Symbolism In The Talented Mr Ripley

Anthony Minghella’s film ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ is a psychological thriller that deals with the charming yet manipulative Tom Ripley who is sent to Italy to retrieve the rich, spoiled playboy Dickie Greenleaf. Through clever manipulation of symbols such as mirrors/reflection and clothing, the audience is invited to explore a central theme in the film, being the dangers and consequences of living life a lie. Through the use of these symbols, Minghella provides the audience with a compelling view of what similarities can be drawn from the film and modern day society

Mirrors and reflection were one of the key symbols that the director employs to magnify the pivotal theme of the dangers of living a lie. The first example where we see this

The first example where the audience sees this symbol being used is the scene where Tom is dancing around in his room trying on Dickie’s clothes. This example is effective in portraying the theme of the dangers of living a lie because it exposes how Tom uses Dickie’s clothing as a tool to construct and maintain the lie of being Dickie. Tom sees Dickie’s clothing as a way of becoming Dickie. When we see Tom trying on Dickie’s clothes, the audience is given insight into how Tom lives his life as a lie; through the use of Dickie’s clothes. This clothing symbolism implies that Tom thinks that if he wears Dickie’s clothes, he will become Dickie; meaning he will become a man of wealth and one that everyone desires. This expresses to the audience how Tom’s life is based upon lies. A second example of clothing symbolism is the scene where Meredith has trouble recognizing Tom as Dickie and questions him about it because he is wearing Tom’s clothes. This example is effective in representing the dangers of living life a lie because it shows the viewer that Tom is trying to take on a role that doesn’t belong to him i.e. Dickie and therefore is lying about his identity. This clothing symbolism helped me to understand that Tom’s plan (to become Dickie) is not and will never be foolproof, and that this is one of the dangers of living life a lie. This use of clothing as a tool