Category: English

Consider all you have learned from your research on The People’s Temple and Jonestown and answer this in detail:  what role did obedience play? What role did conformity play?  Do you think the outcome could have been different?   This paper is analysis.  You should consult all the boards you did during the semester, too, especially, those on Obedience, Conformity and how a Group can affect individual thinking, since there is much good material there, but remember, if you quote from a classmate, you must document that, too.  This part of the paper does not require research.  I am looking for more contemplation here, since it would tie together much of what we did over the course of the semester – in terms of group thinking and behavior, conformity, and obedience.  Use solid examples to illustrate what you are saying and explain yourself so that connections are clear.  Keep in mind that I am asking you to address all three of these concepts, so do not allow one to take over the paper, meaning this is NOT a paper about any one thing, but rather about the concepts we discussed and how each plays a role in this event.  You must discuss each of the three and how they can be applied to The People’s Temple and Jonestown.

——Analytical paper on season 3 episode 8 (send it) of Reservation Dogs——
In this class, we have already watched and discussed several episodes of Reservation Dogs. This assignment asks you to focus and extend a discussion about one episode in an 
analytical way.
Here are some key questions to answer about the episode you choose to analyze. Not all of 
them will be relevant to your episode or particular ideas, but they are a place to start:
Storytelling is central to many Native American cultures. It serves several functions—one of which is to impart important lessons and cultural information. What lessons 
or cultural information are being imparted here? Use details and examples to illustrate your discussion. (This first question is a great place to start).
Are there incidents, visuals, sounds, or conversations in this episode that require spe-cific cultural knowledge to understand? You should be as specific as possible abou-t the tribes/cultures that share this knowledge or belief and discuss how this contri-butes to a larger sense of meaning.
For instance, in the episode titled “Uncle Brownie,” the eyes of the owl figures are pixelated 
out, and our Rez Dogs are freaked out by them. It is likely that you didn’t know what that 
meant when you first watched it.  However, we now know that the Owl is, in some Native 
American cultures, a harbinger of evil, because Dr. Lowry did her homework and got a lot 
more specific than Rotten Tomatoes about it.
How do some of the following elements contribute to the narrative and help round 
out the sense of meaning? Below is a list of elements followed by an example of how we might start to apply them to understanding more of the meaning of the episode. You would want to spend time explaining these things in detail in your own work. These are just initial observations.
Plot: The narrative arc of “Uncle Brownie” is in part about teaching and learni-ng—and it includes a couple of odd things–the old couple at the beginning, and the resulting dead deer seem to interrupt the point of the story. How do these things contribute to the main point of the story?
Setting/ Set design: Uncle Brownie’s house is a very important part of establishing his character
Dialogue: I feel like the way Brownie talks about Cookie is incredibly important. Why?
Costume: Uncle Brownie’s clothing is a very important part of establishing his character. What does that hat say about him, for instance?
Characters: The way different members of the Rez Dogs react to Brownie is crucial to the story. And Brownie’s interactions with other characters also adds to the narrative. Brownie is an elder. Does he get respect?
Sound/Music: Does the music in this episode seem to comment on the story? How?
Does this episode connect to other episodes in important ways that enhance the m-eaning of the episode?
This paper requires you to have a main topic such as letting go, community or lessons from 
the elders. You can also include ways that you see ethnocentrism, colonialism. 
Examples on season 3 episode 8 (send it): Choose one of these topics to go of off below
Community: Kenny Boy and the Rezz Dogs come together to kidnap Old Man Fixico. (They
trust Kenny enough to ask him for help) The Rezz Dogs end up calling Kenny Uncle as well. 
Kenny also decides to take the blame at the end of the episode when Officer Big is 
interrogating everyone because he believes that what they did was for a greater cause. All 
the young people come up with the name Rezz Dogs and become ‘one’ in a sense. At the 
end of the episode they all come together to see Fixico, Fixicos brother is also there as well. 
