Pleasantville

As viewers watch Pleasantville, they may find themselves feeling sad and uneasy at the interruption and corruption of this seemingly perfect world. To me this movie can be seen as having similarities to the novel Brave New World. In Brave New World books are banned because they create knowledge and individuality begins to arise through one’s thoughts and imagination. In ‘Pleasantville’ the uncolored citizens burn all the books because they do not understand. In both novel and movie the people…

support the theme of ignorance versus education are in both Pleasantville and To Kill a Mockingbird because in order for a society or a person to change and progress , they always have to be exposed to a new perspective. To begin, One of the protagonists in the movie Pleasantville is named Jen. In the beginning of the film Jen is a shallow teenager, who is self centered, dim witted, and appearance focused. After Jen travels into Pleasantville, a tv show set in the 1950s, Jen understands…

Finding your own identity is a big part of everyone's lives. It can you help find a spouse, choose a career, and make important life decisions. In the story “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, and in the movie “Pleasantville” by Gary Ross, there are many examples of people finding their identities. Even though there are many tasks that one must be willing to take in finding their identity, making changes and stepping out of their comfort zone is most important because experiencing new things is…

Seen in five films titled Crash, Pleasantville, Cry Freedom, The Pianist and American History X, there are a handful of noticeable themes portrayed in each. Anthropologically, sociologically and psychologically, these films and their themes of discrimination, conformity and alienation as well as self actualization and realization interconnect among one another. Discrimination is the unjust treatment towards categories of people based on prejudices. In all five movies this was revealed, some…

perspective and understanding of life. Using examples from the film, Pleasantville directed by Gary Ross, key concepts from The Forest and the Trees: Sociology as Life, Practice, and Promise will be explained and explored. Chapter One of the book deals with the flaws of individualism, which explains the world in terms of what goes on in an individual, and rather…

Spector’s and Wills’s article offers a spiritual meaning of materialism presented in the film. The article goes into each example of materialism and analyzes its deeper and symbolic denotations. In this process, this article builds to the conclusion proceeding how once people don’t feel satisfied with the materialistic things they desired, they search for happiness through a spiritual path such as Lester did in this film. Spector and Willis argue the theme of destruction of desire. Every…

In my opinion the most significant differences in the way people lived when comparing 1958 to present day are the sports they play and the family roles. The difference between sports then and now are enormous. Back then, boys had the option to play basketball and football. Now, boys have the option to play all sports such as track, football, baseball, golf and many more. Girls in the olden days couldn’t play any sport except cheerleading. Girls could only be in cheerleading because it was…

the means”. When the color started to appear in people, they realised they needed to get rid of their morals about change. They were always fearful about change, but in the end, the change turned out to be beneficial. To conclude, the people of Pleasantville always were fearful of change, but in the end of the movie, they went against their fear and convinced the others to be acceptable of…

EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENT Riace Bronzes: 1. The art historian, Nigel Spivey discussed how ancient sculptors used artifice to go beyond realism to create what he claims are "the best statues ever made". He then discussed several ways how the Riace Warrior bronzes, although they look realistic are actually "more human than human", that is, their bodies are unrealistic. List two of the ways that Spivey discusses how the sculptures go beyond realism. 1. The division between the top and bottom has…

an ongoing battle between men and women. Joanna Russ’ novel The Female Man (1975) is as controversial as the name suggests. The story focuses around five female protagonists all struggling to be more dominant than men. Similarly, in Garry Ross’ Pleasantville (1998), the 1950’s role of women in society is emphasized. These roles soon come crashing down as women start to defy these gender typical roles and embrace their true selves. The real world also showcases examples of female oppression…