters in a play forms a dialogue. The dialogue reveals the plot and characters of the play. What is spoken must be suitable to the situation and the role of the character. Things that are said on stage may take on greater worth or typical qualities than the same things said in everyday speech. Good dramatic speech involves a proper construction of words spoken in the appropriate context. It also involves saying what is not uninviting or what is obvious straight away. Good dialogue sheds light on the character speaking and the one spoken to, or spoken about, and aids in the furtherance of the plot. Dialogue may take various forms:- -An exchange between two or more characters. Titinius: These tidings will well comfort Cassius. Messala: Where did you leave him? Titinus: All disconsolate, With Pindarus his bondman, on this hill. Messala: Is not that he lies upon the ground? -Soliloquy: A character that is typically alone on stage delivering a long speech which is called a soliloquy. Emotions and innermost thoughts of the character are revealed in a soliloquy. [They exit. ANTONY remains. ] ANTONY. O, pardon me, thou bleeding piece of earth, That I am meek and gentle with these butchers! Thou art the ruins of the noblest man That ever lived in the tide of times. -Aside: This is spoken by a character to another character or to the audience but is not heard by the other characters on stage. Asides reveal what a character is thinking or feeling. Caesar. Good friends, go in and taste some wine with me, And we (like friends) will straightway go together. Brutus (aside) . That every like is not the same, O Caesar, The heart of Brutus earns to think upon. [Exeunt. ] 2. 3. Plot: The plot is events that occur in a story sequentially. Normally the introduction of the characters in the beginning of the play gives the audience an idea about what the plot maybe. This information will enlighten the audience as to why characters behave the way they do and an incident maybe expected to surface that will create a problem for the main characters. As the action heightens, the characters encounter the problem and find themselves in trouble. The conflict in a plot may vary but, nevertheless, it forms the basis for the plot. The conflict leads the characters from one incident to another unfolding the plot and increasing the suspense and excitement of the reader or viewer. The turning point of the plot is called the climax when the outcome of the conflict takes place. The climax takes several forms. It may be a revelation of information or it may be a decision or an action. It is the point where suspense no longer exists. The plot is crucial for the success of a play. 2. 4. Setting: The setting and time in a play tell us where the story happened and the time it occurred. The setting is very important because what usually happens in the play is influenced by it. Visual components of a setting maybe limited to a painted tree, a bridge, or a hut, or it could be more elaborate. Shifts in time and space are often indicated by the actors through their speech and movements. In setting, the lighting plays an important role for it shows an illusion of time. Lighting also may be used to focus on an action or stress the importance of an event. Costumes and props too are involved in setting. Costumes are used to portray a characters profession, status, ethnicity, age and so on. Props are items used by actors on stage to create an atmosphere of the play. These can be simple writing materials, chairs and tables, flowers, thrones, blood-soaked clothes, blankets, and beds and so on. The effect created by the setting creates the mood for a theatrical spectacle. 2. 5. Stage directions: An audience is prompted to react by the movements or positions of the actors in a play. It can build up tension, trigger laughter, or shift the focus of the audience to a different part of the stage. To achieve this purpose, the writer communicates to the actors, director, and the rest of the crew in the play by means of stage directions. He does this by means of short phrases, usually printed in italics and enclosed in parentheses or brackets. These directions describe the appearance and actions of characters as well as the sets, costumes, props, sound effects, and lighting effects. Stage directions may also include the characters body language, facial expressions, and even the tone of voice. Comments or remarks about the surroundings and when a character enters or exits are also made in stage directions. Thus stage directions help us understand the feelings of the character and the mood of the story. 2. 6. Theme: The theme actually tells what the play means. Rather stating what happens in the story, the theme deals with the main idea within the story. Theme has been described as the soul of the drama. The theme can either be clearly stated through dialogue or action or can be inferred from the entire performance. The concluded plot and theme in drama should complement each other and should be synchronized to give a complete output. General themes are: i. conflictbetween two individuals. ii. conflict between man and a supernatural power. iii. conflict between the man and himself. 