Letting go: Old man Fixico decides to see his cousin after Willie Jack cries saying she’d do 
anything to see Daniel again. The bus exploded at the end of the episode which may have meaning that “all from the past has burned down” and now they can come together as 
one after leaving the past behind
Lessons from the elders and lessons from the younger individuals as well: Willie Jack shed in-sight on the importance of letting go and Old man Fixico(max) reacts to that and is willing 
to see Fixico after years of not seeing him. 

Write an essay profiling a person, group, place, or activity. 
I personally would like to use the black lives matter movement. 
You need to decide how to organize your essay. The most common ways are called topical and narrative.
You also need to decide your role as the author. You can write as a spectator or as a participant-observer. If you write as a participant, include a description of your own specific part.
Be sure to include a lot of specific detail. That make your profile come alive for your readers.
notes: 
A profile essay describes the subject with enough detail so that we can picture it.
In the first paragraph, introduce your profile subject in the first sentence. This will that convey the dominant impression—the main point you want your reader to remember.
The remainder of the first paragraph will summarize the main points in the body of your essay. This is a preview of what’s to come.
The body of your essay will follow your organization plan. If you organize by topic, each paragraph will expand a specific point. If you organize by narrative, be sure to not adhere to a strict time sequence.
Pay attention to the lengths of your paragraphs. Long paragraphs are hard to read!
At the end, include a short conclusion paragraph.

Needs to be 4 pages long and loosly follow the plot of a murder in a mall and a ending where the killer gets away

Using the three articles, make an argument on how films reflect society. The main issues that need to be discussed: define the argument of the 3 articles, make an argument on how films reflect society, give your own specific, personal examples that support this function using your films and experiences, and deal with possible responses to your argument. 
Essay Format
Note: each area labeled “Quote Development Format” or “General to Specific” should be its own paragraph. For this outline, a paragraph count guide is provided.
Introduction (one paragraph)
Claim
Article 1 argument
Article 2 argument
Article 3 argument
Summary of Grounds, Warrant, Backing, and Qualifier (can be multiple sentences if needed)
II. Research (three paragraphs, choose three of the seven articles in this module)
Article 1 (QDF)
Article 2 (QDF)
Article 3 (QDF)
III. Claim/Grounds/Warrant (three paragraphs)
Claim: Thesis and general reasons why your thesis is true. (Paragraph)
Grounds: At least two movie examples supporting your claim. (Paragraph)
Warrant: Personal examples that connect with the movie examples. (Paragraph)
IV. Backing (one paragraph)
Address different questions related to your claim.
V. Qualifier (one paragraph)
Add limits or boundaries to your claim. You can mention what situations your argument applies to as you make your claim more specific. 
VI. Rebuttal (one paragraph)
Opposing views and response (same paragraph this time).
VII. Conclusion (one paragraph)
Repeat all important points
Works Cited page
I attached the articles for this essay i only need 3 articles which are 
1. Chapter 3: How the New “Aladdin” Stacks Up Against a Century of Hollywood Stereotypes
2. Chapter 14: Shadow of the Bat
3. Chapter 48: Guardians of the Galaxy and the Fall of the Classic Hero

About 3 paragraphs for each poem
4 poems total: 
– Us
– For Sale 
– Hug o’ War 
– Jimmy and his tv set (found in separate images down below, second part has a tv on the bbottom with legs) 
I also added in essay that need work, here is teacher comment on paper: 
– good ideas, just need to explain them more. Paragraphs should be at least twice as long as they are now 

I need an annotated bibliography.
I need an Outline.
I need the paper on the American dream and what it is today. Around 1200 words, five resources. Yesterday was perfect. If you could do like that again, it would be great!
Important Info
The order was placed through a short procedure (customer skipped some order details).
Please clarify some paper details before starting to work on the order.
Type of paper and subject
Number of sources and formatting style
Type of service (writing, rewriting, etc)

write the essay to meet this criteria and please refer to other pdf attached.
