Bordwell and Thompson define narrative as "a chain of events in cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space" (Film Art, 75). Referring to the chapter "Narrative as Formal System" and Terry McMillian's essay on The Wizard of Oz (dir. Victor Fleming, 1939), identify and describe three questions McMillian poses to the film's narrative. For instance, when does McMillian pose questions to the film's cause and effect logic? How do the characters' traits inform her understanding of the film's causes and effects? For McMillian, how does the film's presentation of story information generate curiosity or suspense?
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Blog #6
Bordwell and Thompson define narrative as "a chain of events in cause-effect relationship occurring in time and space" (Film Art, 75). Referring to the chapter "Narrative as Formal System" and Terry McMillian's essay on The Wizard of Oz (dir. Victor Fleming, 1939), identify and describe three questions McMillian poses to the film's narrative. For instance, when does McMillian pose questions to the film's cause and effect logic? How do the characters' traits inform her understanding of the film's causes and effects? For McMillian, how does the film's presentation of story information generate curiosity or suspense?
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McMillan was highly influenced by the Wizard of Oz as a kid, and also highly perplexed and interested in the story, plot, and causality of the film. She questions the motivations of the characters and how the cause and effect relationship propels the narrative. She states that Dorothy’s ultimate goal is to reach the emerald city in order to ultimately return to Kansas. In turn, the majority of events in the story are obstacles or “knots in her rope” that impede her progress toward that motivating goal. Another Impeding aspect of the narrative is the counter force wicked witch of the west who’s interests are opposed to Dorothy’s. The main problem McMillan had with Dorothy’s goal was that she didn’t understand why she would want to return to Kansas. She also wonders how the characters influence the plot. Dorothy’s character, the protagonist, is the primary motivator of the plot, her gullibility and meek personality make it understandable that she is easily influenced and would want to return home. Conversely, the evil character that is the witch makes it understandable that she would want to thwart Dorothy’s plans. McMillan relates to Dorothy in ways and wonders how the filming influences her relationship. The limited range of the story allows the viewer to interpolate themselves into Dorothy’s position. The camera primarily follows Dorothy and shows what she sees. This generates curiosity because as the viewer our knowledge is limited to Dorothy’s perspective. Only briefly is our scope extended to see the witch watching over the group of innocent travelers. This adds an extra element of thrill of suspense through dramatic irony. The Depth of the characters is also very limited. Each character represents the stereotype they present (evil witch, innocent girl, heartless, brainless, or courage less mates, etc)
[Garrett Katerzynske]
[Caroline Kastelic]
McMillan comes up with three questions that put the narrative of The Wizard of Oz on examination. One question pertained to the scarecrow, the lion, and the tin man and the voids within themselves. At her age McMillan had never before thought about what having courage, a heart (as in emotions), and a brain really meant before. She was able to figure out these three important characteristics and was able to learn from it and develop them herself. The second question McMillan had was simply about, if Dorothy was in fact dreaming, why didn’t she simply dream of the perfect place? Why did she create conflict within her dream? McMillan is able to learn why this is when she allows her six year old son to watch the film. He enjoys it, but experiences nightmares about it later that night, signifying the difference between sleep-dreams and daydreams, something that McMillan says she never had time for. In daydreams, we can control the picture playing in our head. The final question is most important, and befuddled McMillan the most. Why did Dorothy want to go back home? Her Aunt was rude to her, her only friend was a dog, and she lived on a small farm in the middle of nowhere, something McMillan was able to identify with easily. But it is the sense of having a family that brought Dorothy back to Kansas. McMillan experiences this as well. McMillan describes times when she would lock her siblings out of the house when her mother was away and pretend none of them existed. But when her siblings returned and she finished with her fantasy world, it was reassuring to see them all again. One important character trait that informs our understanding of Oz’s cause and effects is the attitude of Dorothy’s Aunt Em. McMillan identifies a similar relationship between her and her mother with Dorothy and her aunt. McMillan’s mother and Dorothy’s aunt are rude and bossy. McMillan always dreamed of running away from and when Dorothy did it herself she cheered her on. The only thing that stopped McMillan from running away as well that she had nowhere to go. The suspense of the film is generated by the new world Dorothy falls into. We are placed in Dorothy’s position, unfamiliar with the new surroundings and unaware of what will happen next.
The narrative form has become the standard film played in mainstream media since the early beginning of cinema in the start of the 1900’s. Fleming’s Wizard of Oz is one of the most memorable and transcendent narrative films since the start. The film has such a profound impact on writer Terry McMillian that she writes a whole article on her reflections of the film as a child and now as an adult.
