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Media Aestethics Written Assignment
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Written assignment submitted for the midterm exam for Media aesthetics. Interpretative Claim for Alias Grace first scene.
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Name student: Giorgia ZampieriStudent Number: 12255602
Title of Course and Work Group Number: Media Aesthetics-work group 4
Name of Teacher: B. Joret
Title of Assignment: Written Assignment
Word count: 735
Interpretative Claim
In this clip from Alias Grace (Part One - Mary Harron, 2017) the techniques of
narration and mise-en-scène suggest the idea that Grace (Sarah Gadon) is unsure of her
own character due to a conflict happening in her mind; she is struggling to understand
what she has done and who she really is. Her internal doubts regarding the duality of her
personality mirror the torn popular opinion that others have of her. Is she a murderess or
an innocent girl? The complexity of human psychology is showcased by Grace’s story,
thus showing how mental health was treated in the 19th century.
From the scenes opening , the viewer is introduced to the narrative by a
voiceover that continues throughout almost the entire clip, immersing the audience into
Grace’s mind. The voiceover describes what she heard about herself, these opinions are
alternating from positive to negative: from an ‘inhuman female demon’ to an ‘innocent
victim’. The voiceover works in conjunction with Grace’s facial expressions, they
variate from guiltless to dangerous. This highlights her struggle to understand who she
really is and addresses the doubling of her personality. An element of narration that
sustains this is the perceptual subjectivity used, since it traps the viewers in Grace’s
mind, making them as clueless as she is as to what the truth really is. Various techniques
from the mise-en-scène are used to demonstrate the split in her personality. First of all,
the mirrors are a very important prop since they are the place where she analyses
herself, questioning her doubts without finding answers. In addition to this, they
represent the duality of her character, considering that they mirror her image. Besides
this, many close ups and tight framing support the idea that both Grace and the viewer
are immersed into the protagonist’s mind. The usage of hard lighting is also worth
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