Topic: evaluate  Queen of tears as a melodrama
Criteria: characters/cast, storyline/plot, realistic background/use of cgi, acting, writer, or other fair criteria to evaluate the topic based on the category used to evaluate as.
Write it in a way to make grab the reader’s interest and curious. 
Write the introduction to set up a background that establish credibility or why you think you are an expert on the topic and have the right to evaluate it, what makes you different from the readers. Make them to want to trust you in evaluating the topic
Dedicate one paragraph for each criteria and start the  paragraphs with clear topic sentence with clear rating pr the criteria. Add  zoom ins that describe actual experience watching the show, harmonize each body support with the evaluation. Make it very detailed, Zoom In, what have you eexperienced or observed. Make the essay interesting for readers and make it detailed so that readers feels like they are with you or experiencing the experience you had.  this is for the support part of the essay. Write it to support the criteria/topic sentence that is being evaluated 
Major criteria:
The writer presents a clear, convincing evaluation of the topic’s quality based on criteria that match the interests of target readers.
The writer gives detailed examples that show how the evaluation came about, including personal testimony and comparisons when appropriate.
Other criteria:
The writer shows that he or she is an “expert” in the evaluation category. 
The writer persuades the reader to act on the evaluation.
The title is evocative. 
Sentences are clear and varied in style.
Paragraphs are unified and coherent with effective transitions.
The format is correct.
The essay is free of proofreading errors.
Detailed instructions:
Write an essay that evaluates the quality of a person, place, or thing using criteria that match the interests of a target audience (the readers you have in mind for your essay). Choose a topic that you can evaluate as an “expert,” with background that gives you insight into the category you’ll use for the evaluation.
As you develop your essay, you will strive to do the following:
• Establish your expertise in the evaluation category with background on your life experiences that developed your knowledge.
: Provide fart of hive ratin the yours it a taraget of dieur orteria.
Justify ratings with description of experiences with or observations of the topic.
Discuss your recommendations for how readers should respond to your evaluation.
Key critical thinking issue: Some students misunderstand this assignment.
Your task is not to describe a few reasons why you like or dislike something.
Instead, you’ll strive to provide a fair, trustworthy evaluation for a general audience interested in your topic. Put your personal preferences aside as you develop your criteria. Instead, ask: What criteria reflect the concerns of a typical reader.
Questions to ask while working on your essay:
What do I know more about than a lot of other folks?
What category will I use to evaluate my topic? (I.e., What will I evaluate it as?)
What life experiences show how I became an “expert”?
What criteria match the interests of the readers I have in mind?
Which narrow criteria can I gather into one broader criterion?
Which complex criteria should be broken into smaller criteria for separate ratings?
What rating does my topic deserve on each of the criteria?
What overall evaluation (thesis statement) do my smaller criteria-based evaluations add up to?
What have I experienced or witnessed that will show my reader that the ratings in my essay are valid?
Should I test my topic with a site visit, trial, or experiment?
Will my reader know what to do in response to this essay?
Who can I read my essay to (or who can I ask to read it out loud to me) to get some feedback?
Introductory paragraph: This is the opening of your essay. It should get your reader interested in your topic and leave your reader with the feeling that you’re an “expert,” some one who knows what their talking about when it comes to the person, place, or thing you’ve chosen to evaluate.
Example
“I grew up as an only child with two parents who each worked fulltime jobs and hated to cook. As a result, we ended up going out for food two or three nights every week. A lot of times, it was fast food or take out, but we went to nicer restaurants too. We even took turns deciding who would get to choose which restaurant we went to. My dad favored Italian food, my mom loved Hawaiian and Asian cuisine, and I preferred Mexican. Each year for all the major holidays and birthdays, instead of a big meal at home, my parents would splurge on a fancy restaurant at a luxury resort hotel. Now that I’m a college student, I can’t afford to eat out very often, but I earn enough money at my part-time job to splurge every once in a while, especially if I hear about a new restaurant that sounds interesting.Recently I visited Auntie Ruby’s Cafe. While it won’t win any awards for nutrition, it has a friendly atmosphere, good enough service, and really tasty food, making Auntie Ruby’s Cafe a pretty good choice for a family meal.”
