Robert Bresson said, "The way we handle objects in our everyday activities indicates a deeper level of our unconscious more accurately than the words we utter or dramatic actions we engage in."
Discuss the role of objects (and their transformation) in this film.
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ReplyDeleteMy post had to two paragraphs but for some reason it didn't work. The second paragraph actually starts at the line "There is the underlying..." Also, the quote is from pg. 221 in the French version of the book
ReplyDeleteWithin the film, the simple and ordinary objects play one of the most important roles of the story; they are the aide to Fontaine's escape. In the beginning, one may see them as just the regular objects in a jail. However as the plot continues, Fontaine transforms them into hooks, lines, and weapons in order to escape. There is nothing special about this jail, nothing unusual that would necessarily help Fontaine escape. Quoted by Bresson himself, within the jail, "the things are what they are." So what would enable Fontaine to create these extremely yet useful objects?
ReplyDeleteThere is the underlying belief that deep in every human being, inside his/her subconscious, lies the desire and need to survive. We as human beings do whatever we can in or order to survive and keep ourselves safe. In times of great danger, humans have been known to show supernatural strength and intelligence due to being desperate to withstand the struggle. So, when Fontaine desired to escape, he did and made whatever he had to in order to leave. Thus, not only did he transform the useless objects, he also transformed himself into an engineer and an escapee and did whatever he could to survive. Therefore, during any trying times, any simple thing can be transformed into something useful, and humans will do anything in order to save themselves. I think that he is what we could call the first MacGyver
Singerman says, “ The principal subject of the film, for Bresson at least, is less Fontaine’s escape than the inner drama he experiences...This explains the predominance of static close-ups, whether of the hero’s face, his hands, or the objects upon which his destiny hangs”(216). So, in other words, Bresson hopes to put the viewer into the mindset of Fontaine. The goal of the prison guards is to make Fontaine feel as though there is no hope; no hope of escape, no hope of living, etc. Fontaine manages to live according to the routine of the prison, in fact he gains inspiration from speaking with his fellow prisoners and the objects which may grant him a future existence. When one is imprisoned, they often ‘lose a few marbles’ from looking at the same drably-colored walls, eating the same disgusting food, and going about the same meaningless routine from day-to-day. Fontaine relies on his ability to manipulate his surroundings to hold on to hope.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, he is reduced to existing only as a collection of objects, feelings, interactions, and desires. His appearance, his socio-economic status, etc. do not matter to him; he wears the same blood-stained shirt every day, until he receives new clothing. The prison and the guards do not matter to him; he sees the same walls, floor, and ceiling every moment of every day. To Fontaine, whose mind is set on escape, nothing matters except that which will affect his ability to escape. His life is dependent on those objects, as well as on the interactions he has with his fellow prisoners. He could not have escaped without those objects on which the camera and the viewer’s gaze is focused.
(As a side note, I can’t remember where I read it, either from Singerman or on IMDB, not only is some of the filming done at the actual prison, but some of the hooks and other objects were loaned to Bresson from Devigny)
As Singerman states the “human will” to escape is a major theme in this film and the transformation of the usefulness of certain objects throughout the film seem to aid in that perception. One of the first objects that seem to change in meaning is the pencil. Most would not consider a pencil to be such a luxury, but the pencil in the movie transforms from the mundane to something that keeps the prisoners sane and able to communicate with one another without the guards knowing. In the scene where Jost and Fontaine first meet Fontaine starts hiding a pencil and when Jost inquires why he is doing so Fontaine tells him if they find it they will be shot on spot, Jost then gasps “for a pencil!” The pencil in a sense is the main metaphor for their defiance against the guards and their remaining hope to escape.
ReplyDeleteAnother main object that transforms in meaning is the spoon. The spoon seemed to skyrocket Fontaine’s plan to escape. He would mold and shape the spoon into tools using it to hide progress had made (by using it as a hammer to hang the towel over the door or by knocking the dismembered wood back into place), he used it also for a carving tool for the first measure of escaping. Without this spoon, he may never have came up with a plan. The spoon which most would view as a simple tool for eating was transformed into a tool for escape and freedom, much as how Fontaine became the symbol of escape and freedom for the other inmates in the prison.
I had that response in paragraph form, but it changed it when I submitted it. Sorry : (
ReplyDeleteThe transformation of seemingly mundane objects in A Man Escaped is a crucial aspect of this film. These gradual transformations not only showed Fontaine’s ingenuity and innovation, but they also gave him a sense of purpose for life, hope, and perseverance. One instance of this is in his month long commitment of scraping away at the wood planked door, despite the looming risks, and disproval of his cell neighbors. There really are many great examples of how Fontaine transforms objects into useful escape tools, among of which included his iron hooks from metal frames, braided rope from torn blankets, and wire used to keep the do-it-yourself rope from coming undone. However, the objects I found particularly interesting were the sounds. Every minute scuff, or step was scrutinized and dreaded by Fontaine, and both scared him to pieces, he thinking ‘have they discovered me, are the going to kill me now?’ while at the same time gave him the perseverance to keep working and ‘digging’ his way out.
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