Matilda Analysis †Belonging Essay

Despite an individual’s desire to belong to a group or community, this is not always possible. More than anything else, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world. Belonging Matilda has a sense of belonging when with her school peers/friends and when she is with Miss Honey. When at the school and with the children, she smiled, and loved the environment/setting. When with Miss Honey, Matilda smiled and laughed. She felt had a connection with Miss honey. She had a sense of belonging when at the forest and also at the library. She had inner peace and felt happy there reading books in the silence. Not belonging She did not belong in the family, even when the father first saw her. He just made a face and walked away. The family felt there was something wrong with her. The family hated books and television, while she loved reading books. The family uses her like a tool. â€Å"Who would be there to sign the packages†. Father forces her to stop reading and to watch TV. Cynically, the father says â€Å"you’re not going to be calling us for support payments†, rather than saying good bye. Her sense of exclusion is presented in the relationship between her parents and family. film techniques Techniques Example + effect Lighting + contrast In the scene, after Matilda is dragged away from her father after asking for a book, she walks to the staircase and is clouded by darkness, while the rest of the family is lighted up. This places emphasis on how Matilda is not made to feel welcome in the family. After the consequent emotional bullying by the family, she runs to her room. She is in the presence of the light, but outside of that circle, it is all dark. This emphasizes that she feels isolated and unhappy about this place. When Matilda is sitting in Ms Honeys lap, she is surrounded and in sunshine. This, in contrast to the darkness surrounding her at the beginning of the film emphasizes she found a place to belong. It brings justice to the reader, knowing that, she will have a good future. Music At the beginning, when matilda is standing at the stairs, ponding on her family’s first treatment of her, sad and somber music is used to set the atmosphere. This makes the audience feel for her. At the scene where Matilda is setting off to the library, Diagetic sounds of the city, her foot , the trucks along with the happy, exciting music is playing. The audience knows that matilda is going on a happy trip and will have a good time. At the ending of the film, after Matildas family signed the papers and left, optimistic and joyful music is played with the montage of matilda’s happy life. The audience knows that in the future Matilda will forever be happy. Dialogue â€Å"Matilda was left alone and that was how she liked it†. It has a hopeful tone. It gives the audience a sigh of relief that she would have some relief from the neglectful family. Emphasizes that she never belonged with those people at all. At some time within the orientation, Matilda’s father argues with her, saying, â€Å"Listen you little wise-ache! I’m smart you’re dumb! And I’m big and you’re little! I’m right you’re wrong! And there’s nothing you can do about it! † Emphasizes that the father does not care for her and reinforces her alienation. Her father treats her as though he does not have a single feeling for her, creating the idea that she does not belong. During when the family was watching television, Matilda’s father asks her, â€Å"Are you in this family†¦? Hello? I said are you in this family? † The dialogue causes the audience to feel sympathy towards Matilda and hatred towards her family, thus conveying that Matilda does not belong in the family and will not feel a sense of belonging unless she leaves the family. Camera shots At many scenes where the father is intimidating or arguing with Matilda. At the beginning of the film, when Matilda is reading books on the floor, her father walks in and a low mid shot is utilized with the father filling up most of the screen. This gives the effect that the father is treating her badly, thus makes the audience feel empathy for her. This conveys that Matilda does not belong in the family. At the scenes where Matilda is bonding with Miss honey, e. g. when they are walking at the garden, a medium eye level shot is utilized revealing their emotions. Matilda smiles with not a worry on her mind, emphasizing that she feels a sense of belonging and place when with Miss Honey.