Twickel said:
Hi
Anyone know any good texts for changing perspective. Also I am not sure on this. I have to find visual and language techniques and relate them to changing perspective.
How can I relate it to change in perspective?
American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes demonstrates a clear change in the protagonist's perspective towards life (change in attitude). There are a myriad of diverse visual and language techniques utilised within the text.
As a side note, there are techniques common to ALL texts (if you're stuck finding them).
For visual texts there tends to be:
> objects
> size
> placement
> body language
> facial expression
> clothing
> lighting
> angles
> shots
> foreground/background
> symbols
> colour
For literary (language) texts there tends to be:
> tense
> syntax (sentence structure)
> grammar
> nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, conjunctions, prefix/suffix, proper nouns, prepositions
> tone, style
> rhythm, pace
> comparative, superlative
> subjective, objective
> type of language (sarcastic, descriptive, didactic, emotive, formal, informal, jargon, persuasive, factual, literal, figurative, reflective, dialogue)
> irony
> paradox, oxymoron
> mutli-sensory imagery
> alliteration, assonance, consonance, rhyme
> denouement
> connotation
> cliche
You'll have to check whether some of those are techniques though. They could just be linguistic features.
There's no set in stone process for linking the technique to the change in perspective. But like you said, if in doubt make the link as clear as possible for example:
The techniques of colour and clothing are used by director Samuel Mendes in the film American Beauty to show the changing perspectives of not only Lester, but his wife Carolyn too. In the first scenes of the film Lester's clothing is of dark colour and is worn in well-kept, straight manner (i.e. shirts tucked in, uncrumpled coats, shiny shoes). However, as Lester's monotonous life changes course and he begins to open up to the world from an optimistic, free-willed perspective, his clothing transforms synonomously. The once conservative, business-orientated clothing is now unkept and lacks consideration (i.e. shirts untucked, business-coats not worn, crumpled attire); reminiscient of his new leisurely, care-free perspective/attitude of/towards life (e.g. taking drugs, training his body whenever he pleases, drinking beer straight from the bottle etc). Carolyn Burhnam's change in persceptive is similarly achieved. The technique of colour is utilised by Mendes to replicate her frame of mind; her internal attitudes. The technique of colour is used carefully by Mendes on Carolyn's clothing. Before the transformation her clothing and accessories were traditionally business-like (i.e. tidy, ironed dresses/coats, stockings, lipstick, hair meticulously prepared). This reflects her priority of work and her busy lifestyle. However upon the introduction of her change in perspective the relatively dull shades are replaced with bright, decorated clothes (for e.g. the pink, orange and red shirt in the dinner scene). This clearly emphasises her psychological progression and changing concerns; from a traditionalist American work-a-holic to rebellious, power-ridden unfaithful wife. Mendes has incorporated the techniques of clothing and colour on Lester and Carolyn Burhnam to provide insight into their personal perspectives and the subsequent changes these attitudes undertake. Through a change of clothing from tidy and well-prepared to unkept and lack of consideration, a change of colours worn from dull and uninteresting to bright and decorated Mendes has successfully clarified the massive change in perspectives of both Lester and Carolyn Burhnam. Intially the two were materialistic and work-orientated; however these perspectives changed to carefree and rebellious.
The above paragraph needs alot of work, but you should get my point. If you say 'the technique reflects/mirrors/shows the change in perspective' you can't go wrong. Hope that helps.