3. Types of Drama: Several genres exist within drama, each with their own storytelling methods, character types and dramatic approach. Drama is divided into the categories of tragedy, comedy, melodrama, and tragicomedy. Each of these forms can be further subdivided by style and content. 3. 1. Tragedy: In his Poetics, Aristotle defined Tragedy as: The imitation of an action that is serious and also, as having magnitude, complete in itself; in language with pleasurable accessories, each kind brought in separately in the parts of the work; in dramatic, not in a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to accomplish its catharsis of such emotions. Generally speaking, tragedy dramatizes the conflict between the vital personal life and the restrictions of social life. It is a drama in which a character experience a disastrous end in his conflict with a powerful kind of force, and ultimately comes to comprehend the real value of his deeds. Tragedy is serious by nature in its theme and deals with profound problems. These profound problems are universal when applied to the human experience. In tragedy, we find a protagonist at the centre of the drama that is a great person, usually of upper class birth. He is a good man that can be admired, but he has a tragic flaw that will be the ultimate cause of his downfall. This tragic flaw can take on many characteristics but it is most often too much pride or excessive ambition. The protagonist always learns, usually too late, the nature of his flaw and his mistakes that have caused his downfall. He becomes self-aware and accepts the inevitability of his fate and takes full responsibility for his actions. We must have this element of inevitability in tragedy. That is, there must be a cause and effect relationship from the beginning through the middle to the end or final catastrophe. It must be logical in the conclusion of the necessary outcome. Tragedy will involve the audience in the action and creates tension and expectation. With the climax and final end the audience will have learned a lesson and will leave the theatre not depressed or sullen, but uplifted and enlightened. Most tragic heroes are males, with a few fantastic exceptions, such as Antigone, Juliet and Cleopatra. Women in tragic plays are, however, pathetic rather than tragic. They are somehow passive, seen as images of weakness rather than of exceptional strength. Among the most splendid tragedies are Antigone by Sophocles, Dr Faustus by Christopher Marlowe, Hamlet by William Shakespeare? etc. Tragedies can be separated into at least three subordinate categories or sub-genres identified and briefly characterized as follows: -Senecan Tragedy: A precursor of tragic drama was the Roman poet Seneca (4 BC 65 AD). His tragedies were recited rather than staged but they became a model for English playwrights entailing the five-act structure, a complex plot and an elevated style of dialogue. -Revenge Tragedy/ Tragedy of Blood: This type of tragedy represented a popular genre in the Elizabethan Age and made extensive use of certain elements of the Senecan tragedy, such as murder, revenge, mutilations and ghosts. Typical examples of this sub-genre are Christopher Marlowes The Jew of Malta, Shakespeares Titus Andronicus and Thomas Kyds The Spanish Tragedy. These plays were written in verse and, following Aristotelian Poetics, the main characters were of a high social rank (the higher they are, the lower they fall). Apart from dealing with violent subject matters, these plays conventionally made use of fake or real madness in some of the characters, dumb shows or play-with-the-play structures, that is, a play was performed within he play. Domestic/ Bourgeois Tragedy: In line with a changing social system where the middle class gained increasing importance and power, tragedies from the eighteenth century onward shifted their focus to protagonists from the middle or lower classes and were written in prose. The protagonist typically suffers a domestic disaster which is intended to arouse empathy rather than pity and fear in the audience. An example is George Lillos The London Merchant or, The History of George Barnwell . Modern tragedies such as Arthur Millers The Death of a salesman follow largely the new conventions set forth by the domestic tragedy ( common conflict, common characters, prose) and a number of contemporary plays have exchanged the tragic hero for an anti-hero, who does not display the dignity and courage of a traditional hero but is passive, pretty and ineffectual. Other dramas resuscitate elements of ancient tragedies such as the chorus and verse, e. g. , T. S. Eliots The Murder in the Cathedral. 3. 2. Comedy: Comedy is a broad category of dramatic works that are intended primarily to entertain and amuse an audience. Comedies take many different forms, but they all share three basic characteristics: 1. The values that are expressed and that typically present the conflict within the play are social and determined by the general opinion of society ( as opposed to universal and beyond the control of humankind, as in tragedy). 