Associative Organization.
“Associative Organizations explore psychological or formal resonances, either through metaphoric imager of symbolic concepts, and give many films a dreamlike quality that engages viewer’s emotions and curiosity.” (Corrigan and White p. 131.)
The Dreamlike quality of The Meshes of the Afternoon 1943, by Maya Daren, is compelling and puzzling. It explores anxiety and subconscious thought. I feel though the film is intended to carry out a strong feminist message. It is about a woman’s secret desires to escape the feeling of suppression in a male-dominated society. The metaphors and symbolism in The Meshes of the Afternoon are easy to identify with because of the familiarity of the element used to express them.
Symbolism in The Meshes of the Afternoon:
· A knife is shown as both, a household item and a potential weapon, it suggests the presence of violence in the household.
· Found broken mirror shards also suggests that the given household contains violence. And the shapes of the shards are intended to look similar to a knife.
· A flower symbolizes femininity and fragility in the beginning of the film. As the flower is being placed on the bed, the viewer relates the given gesture to a flower being placed on a grave, bringing death onto the equation. And as that exact flower is turned into a knife, it becomes an indicator that femininity can either be harmed or become harmful. Perhaps it is a clue to the actuality of events. The main heroine’s way of self-destructing as appose being murdered.
· The introduction of a key in the beginning of the film is used to demonstrate the act of entering the unconscious. It also symbolizes a pathway from actuality and to dream state. As the key is turned into a knife it becomes an indicator that perhaps in the heroine’s case, death is the only possible way to escape her situation.
· The window in the film is a symbol of containment, and the feeling of being tied down or domesticated. It could also be an indicator that she inflicts the containment upon her own self, as though she is mentally disturbed.
· The concept of chasing own death is introduced as the main character repeatedly follows a figure, which later on is revealed as Grip Reaper. And the idea of suicide or any form of self-inflicted violence is proposed as the viewer sees a mirror in the place of Grim Reapers face.
· Multiples and Repetition are used to describe the heroine as someone that is overwhelmed with suspicious. She is torn, and has developed multiple perspectives on a single situation, and is unable to figure out which scenario is real.
· As she approaches her sleeping self with a dagger, you see her footsteps land on four different surfaces; such as the sand, the water, the grass and that pavement. None but the very last footstep take place indoors. That suggests that she is eager to escape her containment. Ready to release herself into the wild.
Work Cited
Work Cited
Corrigan, Timothy, and Patricia White. Film experience: an introduction. New York, NY: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009.
"Google Images." Google. 21 Mar. 2011 <http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d1L1Bv9iPwY/TZyHpd4dR4I/AAAAAAAAAEE/-oEMsOaZ2iY/s1600/Maya-Deren-Meshes-of-the-Afternoon-film-stills.jpg>.
"YouTube - Maya Deren - Meshes of the Afternoon (1943) ." YouTube - Broadcast Yourself. 23 Mar. 2011 <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S03Aw5HULU>.
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