Mark Harry And Ada Character Analysis

As important as the plot, narrative, and cast are to a film, the audience’s reaction to a film and its characters is equally relevant. A stronger reaction or connection to a character, either positive or negative, allows the character to leave a lasting impression on the audience, even if the film’s plot itself is not extraordinary or memorable. An unforgettable character can be the result of their persona, actions, relationships with others, or the actors’ or actress’ performances. Mark, Harry, and Ada are different characters from various films that elicit either positive connections, negative connections, and or mixed emotional feelings in the audience. Through the use of archetypal personality characteristics, non-linear narratives, flashbacks,

The filmmakers portray Mark as a willing archetypal hero who is hardworking, preserving, daring, talented, and family-oriented. Mark is very selfless and willingly goes to another country to help his family. The audience admires and appreciates his selflessness and determination to help his family. His personality also mirrors the perceived ideology that hard work and perseverance will bring success to him and his family. This allows the character’s personality to be relatable to the audience by tapping into pathos, so the audience understands and sympathizes with his life experiences. Jane Gaines says costumes are “key to the personality of the wearer” (Gaines 184). In this sense, his clothing in the film also appear ordinary, defining that he is not from a particularly rich or poor background. His clothes and outward appearance are identifiable to most young adults who dress in a similar

The film is set in the 1850’s where Ada, the main character, travels an extremely long way from her hometown in Scotland and marries a man she has never met in New Zealand. Since she is mute, the use of dramatic diegetic and non-diegetic piano music and score, play an important part in the film, as the actor of Ada’s voice, thoughts, and feelings. The film shows long scenes of her either playing the piano, diegetic music, or piano music in the background, non-diegetic score. Through the use of uplifting, sorrowful, bittersweet, fast, or slow piano music, the audience develops an emotional connection to Ada’s feelings and emotions. They understand when she is happy or sad, and how the piano serves as her voice as well as her motivation for the desire to keep and play her piano. Also, the Kuleshov effect paired with dramatic and somber piano music plays into the background greatly emphasizes her true emotions in the scene with the abandoned piano on the beach. The scene shows a long shot of the piano followed by her almost expressionless face highlighting her sadness in leaving the piano there instead of taking it home. Even though she is not crying or overtly emotional, the audience connects to her feelings of sorrow. Additionally, the filmmakers chose to include an intense and powerful scene where her husband cuts off her finger, so she