Thesis statement: This usually comes at or near the end of the mindset paragraph. Here, you state the main point of your paper by giving an overall evaluation of your topic. You may choose to include your criteria in this statement. A reader should know from reading this sentence whether you think your subject is great, lousy, or somewhere in between.
Topic sentences for each body paragraph: Topic sentences usually come at the beginning of a paragraph, telling the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. In an evaluation essay, the topic sentence should proclaim your evaluation of your topic based on just one of your criteria. Look at your topic sentences. Do they include an evaluation? Do they include a criterion?
Example:
First paragraph: Criterion: Food taste, Evaluation: Delicious, Support:Describe in detail some favorite menu items, such as the “slap in your face” burger to help readers imagine why I say the food is delicious.
Secondbody paragraph: Criterion: Atmosphere, Evaluation: Wonderful, Support: Describe what the place looks like so the readers can imagine it. Zoom in on a few “wonderful” details like the hand painted mural on the dining room wall.
Third body paragraph: Criterion: Service, Evaluation: Good, Support:mShow what a typical experience is like with detailed examples. Describe how they always welcome customers with a warm smile and “Aloha!” Point out that when it’s busy we sometimes have to wait a while for our food.
Fourth body paragraph: Criterion: Nutrition, Evaluation: Poor, Support: Describe the ingredients in a typical entree.
Point out the high calories, the saturated fat, and the lack of green veggies.
Topic sentences for each body paragraph: Topic sentences usually come at the beginning of a paragraph, telling the reader what the paragraph is going to be about. In an evaluation essay, the topic sentence should proclaim your evaluation of your topic based on just one of your criteria. Look at your topic sentences. Do they include an evaluation? Do they include a criterion?
Example:
The nostalgic atmosphere at Ruby’s creates a wonderful(Evaluation) environment for fun family dining (criterion).
Support: Each topic sentence should be supported with specific details, facts, and examples that make clear to the reader how your observation came about.
Example:
“The nostalgic atmosphere at Ruby’s creates a wonderful environment for fun family dining. When entering the restaurant, diners are greeted with upbeat music from the 1940s and 50s playing pleasantly in the background. The old-fashioned theme continues with charming décor throughout the dining area-classic advertising posters, vintage propeller planes, and old-style furniture. Even the menu is tailored to the theme. They serve old fashioned burgers, cherry Cokes, and classic malts topped, of course, with whipped cream and a cherry. For birthday celebrations, waiters and waitresses costumed in uniforms from a bygone era stop what they’re doing to sing a unique birthday song. Then they crown the birthday boy or girl with a Ruby’s hat and present a special bowl of ice cream.”
Closing: In your closing paragraph, get back to the point you made in the opening thesis. Now, though, you can make your point in a more confident and powerful way because you have already “proven” it to the reader. End by suggesting how readers should act in response to your evaluation.
“In my family, going out to dinner is considered a special treat, so, like most moms, want a place with a fun, family-friendly atmosphere and menu options to satisfy every member of my diverse family. Based on my experience dining several times at Ruby’s Diner, I can recommend it for it’s wonderful…”
Please review other examples and tips

Each week, you will respond to two of your classmates’ posts. Again, try
to stay focused on writerly concerns, not literary. Respond to the post
in a concrete, engaged way, referring to specific points (or questions)
your classmate has made as meaningfully as you can. If you are
responding to a creative response, try to address not just your
classmate’s text itself, but the way or ways in which it is in
relationship to the original novel. Please make sure to respond to a
classmate who hasn’t yet received a response (or has only received one)
rather than one who has (or has already received two or more). 200-250
words.
