A symbol is an object, action, person, place, or event that represents something meaningful beyond its literal meaning. Symbols are a core component of visual storytelling in film. Filmmakers carefully choose symbols and place them strategically throughout a movie to communicate deeper messages and themes. Recognizing and analyzing symbols is key to fully understanding the vision and purpose behind a film.
Some common categories of symbols in film include colors, objects, numbers, animals, natural elements, actions, and archetypes. While some symbols have conventional meanings, like red representing danger or passion, a filmmaker can also assign unique meanings to symbols. The same object can represent different things to different characters or in different contexts. Symbols allow a filmmaker to tell a complex story in a subtle, non-literal way.
The Functions of Symbols
Symbols in film serve many key functions:
Convey Theme
One of the main jobs of a symbol is to reinforce the core themes or messages in a film. For example, in the movie Jaws, the shark represents the danger of hubris or arrogance. Quint’s obsession with killing the shark at all costs leads to his demise. This symbolism helps convey the film’s themes about man vs. nature and the consequences of unchecked ambition.
Develop Characters
Symbols can reveal important traits about specific characters. In The Wizard of Oz, the characters represent different virtues – the Scarecrow lacks a brain and seeks knowledge, the Tin Man lacks a heart and seeks compassion, and the Lion lacks courage and seeks bravery. Their symbolic forms help reveal their inner motivations and flaws.
Foreshadow Events
Filmmakers use symbols to hint at events before they happen or the fate that awaits certain characters. In many horror films, symbols foreshadow death – like a black cat crossing the path of the doomed character. In Rosemary’s Baby, the recurring motif of roses signals the imminent birth of the baby.
Establish Mood and Tone
Cinematic elements like symbols help set the overall mood and tone of a film. For example, Carl’s balloon house in Up represents his happy marriage and establishes the movie’s wistful, nostalgic tone. Dark storm clouds gathering on the horizon during a beach scene may forebode danger and establish an ominous tone.
Types of Symbols in Film
Some common categories of symbols used in films include:
Colors
Color symbolism is one of the most prominent types found in film. Some examples include:
| Color | Common Meaning |
|---|---|
| Red | Danger, passion, aggression |
| Black | Death, mystery, menace |
| White | Purity, innocence |
| Green | Life, renewal, nature |
In The Sixth Sense, the color red signifies instances involving the supernatural or death. Mal, the bad character in Inception, always wears black clothes, underscoring his sinister motives.
Objects
Recurring objects take on symbolic meaning in many films. The sled Rosebud in Citizen Kane represents the happy childhood memories Kane lost. The pearl necklace in Pretty Woman represents prostitute Vivian’s empowering transition to an independent woman. The mockingbird in To Kill a Mockingbird embodies innocence and purity.
Numbers
Certain numbers carry symbolic undertones due to history, culture, religion, myth or superstition. In Fahrenheit 451, the number 451 symbolizes the temperature at which books burn. In The Matrix, the number 101 represents new beginnings and rebirths into the Matrix world.
Animals
Animals can symbolize human traits. In Jaws, sharks represent primal fear and uncontrollable danger. In Ratatouille, Remy the rat’s job as a chef contradicts rats’ unclean image, showing that talent can come from unlikely places. In Life of Pi, different animals represent survival instincts, courage, and the wildness of nature.
Natural Elements
Nature like water, air, and sunlight often symbolizes life, growth, cleansing, and renewal. In Saving Private Ryan, rain signifies both physical and spiritual cleansing after battle. In Lord of the Rings, dark forests represent corruption and peril.
Actions
Symbolic actions may include motifs like baptism, kissing, eating, dancing, etc. In The Godfather baptism scenes intercut with killings represent Michael Corleone’s spiritual death and rebirth into organized crime. In Beauty and the Beast, Belle and the Beast’s dance represents their growing intimacy.
Archetypes
Universal archetypes represent shared human experiences and traits. The wise old man like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings dispenses knowledge. The hero like Neo in The Matrix embodies courage. The antihero like Alex in A Clockwork Orange defies social norms.
Using Context to Interpret Symbols
The context surrounding a symbol informs its meaning. Consider what a symbol could represent to various characters vs. what it represents to the audience based on dramatic irony. For example, green light in The Great Gatsby has different meanings for Gatsby vs. the audience – Gatsby associates it with his hopes for reconciling with Daisy while the audience knows this is misguided.
Also examine how the filmmaker patterns symbols throughout the film and manipulates them cinematically through elements like lighting, editing, and music. For instance, in Schindler’s List, the candle flames during the Friday Shabbat ceremony cut through the darkness like hope during the horror of the Holocaust.
Pay attention to which characters are associated with certain symbols and colors via their costumes, props, and surroundings. In The Shining, Danny and Wendy wear lots of reds, whites, and blues, linking them to innocence in contrast to Jack’s darker outfits.
Look at changes or transformations in a symbol’s meaning. At the start of The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy’s house represents safety. After it crashes in Oz, its wreckage represents how she’s lost and far from home.
Conclusion
In summary, symbols act as a visual shorthand that filmmakers use to convey layered meanings beyond literal interpretations of objects and events. Recognizing key symbols and analyzing them in context is critical to appreciating the deeper themes and messages woven throughout a film. Overlooking symbolism can lead to missing fundamental aspects of the artistic vision behind cinematic storytelling. Savvy viewers will go beyond just passively watching a movie to actively decoding the symbol patterns and their significance.