Topic > Analysis of structuralism in the Matrix

IndexIntroductionAnalysis of the filmConclusionBibliographyIntroductionThe Matrix, as a film, is a perfect representative of an analysis of structuralism that presents a reality divided between the two ideologies, The Matrix: the film or the artificial world, the double life of the protagonist or the red and blue pill. Films create meaning by using structures (codes and conventions) as a language that we can understand. In this essay we will analyze how films convey meaning through the use of their code structures and conventions (narrative, shots), this is similar to the way languages ​​convey meaning through the use of their code structures and conventions (words , sentences, grammar). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay As I said before, structuralism is generally defined as the way films convey meaning through the use of codes and conventions created through the manipulation of the film world. This methodology considers a film as a set of models, relationships or structures; we see, understand, and enjoy films through the recognition of these structures. The meaning of a film comes not so much from the intrinsic meanings of its individual elements, but from how they relate within what we know as the "structure" or "system" of the film. Structuralism emphasizes the importance of narrative theories and other recurring patterns, content that helps the audience understand what is happening. For example, in genre films, the audience can easily understand the meaning: a genre is considered as a structure, a set of conventional models. Not only narration but also the way the camera is used to tell a story can also be analyzed as structural elements since it uses the structure of cinematic language to communicate with the audience. Structuralist theorists such as Barthes, Levi-Strauss, and Todorov have analyzed plot patterns found in fairy tales and other traditional narratives as they appear in contemporary films. Structuralism is about semiotics which is a concept of codes for discussing the conventional ways in which things are done. Semiotics can be applied to anything that can be seen as significant, in other words to anything that has meaning within a culture. Codes are cultural phenomena because they are learned, it is through familiarity that codes come to seem natural rather than cultural: this process is called "naturalization". Film Analysis The Matrix is ​​a 1999 science fiction film that focuses on the concept of reality. Four ways structuralism is shown are camera work, plot, semiotics, symbolism, and characterization through casting. For starters, the camera work is essential in this film. The Matrix uses filters to show the setting: green is why the Matrix appears unnatural, ghostly. A green filter was used in all filmed scenes of The Matrix, which gave it that otherworldly feel, as if we were seeing it through a monitor. This color suggests that, unlike the real world, what we see in the Matrix is ​​shown or filtered through something else, another reality. The color blue has also been removed from everything we see in The Matrix. Additionally, bullet time is one of the film's most notable features. The Matrix is ​​characterized by its high transformation of time, showing commonly imperceptible events such as flying bullets, and space, through the ability of the camera angle to change the audience's point of view by moving across the scene ata normal speed while events are slowed down. It was created specifically for the Matrix. Secondly, the plot. The Matrix is ​​a complex film. Plot structures are recurring narrative patterns that are a defining characteristic of a genre. However, this movie constantly jumps from the virtual world to the real world and back again and has endless plot elements. With this complex plot the viewer can emphasize Neo because he too is hit very suddenly with this wave of information. We feel lost just like him. On the other hand, it is obvious that the world is shaped by countless networks of meanings and codes. By doing a semiotic analysis, we discover several codes. Cultural codes include how texts mean; beliefs about gender, class, and authority. For example, Hitchcock's Blonde brings together different ways of representing gender, class, and sexuality, which in turn reveal cultural beliefs in those areas. Cultural codes are especially likely to become naturalized, as was the case with notions during historical periods of what was considered the intrinsic nature of men or women or particular national or racial groups. Technical codes, in film, include things like continuity editing, point of view and reaction shots, cross and over the shoulder shots, dissolves and editing. Technical codes involve both film-making techniques and, for viewers, learned ways of viewing them. Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein believed that editing was one of the most important aspects of cinematic language. Describes 5 types of editing: lighting, angle, shot duration, juxtaposition, and cultural context. According to him, "montage" is a structure that allows the audience to derive meaning from the film. An example of how structuralist theory can be seen in cinema is understanding how simply combining shots can create an additional idea. The blank expression on a person's face, a tasty meal, and then on the person's face again. While nothing in this sequence literally expresses hunger or desire, the juxtaposition of images conveys that meaning to the audience. It is the structure of the film that we use to understand its meaning, however sometimes unraveling its meaning can become quite complicated. Another key point is symbolism. The word “Matrix” itself in the dictionary refers to “a surrounding situation or substance within which something else originates, develops, or is contained. The womb." As for the main character, Neo, his name has a couple of meanings. It is an anagram for “one,” as in He who will save humanity, and it also means “new” as in new, newly born, now Matrix-aware person. The Trinity represents the number three which is a powerful number in many stories and traditions. In keeping with Christian themes, the "father", "son" and "holy spirit" appear to be linked here. In The Matrix, Morpheus, Trinity and Neo fight the machines. Furthermore, references to Alice in Wonderland and the Wizard of Oz are recognised, Neo's computer advises him to "follow the white rabbit" - the conscious choice to undertake the journey into the alternative reality. Morpheus is the Roman god of dreams. He constantly alludes to dreams and two different realities: “Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real. What if you are unable to wake up from that dream? How would you tell the difference between the dream world and the real world?" Furthermore, the characters in The Matrix really come to life from the actors who play them. The actors have the perfect mannerisms and tones of voice to convey who they are without seeing the their actions. One of the best examples is actor Hugo Weaving as the agent.