Our reading this week of Roberto Bolano’s “Little
Lumpen Novelita” was quite a journey for me. Honestly, I had to give it a
second read because the first time around, I found it tough to keep up
with the story’s rhythm. On my second dive, I decided to start from the
very beginning, pondering over the title itself. The term “Lumpen” was
new to me, and after a bit of digging, I discovered it refers to someone
perceived as intellectually lacking and resistant to change. This
insight opened a whole new layer of understanding for me. Suddenly, the
narrative of the siblings who drop out of school and their entanglements
with a questionable duo started to resonate more profoundly. It was
like watching the pieces of a puzzle come together, revealing Bolano’s
masterful ability to blend surrealism, existential musings, and an
examination of what it means to be human, a blend of reality and
imagination. 
What strikes me the most is how these kids, still
so young and impressionable, had to navigate through life’s complexities
without much guidance. It’s like they were thrown into the deep end,
expected to swim without being taught how. They turned to teach
themselves by watching game shows, sex tapes, and the world of
television – to fill in the gaps. It’s fascinating, yet heartbreakingly
sad, how they tried to piece together how life works through snippets of
what they saw on a television screen. “To learn how to make love,” as
her brother put it. It’s a strong reflection on how they’re stuck in
this limbo between reality and imagination, trying to make sense of it
all. 
And then there’s this part about them attending
school, or rather, the lack of realization from others that they
weren’t. It makes me wonder about the system in place, especially being
set in Rome. Could it be a cultural difference, or perhaps a commentary
on how society sometimes fails to notice those slipping through the
cracks? It’s a lot to think about, and I can’t help but feel for Bianca
and her brother, trying to find their footing in a world with two
“friends… one from Bologna, the other from Libya or Morocco” (Bolano
17). Bianca and her brother find themselves in a precarious situation,
navigating the challenges of sudden orphanhood and financial instability
and knowing what is good for them. Bianca spent time exploring her
needs to exist in life she, “worked, did the shopping, cooked, watched
tv, and went with her brother to the video store” (Bolano 27). Pondering
what she did to survive made her feel like she was losing her mind, not
because she was crazy, but trying to examine their needs and find value
to their existence.  
What really created the depth I was looking for
was how Bolano’s imagery of Bianca’s dreams added to her deep
exploration. We get to hear what Bianca was thinking and saying but what
is powerful is how Bolano shifts readers to decipher her dreams and
with that the story becomes even more compelling. She dreamed of,
“having [her] own hair salon. [She] had reason to think that the future
was in small salons, small boutiques, small record stores, tiny
exclusive bars” (Bolano 5). Of course, she would think of having
something small and simple. This is where she liked to be away from her
home browsing where “no one knew anything about [her]” (Bolano 13).
Another dream she experiences is “walking in the desert, dying of
thirst…a white parrot that kept saying ‘I can’t fly’…and [she] could
hardly walk” (Bolano 12). In this place, she
might sense her vulnerability, yearning to be whisked away, yet she
feels undeserving of even a bird’s attention. One of the last dreams she
had Maciste was her boyfriend walking around Campo’de Fiori with her.
She saw him for who he was fat, old, clumsy and blind. This dream opened
her eyes, and she realized what she was doing. She became aware of her
reality. She finally got the courage to tell the two guys to leave their
home. She did not need the dirty money to survive, she needed to do the
right thing.     
Her dreams torment her and spoke to her, ensnared
in relentless pressure she cannot evade. Readers can have different
interpretations of her dreams and that is what made Bolano’s writing so
powerful. Bianca had many facets and only the reader could see what they
wanted to believe. 

I already have an essay written, and my professor has provided some feedback. I need someone to implement it into the essay. All sources will be provided. Here are the instructions:
Sample provided by prof: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/subject_specific_writing/writing_in_literature/writing_about_film/film_writing_sample_analysis.html
Movie link: https://tubitv.com/movies/358575/mississippi-burning?start=true&tracking=google-feed&utm_source=google-feed
Guidelines for Essay 3-Film Analysis 
In this essay, you will analyze the film Mississippi Burning directed by Alan Parker using one of the analysis approaches given to you in this document.
