The film The Black Balloon (2008) directed by Elissa Downs, and the short story The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1939), written by James Thurber both explore the theme of Belonging through characters, scenes, film/text techniques etc. The film The Black Balloon is about how Thomas, an adolescent who wants nothing more than to be normal, deals with his autistic brother, Charlie. 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty' is about a rather uninteresting man shopping with his wife, who enters vividly exciting daydreams. The themes of belonging are portrayed through the characters, scenes and film & text techniques.
Both Walter Mitty and Thomas Mollison do not belong in the situations they are placed in, and are discontent with their lives. Thomas is not accepting of his autistic brother for the majority of the film, even stating that he "wished when he woke up, [Charlie] …show more content…
Thomas Mollison has a loving and supporting family alongside him, that also goes through what he goes through, and suffers what he suffers. When he feels out of place, his family will come to his aid and support him. This contrasts starkly to Walter Mitty's situation. Walter's only known family is his wife, who seems to cause him more harm than good. The author's decision to not mention any other family of friends of Walter's implies his loneliness, and thus his lack of support. Walter's brief period of seeing his wife as a "stranger yelling in a crowd" shows us how alienated they are from one another, and emphasises his loneliness even further. Thomas is always surrounded by people that will care for him and make him feel included and wanted. This can be seen in many cases, but in particular when Thomas breaks down and Maggie immediately comes to his aid and embraces him as he cries. The director uses shots of the darkness outside and top-down angles in order to symbolise and show how Thomas is
Both Walter Mitty and Thomas Mollison do not belong in the situations they are placed in, and are discontent with their lives. Thomas is not accepting of his autistic brother for the majority of the film, even stating that he "wished when he woke up, [Charlie] …show more content…
Thomas Mollison has a loving and supporting family alongside him, that also goes through what he goes through, and suffers what he suffers. When he feels out of place, his family will come to his aid and support him. This contrasts starkly to Walter Mitty's situation. Walter's only known family is his wife, who seems to cause him more harm than good. The author's decision to not mention any other family of friends of Walter's implies his loneliness, and thus his lack of support. Walter's brief period of seeing his wife as a "stranger yelling in a crowd" shows us how alienated they are from one another, and emphasises his loneliness even further. Thomas is always surrounded by people that will care for him and make him feel included and wanted. This can be seen in many cases, but in particular when Thomas breaks down and Maggie immediately comes to his aid and embraces him as he cries. The director uses shots of the darkness outside and top-down angles in order to symbolise and show how Thomas is