THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION & AMERICAN BEAUTY

THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION & AMERICAN BEAUTY
Questions for homework #2 cover the films American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption.
The following information is important for you to understand before you answer the questions on homework #2. It is a brief description of how characters are shown and created in film. This is from the book The Power of Film by Howard Suber:
CHARACTERS: What Are They? Who Are They?
by Howard Suber in THE POWER OF FILM:
“To understand characters, we need to ask the same questions about them that we sometimes ask about ourselves: “What am I?” and “Who am I?”
“What am I?” We can be male or female, young or old, white or black, tall or short. We can be introvert or extrovert, funny or morose, born into a rich or poor family, healthy or ill, and an infinite number of other combinations and possibilities. But these are all “what” we are. They are our attributes. They are determined by circumstance, Fate, luck, or genetics…and we personally deserve neither credit nor blame for them.

Who we are depends on 2 things: 1) the decisions we make
2) the actions we take.
When we are young, we have not done much other than what our parents, teachers, peers, and society expect us to do, and thus our character has not yet had a chance to form. As we age, we begin to make our own decisions. It is only then that our character really takes shape.
It is the decisions we make and actions we take that define character – that determine “who” we are. And that determination – at least in film – always comes from within. The decisions that we make and actions we take that define our character come from within our souls, our consciences, our hearts.”
Questions to Answer for homework #2
1. Describe the character arc for Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption). To do this, answer a and b below using examples of Andy’s decisions, his actions, body language, dialogue and how others see him. Make sure you also give examples from the film that support your answers in a & b below.
• a. When Andy begins his time in Shawshank Prison, what is important to him? Describe what matters to him, what he seems to care about, what he needs or wants, and/ or who he loves or respects. Make sure you explain how he responds to the prison world around him. Be specific and give 2 examples from the film to support your answer.
• b. As the film progresses, his character changes. The circumstances he faces and/or his own behavior and feelings change. As he changes, his view of the world changes, his relationships change, and who he trusts change. Give at least 2 examples of these changes Andy goes through before he escapes from the prison. Be specific and use examples from the film.
2. Describe the character arc for Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacy) in American Beauty To do this, answer a, b and c below using examples of the character’s decisions, his actions, body language, dialogue and how others see him. Make sure you also give examples from the film that support your answers in a, b and c below. 2a As the story begins, how is the character presented? Describe what matters to him, what he seems to care about, what he needs or wants, and/ or who he loves or respects. Explain how he responds to his world. You may use the character’s voiceover narration (Lester is used as a ‘narrator’). Be specific and give 2 examples from the film to support your answer.
b As the story progresses, describe an event that you feel has a powerful effect on Lester. Describe the event and explain how and why you feel it impacts him.
c After the event you describe in “b,” how does Lester change? Describe changes in his behavior and feelings, his view of the world, and/or his relationships. Give at least 2 examples of these changes that occur after the event in “b,” and before the very end of the film (which is to say do not use Lester’s death as one change). Be specific and use examples from the film.
3. One definition of redemption is “the act of correcting a past wrong.” Using that definition (do not use a religious definition), give an example of redemption from the film The Shawshank Redemption. Make sure you explain not only the “act of correcting a past wrong,” but explain what “past wrong” is being or attempted to be corrected by the character. –Remember: Andy did not commit a crime. We learn in the film that he did not kill his wife. What redemptions does the film explore? There are many redemptions, large and small, in the film that involve different characters—choose one example, and describe it fully.
4. Choose one genre of film out of this list:
Film Noir
The Western Film
Combat or War Film
Write in outline or prose, a summary of a film you would make that fulfills the basic elements of the genre you have chosen. You do not need to write dialogue or a script; the summary is fine. Use the basic elements of that genre that you have learned from the documentary films in the American Culture/American Cinema series. —-First: give the genre you have chosen to use: Film Noir, Combat film or The Western.
Briefly describe the narrative or story outline. The story of the film must be the kind of story told in the genre you have chosen. The kind of story used in Film Noir is shown in that documentary. That is also true for The Western film and the Combat or War film.
Briefly describe how the sets, lighting, locations, costumes, props, actions, characters and/or psychological tone of the film you propose would fit the genre you have chosen.
The point of this assignment is for you to show you understand the basic qualities of the film genre you have chosen, and to be creative and have (I hope) some fun. The summary should be at least 1 page. Make sure you also list the basic kinds of characters, locations, and conflicts of the genre you use, and make sure they follow the basic form for that genre.
Make sure you also explain the locations where the story takes place and what we would see on the screen. Your story can be located anywhere in the world but it must use the elements common to the genre you’ve chosen. (For example, you cannot design a true “Western Film” that only takes place in the hallways and elevators and apartments of a high-rise building. Why? Because the Western film is located in the rural, undeveloped areas outside of ‘civilization’ with vast open plains and deserts, and many character use horses for transportation.)

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