Elements:
Analysis: In the essay you should combine analyzing a film with support derived from research. You will write a film analysis that incorporates the ideas of others. The trick is to accurately present ideas and interpretations gathered from your research while adding to the conversation by presenting your own ideas and analysis.
Approach: Choose one of the approaches explained in the “Different types of film analysis” located at the bottom of this document. Each approach will require research, and that research should provide the context in which you present your own ideas and support your thesis. Be sure to properly document your research. Review the links on writing a film analysis in this unit as these will help guide you.
Research and Citations: The film itself is your primary source and you will use at least 3 secondary sources from Dallas College Library Catalog/Databases. You will be evaluated, in part, on how well you these secondary sources to support your analysis. I want to see that you can quote, paraphrase, and summarize with proper MLA in-text citations and Works Cited page.
Thesis: Your thesis should reflect what type of movie analysis you have done in the essay.
Sample thesis: In Good Will Hunting, various film techniques, combined with a heartwarming screenplay, creates a dynamic interaction of technical tools that evoke emotion and invite responders to broaden their understanding of the complexities of this difficult human experience.
Essay Structure:
Introduction: Identify the movie and its main idea. Give its summary in 4-5 sentences. End the introduction with your thesis.
Supporting Paragraphs: Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that is ties back to the thesis. The details in these paragraphs should support the topic sentence.
Each supporting paragraph should present a different point of analysis and should be supported by examples from the movie and evidence from a source.
Conclusion: Restate the main points of your analysis.
Length: 5 pages, approx. 1500 words
Writing the film analysis essay
Writing a film analysis requires you to consider the composition of the film—the individual parts and choices made that come together to create the finished piece. Film analysis goes beyond the analysis of the film as literature to include camera angles, lighting, set design, sound elements, costume choices, editing, etc. in making an argument. The first step to analyzing the film is to watch it with a plan.
Watching the film
First it’s important to watch the film carefully with a critical eye. Consider why you’ve been assigned to watch a film and write an analysis. How does this activity fit into the course? Why have you been assigned this particular film? What are you looking for in connection to the course content? Let’s practice with this clip from Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958). Here are some tips on how to watch the clip critically, just as you would an entire film:
Give the clip your undivided attention at least once. Pay close attention to details and make observations that might start leading to bigger questions.
Watch the clip a second time. For this viewing, you will want to focus specifically on those elements of film analysis that your class has focused on, so review your course notes. For example, from whose perspective is this clip shot? What choices help convey that perspective? What is the overall tone, theme, or effect of this clip?
Take notes while you watch for the second time. Notes will help you keep track of what you noticed and when, if you include timestamps in your notes. Timestamps are vital for citing scenes from a film!
Brainstorming ideas
Once you’ve watched the film twice, it’s time to brainstorm some ideas based on your notes. Brainstorming is a major step that helps develop and explore ideas. As you brainstorm, you may want to cluster your ideas around central topics or themes that emerge as you review your notes. Did you ask several questions about color? Were you curious about repeated images? Perhaps these are directions you can pursue.
If you’re writing an argumentative essay, you can use the connections that you develop while brainstorming to draft a thesis statement. Consider the assignment and prompt when formulating a thesis, as well as what kind of evidence you will present to support your claims. Your evidence could be dialogue, sound edits, cinematography decisions, etc. Much of how you make these decisions will depend on the type of film analysis you are conducting, an important decision covered in the next section.
Also be sure to avoid confusing the terms shot, scene, and sequence. Remember, a shot ends every time the camera cuts; a scene can be composed of several related shots; and a sequence is a set of related scenes.
Different types of film analysis
As you consider your notes, outline, and general thesis about a film, the majority of your assignment will depend on what type of film analysis you are conducting. This section explores some of the different types of film analyses and you may select any one of these approaches to analyze the film.
