Barton Fink (Ethan Coen 1991) demonstrates the separation of artists and artistic integrity when working in the Hollywood system, and implies the industry’s rigor towards giving entertainment and receiving capital. This disjunction becomes personified through the minds of Barton, a struggling writer, and Charlie Meadows, a mundane insurance salesman. Barton’s artistic integrity involves advocating for the common folk. Seeming as Charlie serves as a synecdoche for everyday people; he poses as a suitable muse for the Wallace Beery script. Unfortunately, Barton’s self-absorbance prohibits him from seeing Charlie as a reference for his assignment on the wrestling picture. Grappling to maintain his creative integrity, Barton seeks help from writing
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He looks towards his typewriter that is illuminated by a single lamp with balled-up failed attempts that scatter his desk and floor; a picture of a woman on the beach hangs above the desk; a fan oscillates behind a large book by W.P Mayhew. The camera tracks in towards the desk and the picture, sort of beckoning Barton towards his typewriter. He sits at his desk, a hand under his chin, his eyes darting along the page on his typewriter almost in contempt. Note that Barton is dressed in a striped, long-sleeved, dress shirt, brown trousers and suspenders. Then, the camera pans to the floor, subsequently, Barton places his feet in a pair of shoes. Sliding his feet inside of the shoe, the scene cuts to his face, there is fleeting moment of realization that those are not his shoes, yet, he continues to stare at the page. The camera zooms into the words “a large man in tights”. Suddenly, Charlie walks in, who, ironically is a large man with experience in wrestling. Instead, dressed in an identical fashion to Barton, Charlie comes to return Barton’s …show more content…
Arguably, this scene conveys Barton’s coming to terms with his failure as a writer and his inability to come up with an idea for the story. As Charlie sits on Barton’s bed and listens, Barton does not realize that his inspiration is Charlie. Charlie represents the common man and the idea that Barton seems to suppress. When evoked with the feeling to write, Barton somehow gets interrupted and his ghostly double shortly appears. Charlie’s appearance coincides with the wallpaper peeling, which metaphorically represents the shedding of a barrier. Unfortunately, Barton tries to keep the wallpaper up, which corresponds with his actions to evade Charlie’s stories. The wallpaper may also pose as a harbinger for the unveiling of Charlie as a serial killer, who insists on showing Barton the life of the
He looks towards his typewriter that is illuminated by a single lamp with balled-up failed attempts that scatter his desk and floor; a picture of a woman on the beach hangs above the desk; a fan oscillates behind a large book by W.P Mayhew. The camera tracks in towards the desk and the picture, sort of beckoning Barton towards his typewriter. He sits at his desk, a hand under his chin, his eyes darting along the page on his typewriter almost in contempt. Note that Barton is dressed in a striped, long-sleeved, dress shirt, brown trousers and suspenders. Then, the camera pans to the floor, subsequently, Barton places his feet in a pair of shoes. Sliding his feet inside of the shoe, the scene cuts to his face, there is fleeting moment of realization that those are not his shoes, yet, he continues to stare at the page. The camera zooms into the words “a large man in tights”. Suddenly, Charlie walks in, who, ironically is a large man with experience in wrestling. Instead, dressed in an identical fashion to Barton, Charlie comes to return Barton’s …show more content…
Arguably, this scene conveys Barton’s coming to terms with his failure as a writer and his inability to come up with an idea for the story. As Charlie sits on Barton’s bed and listens, Barton does not realize that his inspiration is Charlie. Charlie represents the common man and the idea that Barton seems to suppress. When evoked with the feeling to write, Barton somehow gets interrupted and his ghostly double shortly appears. Charlie’s appearance coincides with the wallpaper peeling, which metaphorically represents the shedding of a barrier. Unfortunately, Barton tries to keep the wallpaper up, which corresponds with his actions to evade Charlie’s stories. The wallpaper may also pose as a harbinger for the unveiling of Charlie as a serial killer, who insists on showing Barton the life of the