McMillian mentions that she was a young girl when she first watched the film, so she often never fully understood some aspects until later in her life. However, as a young teenager, she began to understand the concept, yet, chose not to accept it. One of the most notable questions she poses is, “What if Dorothy doesn’t leave Emerald City?” In McMillian’s fantasy, the main character Dorothy is offered to stay in Oz’s Emerald City. As a teen, the writer thinks that this would create a much better situation for Dorothy, she would stay in a city and meet new friends and have a better life. The converse of going back to a dirty farm town in Kansas does not make sense and McMillian wishes Dorothy would have chosen the city over her average life in Kansas.
When applying questions to the character’s traits, McMillian realized important cause and effects as well. The story shows that the lack of a brain is not interpreted as intelligence, but instead more closely related to the ability to make decisions. Also, she mentions that not having a heart alludes to, not death, but emotion and the absence of human feeling. Finally, McMillian recognizes that courage empowers individuals is it did for her against her mother. She mentions that gaining these attributes would ultimately lead to positive and noticeable difference in their lives. One of these attributes McMillian utilizes when she finds the courage to ask her mother to say, “please” when asking her to do something.
Finally, McMillian mentions the film’s ability to make the viewer interact with the characters, especially Dorothy. She often times wonders what she would do as Dorothy. Because of the way the film is shot, it is very easy for the viewers to see themselves in her position. Throughout the film, we have a linear perspective of one character and our opinions and interactions come from Dorothy’s. Thus, we feel suspense and anxiety when our protagonist is knocked unconscious in the beginning or when she passes out running through the “magical” poppy fields. We are left wondering and hoping the story doesn’t end. We also feel the suspense of the hunt, as the Wicked Witch tracks our main character closely. Overall, Fleming’s film holds a multitude of cause and affect relationships that can translate into the viewer’s life.
Mitchell Keller
TA: Caroline Kastelic
McMillan comes up with three questions that look deep within the narrative plot of “The Wizard of Oz”. The first one is about to the scarecrow, the lion, and the tin man and the pieces of life that they are missing. McMillan was a young elementary-aged girl at this point in life and wasn’t thinking about things like what having courage, a heart/emotion, and a brain meant. When she put more thought into these ideas, she came up with ways to better her life and herself. The second question McMillan had was, if Dorothy was in fact dreaming, why didn’t she simply dream of the perfect place? She wanted to know why the dream ended up putting Dorothy in a predicament. McMillan is able to learn why this is by letting her own six year old son to watch “Oz”. He enjoys the film, but end up having strange nightmares about it later that night. McMillan talks about the difference between Sleep dream and Daydreams. She talks about how in her childhood, there was no room for daydreams because everything was always so busy. She also claims that in our daydreams we can control the plot of imagery that goes through our mind; at least in a sense. The last question is the most important the McMillan, and troubled her the most. Why did Dorothy want to go back home? Her Aunt was rude to her, her only friend was a dog, and she lived on a small farm in the middle of nowhere. This life was one that McMillan knew and lived. She concludes that it was the sense of family that brought Dorothy back to Kansas. McMillan knows this feeling as well. She talks of times during her childhood when she would lock her siblings out of the house and pretend none of them even existed. This was a really nice experience for her while it last, but when one of them would return, she would feel reassured to see them again. The suspense of the film is generated by the new world Dorothy falls into. We are placed in Dorothy’s position, unfamiliar with the new surroundings and unaware of what will happen next. An important character trait that helps us understand Oz’s cause and effects is the attitude of Dorothy’s Aunt. McMillan identifies a similar relationship between her and her mother with Dorothy and her aunt. Her mother and Dorothy’s aunt are rude and bossy. McMillan always dreamed of running away from and when Dorothy did it herself she cheered her on. The only thing that stopped McMillan from running away as well that she had nowhere to go.
Jason Edwards
Caroline Kastelic(10-10:50)
One question McMillan poses is the meaning of Dorothy’s three friends and the “essentials” that they were missing and in search for. This quest for a brain, heart, and courage to McMillan seemed out of the ordinary, but it’s depth shows the initiative and drive of the characters, and a deeper underlying meaning of self-fulfillment. This cause and effect relationship in essence is one of the founding blocks of the movie and the driving force keeping the viewers hooked and being able to relate to the goal-oriented movie plot.
Another question posed by McMillan are the circumstances of Dorothy’s dream. If she were to create a complete dream world, why not make it as perfect as it can be? This again brings in the continuing metaphor of the “knot” McMillan refers to and what must be untied in order to make progress. From killing the wicked witch to extinguishing the scarecrow, every obstacle comes its effects, and from those effects, you build up and move on with your best foot forward no matter how tough things can get. The imperfections not only give the movie a sense of realism, but a sense that though you may want things to be perfect, it is those little events and give it life and meaning.