2. Characters in comedies are often defined primarily in terms of their society and their role within it. 3. Comedies often end with a restoration of social order in which one or more characters take a proper social role. Furthermore, Aristotle suggests that comic figures are mainly average to below average in terms of moral character, having in mind the wily servant or witty knave who was already a stock character of ancient comedy. He also suggests that only low or ignoble figures can strike us as ridiculous characters are often those who, although well-born, are merely pompous or self-important instead of truly noble. Similarly, the most sympathetic comic figures are frequently plucky underdogs, young men or women from humble or disadvantaged backgrounds who prove their real worth through various tests of character over the course of a story or play. Examples of famous comedies are: Shakespeares The Comedy of Errors and J. M. Barries What Every Woman Knows. Within the broad spectrum of dramatic comedy, the following types are the most frequently distinguished ones: -Romantic Comedy: A form of drama in which love is the main theme, and love leads to a happy ending. In this sub-genre, the primary distinguishing feature is a love plot in which two sympathetic and well-matched lovers are united or reconciled. In a typical romantic comedy, the two lover tend to be young, likeable, and apparently meant for each other, yet they are kept apart by some complicating circumstance until, surmounting all obstacles, they are finally wed. Perhaps the most popular of all romantic comedies are those of Shakespeare, such as: As You Like It, A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Twelfth Night. -Satirical Comedy: A form of comedy which dispraises, attacks, and ridicule the human vices, follies and defects. Satirical comedies resemble other types of comedy in that they trace the rising fortune of a central character. However, the central character here is likely to be cynical, foolish, or morally corrupt. Examples of Satirical comedies are: Ben Jonsons Volpe and The Alchemist. -Comedy of Manners: This sub-genre has for its main subjects and themes the relationships and intrigues of gentlemen and ladies living in a sophisticated society. Its comic effect depends on the wit and sparkle of the dialogue and on making ridiculous the violators of the social conventions. Best examples of this form are Shakespeares Loves Labours Lost and Much Ado about Nothing. -Farce: A form of comedy which is meant to provoke a simple amusement in the audience. The basic characteristics of farce are: 1. Exaggerated physical action. 2. Exaggeration of characters. 3. Absurd situations and improbable events. 4. Surprises in the form of unexpected appearances and disclosures. Farcical plots are often full of wild coincidences and seemingly endless complications. Farce is usually an episode in a more complex form of comedy. Examples are the farcical interludes in Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew and The Merry Wifes of Windsor. -High Comedy: A type of comedy which evokes the intellectual mirth in the audience who are emotionally alienated from the action. This thoughtful laughter are caused by the follies, pretentiousness and incongruity in human behavior. It was introduced by George Meredith as a form of the comedy of manners. Examples of this form are Congreves Way of the World and Wildes A Woman of No Importance. -Low Comedy: A type of comedy that is used as a comic relief. It provokes a laughter from the belly rather than the brain. It usually includes slapstick, violent actions, and ribald jokes. It is considered to be a common component of farce. -Comedy of Humours: The comedy of humours refers to a sub-genre of dramatic comedy that focuses on a character or range of characters, each of whom two or more overriding traits or humours dominate their personality, desires and conduct. This comic technique may be found in Aristophanes, but the English playwrights Ben Jonson and George Chapman popularized the genre in the closing years of the sixteenth century. This form of comedy is exemplified in Jonsons Every Man in His Humour. 3. 3. Melodrama: Melodrama literally means a play with music that once upon the time, it was applied to the Opera in a broad sense. A play based on a romantic plot and developed sensationally with little regard for satisfying motivation and with an excessive appeal to the emotions of the audience. The object is to keep the audience thrilled by the awakening of strong feelings of pity or horror or joy. The first English melodrama is believed to have been Thomas Holocrofts A Tale of Mystary. 3. 4. Tragicomedy: Tragicomedies mingle conventions concerning the plot, character and subject matter derived from the both tragedy and comedy. Thus, characters of both high and low social rank can be mixed, or a seious conflict which is likely to end in disaster, suddenly reaches a happy ending because of some unforeseen circumstances. Plays with multiple plots which combine tragedy in one plot and comedy in the other are what attracted most of the best dramatists of the modern literature. Examples of tragicomedy are: Shakespeares The Merchant of Vince and John Fletchers The Faithful Shepherdess.