Project description
At least two main ideas supporting your thesis
Between three to four scene analyses drawn from two films in the class. Explain how you plan to combine ideas and scene analyses from the first paper with new scene analyses from a second film for the final paper
Three course readings you plan to use and how these ideas are relevant to your thesis.
2000-2500 words (8-10 pages, double spaced)
Incorporate 3 readings from syllabus, portions of the midterm paper, and 3-4 scene
analyses drawn from two screenings in the course. Include plot summaries and clearly
explain the basis for the comparative analyses of the two films
Sentence Outline: The sentence outline, also due at the same time as the paper draft,
is meant to ensure that students have given careful thought to the thesis-and-support structure of the paper. Each main heading should correspond to the main sections of the paper (all of which directly develop the thesis), and every sentence in the subheadings should correspond to a topic sentence in a supporting paragraph in the paper. In this way, the outline should be useful in both the planning and revising stages of the paper (if you find you have a paragraph without a topic sentence, or a paragraph that doesnt fit into the outline, revision of the essay or the outline or both are in order.)
Write an essay that builds on your midterm paper thesis and incorporates at least one scene analysis from another film in the course. In establishing relationships between films in the course, please consider the following bases for comparative discussions
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Added on 01.03.2016 16:30
Koki Mizuno
Midterm Paper
Double Indemnity is a film noir film, directed by Billy Wilder. Insurance salesman Walter Neff is seduced Phyllis Dietrichson and helps her commit murder. Neff uses the dictaphone and confession to explain his story, which is when the film fades into flashback. Neff is directly addressing his confession to Barton Keyes, but as the audience is a constant presence, there is the sense that the confession is addressed to us. Double Indemnity attracts attention to the character relationship by motif of striking a match to light a cigar. The motif creates an unforgettable impression in the end of Neff, who eventually finds a honest relationship with Keyes. In Double Indemnity, the most significant representation of the relationship between Neff and Keyes is that they strike a match for each others cigarette. The relationship of these two changes throughout the film. In the beginning and end of the film, Neff and Keyes are in honest and interdependent relationship; however, in the middle of the film, after Neff meets Phyllis, their relationship is characterized by secrecy because Keyes is trying to find out the truth about the murder and insurance fraud. The lighting cigarette shows not only the changes in their relationship, but also reveals Neffs confidence to outsmart Keyes with the murder.
Both Neff and Keyes work well together and have good relationship. Neff shows his affection for Keyes by verbal communication and striking a match to light a cigar for him. He mentions that he loves Keyes: once in the beginning of the film, and once in the end of the film; meanwhile, Keyes tries to show his affection by offering him a job. However, the rift between Neff and Keyes is caused by Phyllis. After Neff meets Phyllis, he deeply devotes himself to her. The film discusses interpersonal relations between Neff, Keyes, and Phyllis. One of the themes in Double Indemnity is betrayal. The betrayal is by Neff to Keyes. While Keyes is trying to investigate the murder and insurance fraud, Neff keeps secret his relationship with Phyllis from Keyes. In the middle of the sequence of the film, when Neff strikes a match for Keyes, he smiles. Striking a match to light a cigar for Keyes seems that Neff helps Keyes, but the truth is that it represents Neffs confidence to outsmart Keyes. The film depicts that Keyes is a very competent worker, but he has a flaw which he cannot always lights a cigar by himself. However, the relationship of Neff and Keyes changes in the end of the film. The change begins in the beginning of the film, which chronologically happens in the end of the sequence. When Neff and Phyllis make the mistake of trusting each other, they kill each other. Even though he betrays Keyes, he does not get a woman and money. But, he finally realizes who really needs him. His confession to Keyes is not from forgiveness, but he feels guilt and regret because he almost loses Keyess trust. Neff cannot light his own cigar, and Keyes strikes a match to light a cigar for him. The two men communicate love to one another by lighting each other”s cigarettes as if the relationship between Neff and Keyes is father and son.
According to Double Indemnity, Richard Schickel states that He approved as well the removal of her death trip and the development of the father-son relationship between Keyes and Neff (66). If we think their relationship is father-son relationship and Phyllis as mother, son hopes to connect with mother and feels that father is the obstacle to achieve their wishes. While they develop such feeling, they feel a pang of guilt. And they grow up to be adult through their guilty conscience and troubles with mother. Father is a sign typifying society. We humans need to socialize and throw away our childish desire. We cannot live ignoring society. It cannot be possible to have ones own liberty cutting oneself from society. It is a symbol of narcissism refusing the adaptation toward the society to have the wish to connect with mother forever. Though, this film shows that he realizes his fault and learns the significance of father.
As Neff has strong desire to get a woman and money, he cannot get anything. What is worse, he loses everything which he creates such as relationship with Keyes and his life. Neff tries to compensate his sense of inferiority with thinking that he is smart. He smiles and seems to give a sign of relief when striking a match to light a cigar. He thinks that he has a superior position over Keyes at that point, and this relief gives a reason to think his plan would be successful. As pointing above, Keyes means society and Neff underestimates Keyes and tries to betray society. He thinks that Keyes is the obstacle, though the obstacle is his selfish desire. Similar to throwing away childish desire to socialize oneself, he should have thrown away his desire if he wishes to live in society. Society would not allow crime, and father knows it like Keyes sees through Neffs plot. In the end of the film, Neff cannot light a cigar and Keyes strikes a match to light a cigar instead of him. This scene shows that Keyes is smarter and superior to him and impresses us that their relationship is totally switched.