A final question stated by McMillan is the fact that Dorothy always wanted to go back to Kansas. This can be paralleled to McMillan’s own life. When she wanted her siblings out of the house, she locked them out of the house so she could get piece and quite. In the end, “It was reassuring to see them all there.” With Dorothy’s goal always in mind, we see her motivation and desire prevail as bumps in the road become prevalent. Dorothy’s experience not only shows that where ever you go you can always have family, but also that there’s truly no place like home (pun intended). No matter where you go/run off to, the movie shows that family is key and the building blocks of one’s own life.
Dan Gorchynsky
TA: Caroline Kastelic
In her essay, Terry McMillian reminds readers that often, a child’s perspective tells more about cause and effect logic than an adult’s. As a child, she had no problem asking questions about the content or plot of the movie, and as an adult, she can clearly see the answers and logic behind her childhood questions. For instance, as a child, McMillian questions the reasons that the tin man, the scarecrow, and the lion do not have essentials to live, such as a heart, a brain, and courage (respectively). When Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, who doesn’t have a brain, McMillian wonders “What did having [a brain] really mean? What would not having one mean?” (35). She realizes as an adult that having a brain “meant you had choices.” Furthermore, the fact that the Scarecrow needs a brain, the Tin Man needs a heart, and the Lion needs courage simply help to advance the story; this is a good example of how these character’s traits inform McMillian’s understanding of the cause and effect logic of the film.
To McMillian, the film’s presentation of story information generates curiosity and suspense through drama and through the way she could (as a child) easily relate to Dorothy. While the tornado scene evokes emotions of fright and suspense for McMillian, the suspense of the wicked witch and the phony wizard seemed most important to her. She views them as immortal, in a way, but as the story progresses and eventually draws to a close, McMillian realizes that they are normal and mortal. This fact taught her a great deal about perseverance and friendship and helped her realize that “good always overcomes evil; maybe not immediately, but in the long run, it does.” Dorothy could not have overcome the supposed “immortality” of the witch and the wizard without the help of her faithful companions. This is a good presentation of story information which generates curiosity and suspense but also results in a happy ending.
Bryn Unger
Terry McMillan, like many people, needed an escape from her hard life growing up in Port Huron, MI. and she found that escape in the movie “The Wizard of Oz”. McMillan identifies with Dorothy’s hard life of always doing chores with no rewards and compares Auntie Em to her own mother who was also “bossy and domineering”. Because McMillan can identify with Dorothy’s bleak life, she is able to understand why and even root for Dorothy when she runs away from and then imagines this other reality of Oz. Seeing Dorothy run away from her problems prompted McMillan to wonder where she would go if she were to run away and realizes that “there was nowhere to go” for her. McMillan is also led to question why Dorothy imagines a place where there is danger and problems that she must face instead of one that in free from all “knots” of life.
By living in an area where there was also the threat of tornados, McMillan was able to have greater insight into the effects of the tornado of the characters action. McMillan had an underground tornado shelter with a trap door and knew that “Dorothy was going to be locked out once Auntie Em and the workers locked the door.” Knowing this created much more suspense for McMillan as she watched the scene. She knew the consequences of Dorothy not getting into the shelter and could imagine how terrified it would be for her if she were out in a tornado.
McMillan learns about many important character traits that are essential to real life like courage, brains or the ability to make choices, heart and faith. Once she understood how important these traits were to surviving in the real world, she could then understand why these characters were going on this long, difficult journey for them. She learned courage from the lion and was able to stand up to her mother. And learned that a brain was more than just knowing facts or doing well in school; it was about being able to make decisions and change things. The tin man changed her view of a heart from just a mechanical part of the body essential to life to a place of feelings. And Dorothy taught her the greatest lesson that you cannot get anywhere with out hope. McMillan’s situation growing up affected how she viewed the events and actions of the characters in “The Wizard of Oz” and lead her to identify and question the narrative of the story.
Lanae Smith
TA: Caroline Kastelic
Terry McMillian has a powerful connection with the movie The Wizard of Oz. She compares her life to the movie many times in her essay. However, McMillian questions Dorothy’s logic in how she had obstacles even in her dreams. McMillian quotes, “I wouldn’t have put myself in a precarious situation. I’d have been able to go straight to the Wizard.” (35) Obviously, if this would have actually happened, there would be no story, but with cause and effect conflicts the story occurs.
