'The Hurricane' Film Analysis

1.     Motif is defined as a “distinctive feature or dominant idea in an artistic or literary composition.”  In Norman Jewison’s The Hurricane, what motifs are explored?  Explain, in detail, one of the motifs you have identified, and elaborate on how the motif is a significant part of the film. 

Rubin Carter is constantly being oppressed and unfairly treated by white people, as are his fellow black people. Although a motif in itself, it leads to Hurricane being untrusting of white people (another motif), especially in Lesra’s foster family. His mistrust in white people becomes a key part later in the film, where he eventually must trust them if he wants to be released from prison.

2.     Symbolism is a key component of any literary work.  What symbols are evident in The Hurricane?  Identify and elaborate upon two symbols that you identify.

The Hurricane’s name represents brute physical strength, which he proves is true by becoming a middleweight legend and overcoming prison. Furthermore, his body also represents strength, and he views it as a weapon. Carter goes on to believe that controlling his ‘weapon’ (body) is freedom. Therefore, Carters body is a symbol of freedom.

3.     Justice, or the notion of justice, plays a significant role in both The Hurricane and To Kill a Mockingbird.  Examine Jewisons’s portrayal of the arrest, interrogation, and court proceedings.  Keep in mind Atticus Finch’s cool demeanour when he was in the courtroom.

Rubin Carter is relaxed when being confronted by the police, and continues to be whilst he is being arrested.  During his trial, Hurricane remains calm and speaks coolly, since he knows he has done nothing wrong. On the other side, the prosecutor is frantic and determined to prove Hurricane guilty. When asking the surviving witness if Carter was the man who attacked him, he is persistent and tries to force him into lying.

4.     There are several similarities between To Kill a Mockingbird and The Hurricane.  Choose one significant parallel—theme, motif, or symbol--that exists between these discourses, and elaborate on your choice.  Be sure to make a clear connection between the book and the film in your discussion. 

The racial prejudices are very evident between both sources, especially the way the cases were built. In The Hurricane, the lawyer built his case around lies, purely to get Rubin Carter in jail, who he has been pursuing for almost all of Carters life. This was mostly because of his race. In To Kill a Mockingbird, the case was built upon false assumptions, and people wanted to see ‘justice’ be dealt against Tom Robinson not because of his ‘crimes’ but because of his race.

Obasan Discussion

Paragraph #1

Joy Kogawa uses interesting metaphors and other figurative language to describe and set up an image of her family's living space in chapter 29. First, she describes the conditions she worked in as being difficult, using metaphors to describe what the work is doing to her body, such as comparing her bone marrow to mud, or saying such things as "all the oil in my joints has drained out ". This is used to give a feeling of how hard it was to work under the circumstances, and the metaphors are purposely grim to portray her perception of what is happening to her. Kogawa also uses a strange metaphor for the beets, comparing their uprooting to a surgery being performed on someone (Nomi) by Aunt Emily, the stems of the beets seen as hair being scalped, and them being pulled compared to tumours or organs being removed from the walls of her chest. Perhaps Nomi chooses to compare herself with the beets because she they have become her life, and Joy Kogawa uses this metaphor to reiterate the Naomi's desperate feeling. Finally, the writing style deviates slightly in this chapter, becoming more like a monologue instead of a recounting of events, comparable to chapter 22, sounding more depressing and hopeless. For example, in when she says "facts about evacuees in Alberta? Fact is I never got used to it", the tone becomes more cynical, as if the writing style reflects her attitude and feelings. All of this chapter is comprised of unique writing styles to reflect the emotions of Nomi and her family, especially through the use of metaphors.

Paragraph #2

In Obasan, the RCMP are portrayed as brutal overlords instead of noble protecters, to show what the Japanese perceived them as. At some points in the book, Nomi talks about how she used to admire the RCMP, such as on page 108, where she says "remember how I almost worshipped the Mounties?" and "how I'd go around saying their motto". This is used in a context where she is losing hope in them, and she reiterates their motto 'Maintain the Right' as if asking why they deviated from it. Later, she talks about how their red coats now represent fear, rather than inspire hope. This gives a portrayal of their perception by the Japanese, who are now scared of them. Finally, Nomi talks about how the RCMP are cruel to the Japanese, like how they had to give up their belongings to them or "suffer the humiliation of having them taken forcibly by the RCMP. Once again, this is used to show how the RCMP have changed the eyes of the Japanese, by giving examples of their deeds. The portrayal of the RCMP is not used to insult them, rather to give attention to what the Japanese had to deal with.