Their Eyes Were Watching God Fish Bowl Discussion Notes and Food Memoir
Melissa Phillips
1997. Novels and plays often include scenes of wedding, funerals, parties, and other social occasions. Such scenes may reveal the values of the characters and the societies in which they live. Select a novel or play that includes such a scene and, in a focused essay, discuss the contribution the scene makes to the contribution the scene makes to the meaning of the work as a whole.
I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.
Signed: Melissa Phillips
Ms. Nichole Wilson
AP English Literature and Composition
27 January, 2016
Melissa Phillips
Ms. Nichole Wilson
AP Literature and Composition Bell 2
21 September 2015
Comparison and Contrast Essay: Angela’s Ashes
Limerick, Ireland in the 1930’s-40’s faced ample poverty. Despite this unfortunate aspect of living, members of society were very religious and partook in religious ceremonies disregarding their financial situations. In the memoir Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt, as well as the film adaptation of the novel, directed by Alan Parker, a scene from McCourt’s First Communion and the events that follow are depicted. Through the author’s use of diction as well as the director’s use of mise en scene components, values of the characters are revealed as well as the society in which they live. Told from the perspective of McCourt himself, the novel as well as the film depicts the scene through different techniques in order to portray how his First Communion is important to the meaning of the book/film as a whole.
Although there are some differences in the novel, there are aspects that are very similar in creating the same intended effect. For example, looking at the scene where Frank takes his First Communion, both works include this scene as it is important to the overall meaning. In the novel McCourt writes, “I had God glued to the roof of my mouth. I could hear the master’s voice, Don’t let that host touch your teeth for if you bite God in two, you’ll roast in hell for eternity. I tried to get God down with my tongue but the priest hissed at me, Stop that clucking and get back to your seat,” (128). The choices in diction that McCourt used such as the priest “hissing” at him and that he would “roast in hell” if he bit into the wafer helps create an aggravated tone. This also reveals Frank’s religious values as First Communion in the Catholic Church is a very important ceremony. The fact that he tried so desperately to use his tongue and not bite into the wafer, respecting what his school Master told him, shows he understood the act of communion as a serious and important matter in his culture and religion. Being the first time Frank received the body and blood of Christ, there is a complexity that lies in the Holy Communion itself. The death of Christ represents Frank receiving new “family” in the Catholic Church, which is very important to the religious aspect of Frank and the rest of his family. This is seen in the novel when Frank says, “At last, I was a member of the True Church, an official sinner,” (128). Here, the tone shifts to content by using the words “at last” to show that Frank had wanted to be an official member of the church, and when he finally reached that stage, he was happy and content because it was such a big step forward in his religion. The film adaptation of the scene possesses some of the same characteristics; however, it also lacks some as well. In the film, Parker makes the decision to film Frank receiving his First Communion from a high angle camera shot, showing the priest’s power over him, when he reprimands him for making the clucking noises. The fact that Parker decided to include this scene in the film also shows its importance to the work as a whole, as it still shows the religious values of Frank and even had him make the clucking noises to show how he didn’t want to bite “the body of Christ”. While this situation occurs, the non-diegetic sound in the background is religious music playing in the church. As the First Communion is such a significant step of maturation in Catholicism, the traditional music enforces and emphasizes the religious aspect. Another mise en scene component included in the film is costumes. The McCourts are seen dressed in their best clothes, especially Frank, who has a special First Communion suit. Since the McCourt’s were impoverished, it took them a long time to save money for his new suit. Despite their economic situation, they still purchased Frank a new suit because the McCourts valued a sense of pride and wanted Frank to look nice for the ceremony. This juxtaposition of the Mccourts—as well as other families in the society—being in such a financial predicament, barely having enough money to get by, but saving enough money over a long period of time so their son/daughter would have a new suit/dress for their First Communion, really emphasizes the religious values they possessed as well as values of pride. The lighting of the entire First Communion is high key lighting to represent the happiness Frank felt to finally be an official member of the church. These different aspects relate to the meaning of the work as a whole because throughout the entire novel, Angela McCourt (Frank’s mother) wanted to be able to provide for her family and keep them all healthy and fed. Because of their life in poverty, this goal was not easily obtainable; however, she still raised her family to be active in their religion.
The events that follow Frank’s First Communion are what differs the most from the book and the film. For example, looking at the scene when Frank’s grandmother drags him to the church after throwing up his First Communion, the mood is conveyed a little differently in each work. In the film adaptation, Frank’s grandmother is seen dragging Frank by the arm with an irate expression on her face, indicating she is upset without explicitly saying so. The non-diegetic sound accompanying this is upbeat, happy music. The lighting is still high key, as it’This foreshadows the bit of comedic relief coming up when Frank is forced to confess that he threw up his First Communion breakfast. Once Frank is actually confesses, the priest does not chuckle like he does in the book, but rather we see him roll his eyes indicating he is annoyed because Frank’s grandmother overreacted. This provides some comedic relief because a priest would not normally respond to a confession in this way. In the novel, the same scenario is depicted, but the mood does not seem comical until Frank is in the confession box. In the novel, McCourt describes the scene when he writes, “Thrun up the body and blood of Jesus. I have God in me backyard. What am I goin’ to do? I’ll take him to the Jesuits for they know the sin of the pope himself,” (129). Based on the quote from McCourt’s grandmother, at this point in the novel the audience can see she is quite upset when she makes the statement to take Frank to the Jesuits, which is a bit of an overreaction. Once Frank confesses to the priest, McCourt writes, “He has heavy breathing and choking sounds… Tell your grandmother to wash God away with a little water,” (129). This is where comedic relief comes in, as McCourt’s choice in diction describing the priest as having “heavy breathing” and “choking sounds” portrays he is trying to hold back laughter, which is also an inappropriate response to his confession. The overall takeaway from both scenes however, is to see how values of the characters are portrayed. Frank’s grandmother forcing him to confess for something as simple as him throwing up his First Communion because she believed it was a sin shows her religiousness.
Both the novel and film adaptation of Angela’s Ashes do a wonderful job of portraying the values of the characters as well as the society in which they live. This is achieved through the use of diction in the novel and mise en scene components in the film. Although the novel and film did differ a little, the reader as well as the viewer of the film can understand how the scene is important to the work as a whole. The McCourts were living in poverty throughout the entire film/novel, but because of their strong religious values, they ignore their finances for Frank’s First Communion. They wanted to give Frank a traditional First Communion breakfast and they provided him with a new suit, which took them quite a long time to save for. Because of their religious values and sense of dignity and pride in their culture, the McCourts as well as the rest of society felt the need to provide their sons with new suits and daughters with new dresses for the First Communion ceremony since it was such an important value to them.
Works Cited
Angela's Ashes. By Laura Jones. Dir. Alan Parker. Prod. David Brown and Scott Rudin. 1999. Film.
McCourt, Frank. "Angela's Ashes." New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1996. 128-129. Print.