Many people live in a world that leads them to struggle with social problems regarding their physical appearances and family relationships. However, this can easily result in a limiting mindset and disappearance of individuality as others struggle to fit into society’s “correct answers.” Instead of questioning society’s views, people are submissive and fail to rise up for changes. The film Little Miss Sunshine is an effective contemporary interpretation of an archetypal journey based on Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying because through the use of literary device such as characterization, symbolism, and motifs, the film takes into consideration society’s common problems today and highlights the Hoover family’s journey to overcome and change these
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Throughout the journey to California, Sheryl acts as the peacemaker and tries to make the trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible by alleviating any potential disputes among family members. She puts great value in her family, which is primarily shown when she says that “we’re still [a] family for better for worse” (Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine). Sheryl’s role allows her to be interactive throughout the journey and always gives her opinions and ideas to others. This is a distinct contrast to the portrayal of Addie in As I Lay Dying. Addie, on the other hand, is unable to freely speak out her ideas and voice her thoughts and opinions to her family members. She portrays the archetype of the outsider. Women during this time period were to be submissive, and their primary role was to bear children for her husband. Considered inferiors, women were never equal to men and were criticized for presuming to judge their own actions from right and wrong. Instead women were to rely on others to decide their fates and consequences. For example, Cora, the perfect embodiment of submissive women during this time, denounces Addie and says “who does [she] think [she] is” for …show more content…
Death is a motif throughout the film and is one of the contributing factors in the Hoover’s archetypal journey. With the death of Grandpa Edwin Hoover, the Hoover family comes together to as a team. The Hoovers begins to rely on each other as they try to sneak Grandpa Edwin’s corpse into their van, and as their reliance for one another grows, trust also builds within the family. Thinking of Grandpa’s death, Richard says that “if there's one thing Grandpa would've wanted, it's to have Olive perform at the Little Miss Sunshine pageant” and decides to sneak out in order to fulfill the purpose of the journey and prevent “a grave disserve to his memory if [the family] gave up now” (Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine). The Hoovers are motivated to continue their archetypal journey and decide to sneak Grandpa’s corpse out of the hospital and into their van in order for the family to arrive on the time. Through teamwork, the family hides the corpse from the hospital staff and safely transfers the corpse into the van. The motif of death is able to allow the family to motivate Olive and complete her goals. Thinking of Grandpa’s constant support for Olive to participate in the Miss Sunshine pageant, the Hoovers support her decision and do everything in their powers to complete the goal. On the other hand, in As I Lay Dying, death is
Throughout the journey to California, Sheryl acts as the peacemaker and tries to make the trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible by alleviating any potential disputes among family members. She puts great value in her family, which is primarily shown when she says that “we’re still [a] family for better for worse” (Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine). Sheryl’s role allows her to be interactive throughout the journey and always gives her opinions and ideas to others. This is a distinct contrast to the portrayal of Addie in As I Lay Dying. Addie, on the other hand, is unable to freely speak out her ideas and voice her thoughts and opinions to her family members. She portrays the archetype of the outsider. Women during this time period were to be submissive, and their primary role was to bear children for her husband. Considered inferiors, women were never equal to men and were criticized for presuming to judge their own actions from right and wrong. Instead women were to rely on others to decide their fates and consequences. For example, Cora, the perfect embodiment of submissive women during this time, denounces Addie and says “who does [she] think [she] is” for …show more content…
Death is a motif throughout the film and is one of the contributing factors in the Hoover’s archetypal journey. With the death of Grandpa Edwin Hoover, the Hoover family comes together to as a team. The Hoovers begins to rely on each other as they try to sneak Grandpa Edwin’s corpse into their van, and as their reliance for one another grows, trust also builds within the family. Thinking of Grandpa’s death, Richard says that “if there's one thing Grandpa would've wanted, it's to have Olive perform at the Little Miss Sunshine pageant” and decides to sneak out in order to fulfill the purpose of the journey and prevent “a grave disserve to his memory if [the family] gave up now” (Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine). The Hoovers are motivated to continue their archetypal journey and decide to sneak Grandpa’s corpse out of the hospital and into their van in order for the family to arrive on the time. Through teamwork, the family hides the corpse from the hospital staff and safely transfers the corpse into the van. The motif of death is able to allow the family to motivate Olive and complete her goals. Thinking of Grandpa’s constant support for Olive to participate in the Miss Sunshine pageant, the Hoovers support her decision and do everything in their powers to complete the goal. On the other hand, in As I Lay Dying, death is