Secondly, McMillian admits that it was the Wizard of Oz that taught her about friendship. The Lion, the tin-man and the scarecrow all were there to help Dorothy make her way back home. It was their help that caused her return and in watching this example of friendship, McMillian was able to value her friendship with others.
Probably the most suspenseful part of the movie is when Dorothy is trying to get in the cellar with the tornado directly behind her. “I knew Dorothy was going to be locked out once Auntie Em and the workers locked the door, and I also knew she wasn’t going to be heard when she knocked on it. This was drama at its best.” (34) The wind blowing wildly, the tornado in the background, and the fact that she is locked out all play on our fears which create suspense and make this a great moment.
Alison Korth
t.a. Caroline Kastelic
Terry McMillan writing a essay about “The Wizard of OZ,” brought up three questions that i came across. First involving her three incomplete friends she meets along the way. the Scarecrow, Tin man, and Lion were all characters missing things such as a “brain.” When viewing this narrative film McMillan was still young and not realizing missing a brain was “having choices,' but on the other hand she thought “I had one, Didn't I, Because I dod well in school.” p.35 By saying this she did not even start to think what the concept of a brain was, but now when she has found out what it literally means, she was going to use it.
The second question is if dorothy was dreaming why was her dream not perfect instead of being full of obstacles and mishaps along the way? The dream was not perfect because if it was there would be no story the obstacles “causes” create effects, and create the story. They are encountering these obstacles to overcome them and create perfection, which is in the end going home.
The final question i came across was “where the hell was she going?”p.33 Dorothy was running away but where to? She was running to find a better place, to get away, to a paradise. while doing this it creates the entire story full of cause and effect, in-perfection, and in the end satisfaction. This story I believe brought McMillan to find her paradise, her satisfaction, the T.V. it was her way of running away from her crappy town, and home life where her commanding mom lived, while she paid the bills, and watched over the kids. T.V. was her paradise and Wizard of Oz helped her realize that.
Brad Schiefelbein
Caroline Kastelic
The most important thing in today's media is the narrative form used is almost every film since the earliest uses during the 1900's. McMillan uses "The Wizard of Oz" as an example seeing how it could be classified as the golden standard for all narrative forms. The question that made me think the most is how McMillan raises the question "what if Dorothy would have just decided to stay in Emerald City?" The thing that helped me relate the most to her is this question. It made me think why Dorothy does decided to leave the city where she appears to be happy but, instead she proceeds to back to normal boring life on the small Kansas farm house. My second question would have to be is if Dorothy was dreaming how come her dream was not perfect. When you think of dream you would figure it to be a happy place with no problems just simple bliss. So instead of considering Dorothy's event as dreamlike it should be rather considered a nightmare in my mind. The final question I had was how such a simple story brings in the viewer as well as Oz does. My only conclusion is that we as viewers relate to Dorothy in the ideas that everyone feels unwanted at some point in their life and they secretly wish they could escape to a magical land where everyone seems interested in them. So maybe I was right in saying that the "Wizard of Oz" is not only a classic but instead it is the gold standard os the narrative form.
Terry McMillan proposes a few different theories and questions about her own life as she watched ‘The Wizard of Oz’ as a child. First off, she notes how “When Dorothy’s house began to spin and spin, I was curious as to where it was going to land” (34). Any viewer, not even necessarily a child, would also have this sense of apprehension from a film. The narrative really creates a great sense of suspense, with the house flying through the air during the tornado. The viewer has already seen how ‘horrible’ Dorothy’s life was, so to what terrible place could this tornado be taking her? How the story is told really creates great suspense for the film. Secondly, McMillan points out the world Dorothy dreamt herself up. She wonders why Dorothy would create such a nightmare for herself, with the wicked witch and flying monkeys making terror wherever they could? If McMillan could create her own dream world, as elaborate as the one in the film, she would have made it perfect, with no problems such as the trouble Dorothy had to go through to find the Wizard. McMillan finally proposes that the reason the world is not perfect in this dream is because we cannot control our dreams during sleep, unlike how we can control our thoughts and desires when we are awake. Finally, McMillan points out how the narrative of the story had created suspense, drama, and dramatic irony in order to move the story forward; “I knew Dorothy was going to be locked out once Auntie Em and the workers locked the door, and I also knew she wasn’t going to be heard when she knocked on it. This was drama at its best, even though I didn’t know what drama was at the time” (34). The film’s narrative, its dramatic irony helped propel the suspense of the story to new heights in order to grab viewer attention.