Semiotic analysis
Semiotic analysis is the interpretation of signs and symbols, typically involving metaphors and analogies to both inanimate objects and characters within a film. Because symbols have several meanings, writers often need to determine what a particular symbol means in the film and in a broader cultural or historical context.
For instance, a writer could explore the symbolism of the flowers in Vertigo by connecting the images of them falling apart to the vulnerability of the heroine.
Here are a few other questions to consider for this type of analysis:
What objects or images are repeated throughout the film?
How does the director associate a character with small signs, such as certain colors, clothing, food, or language use?
How does a symbol or object relate to other symbols and objects, that is, what is the relationship between the film’s signs?
Many films are rich with symbolism, and it can be easy to get lost in the details. Remember to bring a semiotic analysis back around to answering the question “So what?” in your thesis.
Narrative analysis
Narrative analysis is an examination of the story elements, including narrative structure, character, and plot. This type of analysis considers the entirety of the film and the story it seeks to tell.
For example, you could take the same object from the previous example—the flowers—which meant one thing in a semiotic analysis, and ask instead about their narrative role. That is, you might analyze how Hitchcock introduces the flowers at the beginning of the film in order to return to them later to draw out the completion of the heroine’s character arc.
To create this type of analysis, you could consider questions like:
How does the film correspond to the Three-Act Structure: Act One: Setup; Act Two: Confrontation; and Act Three: Resolution?
What is the plot of the film? How does this plot differ from the narrative, that is, how the story is told? For example, are events presented out of order and to what effect?
Does the plot revolve around one character? Does the plot revolve around multiple characters? How do these characters develop across the film?
When writing a narrative analysis, take care not to spend too time on summarizing at the expense of your argument. See our handout on summarizing for more tips on making summary serve analysis.
Cultural/historical analysis
One of the most common types of analysis is the examination of a film’s relationship to its broader cultural, historical, or theoretical contexts. Whether films intentionally comment on their context or not, they are always a product of the culture or period in which they were created. By placing the film in a particular context, this type of analysis asks how the film models, challenges, or subverts different types of relations, whether historical, social, or even theoretical.
For example, the clip from Vertigo depicts a man observing a woman without her knowing it. You could examine how this aspect of the film addresses a midcentury social concern about observation, such as the sexual policing of women, or a political one, such as Cold War-era McCarthyism.
A few of the many questions you could ask in this vein include:
How does the film comment on, reinforce, or even critique social and political issues at the time it was released, including questions of race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality?
How might a biographical understanding of the film’s creators and their historical moment affect the way you view the film?
How might a specific film theory, such as Queer Theory, Structuralist Theory, or Marxist Film Theory, provide a language or set of terms for articulating the attributes of the film?
Take advantage of class resources to explore possible approaches to cultural/historical film analyses, and find out whether you will be expected to do additional research into the film’s context.
Mise-en-scène analysis
A mise-en-scène analysis attends to how the filmmakers have arranged compositional elements in a film and specifically within a scene or even a single shot. This type of analysis organizes the individual elements of a scene to explore how they come together to produce meaning. You may focus on anything that adds meaning to the formal effect produced by a given scene, including: blocking, lighting, design, color, costume, as well as how these attributes work in conjunction with decisions related to sound, cinematography, and editing. For example, in the clip from Vertigo, a mise-en-scène analysis might ask how numerous elements, from lighting to camera angles, work together to present the viewer with the perspective of Jimmy Stewart’s character.
To conduct this type of analysis, you could ask:
What effects are created in a scene, and what is their purpose?
How does this scene represent the theme of the movie?
How does a scene work to express a broader point to the film’s plot?
This detailed approach to analyzing the formal elements of film can help you come up with concrete evidence for more general film analysis assignments.
Reviewing your draft
Once you have a draft, it’s helpful to get feedback on what you’ve written to see if your analysis holds together and you’ve conveyed your point. You may not necessarily need to find someone who has seen the film! Ask a writing coach, roommate, or family member to read over your draft and share key takeaways from what you have written so far.
(Adapted from: https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/film-analysis/)