Sunday 16 September 2012

Slumdog Millionaire Binary Opposites...

I've analysed the trailer for Danny Olympic Ceremony Director Boyle's undisputed master piece Slumdog Millionaire, set in the slums of Mumbai, looking for Binary Opposites:
Here are my findings:-
1) Light - Darkness (The darkness back stage before the blinding light on stage)- Literal opposites  OR (The darkness in Jamal's life before he see's the light and finds hope as he grows older)-Metaphorical opposites.
2) Wealthy - Poor (The poverty he grows up in as a child contrasted to the piles of money seen later)- Literal Opposites
3) Old - Young (The progression of youth to age we see in Jamal)-Literal opposites
4) Isolated - Amongst Crowds (The mysterious blue-painted child at 00:48)- This could be seen as a Metaphorical Opposite OR quite literally a physical opposite
5) Despair - Joy (The hardships of living within poverty are contrasted with the joy's of romance etc)- Metaphorical opposites.
6) Innocence - Experience (The childish youth of the boy juxtaposes the more mature man sat in the hotseat on the game show)- Metaphorical opposites
7) Luxury - Poverty (Living in the Mumbai slums is paralleled by the winning of the money)- Physical opposites

The Binary Opposites Theory suggests that one can only understand something by experiencing it's opposite. I think this is true for Jamal, the central character, who has to experience poverty and the hashness of life before discovering his money and fame...

2 comments:

  1. How are those oppositions used within the trailer? Do you see them in practice?

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