Mark Scholbrock
During McMillans essay she comes up with three questions about the film "The Wizard of Oz". The first question that McMillan thought of was the need for the brain, heart, and courage. The reason for these neccesities didn't make sense to McMillan at the time. Once she had figured them out she realized that she could learn from them herself, because they are three very important characteristics in a human being.
The second question she poses is that if "The Wizard of Oz" is Dorthy's dream why didn't she make it as perfect as possible. Why is there a need for a bad witch? With the imperfection in a plot line it only gives the film a meaning and a story. By overcoming those obstacles to continue on in the story.
The third question that is posed is why did Dorthy want to go back to Kansas? When you really think about it Dorthy really had nothing back in Kansas. She had no friends, and her Aunt was mean to her. McMillan relates this to her own life by talking about how she would lock her siblings out when they were gone. She enjoyed the alone time, however by the time they got back she was more than happy that they were back, because she had missed them.
Amber Blanchard
TA: Caroline Kastelic
Terry McMillian poses three questions about “The Wizard of Oz”. The first is if Dorothy was in fact dreaming, why didn't she dream of a perfect world? McMillian didn't understand why Dorothy would have dreams that would find her getting into trouble. The dream world is your own and the world you create can be whatever you want it to be so why would someone dream of an unperfect world. But if one looks closely you'll see that her dream world wasn't so bad after all. Awake, she wasn't paid much attention to but asleep, her friends would do anything for her.
The second question that is raised is all of the things scarecrow, tin man, and lion don't have. They don't have a brain, a heart, or courage and McMillian didn't really think about what that meant until she saw the movie. A person without a brain isn't dumb, they are unable to think for themselves. A person without a heart isn't dead, they don't have the ability to love or feel emotion.
The last question raised is why did Dorothy go back home? Being away from home for so long can make a person long for the things they once wished away. So maybe Dorothy wasn't treated fairly but she had a family that loved her and would always do so.
Sara Nesbitt
Caroline Kastelic
Terry McMillian has been very interested in The Wizard of Oz since she was a little girl. She also poses many questions to the film’s narrative. One question she asks is about the film’s cause and effect logic. When Dorothy is has been transported to Oz she spends her entire trip there trying to get to the Wizard to get back home. McMillian doesn’t understand why Dorothy would try so desperately to get back home to a little farm in the middle of nowhere with no friends except a dog. But she understands that Dorothy is gullible and naïve and is easily convinced that her Auntie Em is in trouble back home, so she tries her hardest to get back to her. For McMillian, seeing Auntie Em and the workers lock the trapdoor of the underground shelter was the scene that generated the most curiosity or suspense because she knew right then that Dorothy would be locked out and wouldn’t be heard when she knocked.
Tanisha Richter
TA: Caroline Kastelic
Terry McMillian posed many questions about "The Wizard Of Oz" in regards to character and narrative. McMillian makes an interesting comment about Dorthy's decision to run away. McMillian says"I was afraid for Dorthy when she ran away, but at the same time glad." McMillian then talks about how Dorthy's life really does suck, and that when she finally gets to Oz she wants to go back, even though the place sucks. So Dorthy's motive seems to be flawed.
Another interesting aspect the McMillian talks about is how Oz is Dorthy's "get away". Terry posses the question of why Dorthy would make her fantasy full of so much stress. I agree. It seems to much of a hassle to deal with flying monkeys and shit. Make it paradise.
The other thing McMillian said was that Dorthy is just to gullible and to an extent, stupid. She believes everything people tell her, so much so that kids half her age found it to be absurd.
One last thing I would like to say, kind of unrelated, is that McMillian's little boy is correct. That witch is freakin creepy as hell!
Kyle Arpke
TA: Caroline Kastelic
In The Wizard of Oz a major narrative dives is parallels. There are parallels between characters with in the film, and parallels that are to be made between the viewer and the characters on screen.
Terry McMillon growing up with the life she had; being a poor black girl in nowhere Michigan, identifies with Dorothy drawing parallels from Dorothy's life in The Wizard of Oz, to her own life. Terry's mother was compared to Auntie Em for being bossy and domineering Terry understands that like Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz in real life "if you wanted to get things done you had to delegate authority". Terry identifies with Dorothy because she wants to escape a life that has nothing for her, she asks why Dorothy didn't choose the Emerald City over Kansas, "what kind of life did she have, from what I'd seen so far? She lived in an ugly farm out in the middle of nowhere". Dorothy and Terry could have ran away and been very happy but with any dream reality sets back in Terry asks "Where would I go if I were to run away." Unlike Dorothy Terry in the real world can't click her heals together and return home.
Andrew Page
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