The Hurricane Narrative Essay

The Hurricane (Viewing Task) How well does the composer manipulate the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination (1000-1500 words) There are many ways the composer of the 1999 movie ‘ The Hurricane’ manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. The key ways in which the composer does this is through the structure of the movie and the use of techniques such as non-linear structure and foreshadowing.

This movie is about an African American man who is faced with many complications over the course of his life including being ‘wrongly accused’ of killing three people which led to life imprisonment. The composer positions the viewer of the movie ‘The Hurricane’ to believe that Rubin Carter played by Denzil Washington was wrongly accused based on Racial discrimination. This is cleverly done with the real Rubin Carter playing a key role in providing all the voice overs and having a strong influence in how the movie is directed and ‘seen’.

Characterisation also plays a key role in the way the composer manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. This is achieved by showing only Rubin’s side of the story and depicting him as being treated completely unfairly and unjustly which is completely biased. The composer is also able to manipulate the audience through his characterisation of the prison staff and police officers in the movie.

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They are portrayed as being corrupt and this is shown through dialogue such as the scene when one of the victims of a shooting is on his death bed and is asked by the police officers to identify whether or not Rubin was the man who shot him. When the man replies “no”, the police officer sternly asks “Sir look closer, are you sure these aren't the men? ” as if to intimidate the victim into identifying Rubin as the perpetrator.

The police officer is then portrayed to be racist as he goes on to say ‘I’m going to take you black ass down’ which contributes greatly to the perception that the police officer is corrupt and that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. The movie depicts the opposing legal team that are battling for Carter to be kept in jail as very racist. They constantly refer to Carter with a sense of disgust because he is an African American. The use of these techniques only add weight to the views of Rubin Carter which in turn makes the movie completely bias and anipulates the audience to believe that Rubin’s side is truthful and correct and that he was genuinely a victim of racial discrimination. Non-Linear structure also contributes to the way the composer effectively manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. Non-linear structure is where effects such as flash backs are used which in turn means that not all events that take place in the movie are in chronological order which creates the sense that something is hidden Isabella Moro Monday, 3 December 2012 1:55:18 PM AET r not yet revealed to place the viewer in a position where they are able to ‘fill in the gaps’. The use of non-linear structure is present through the whole movie but the main focus is on one particular scene where Rubin is arrested shortly after gun shots were fired. More and more of these scenes are revealed over the course of the movie persuading the audience that Rubin is innocent because the flash backs (especially those in black and white) are portrayed as being completely factual and non-bias.

However, what we have to remember is that the story is still being told from Rubin Carter’s point of view and therefore the accuracy of the flash backs are un-reliable. By using non-linear structure, the composer has been able to subtly and successfully persuade the audience that the story is factual and has therefore achieved to manipulate their views. Non-Linear structure is a key way that the composer successfully manipulates the audience to believe that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination.

Another technique used over the course of ‘The Hurricane’ is foreshadowing, this technique is also a very effective technique used by the composer to manipulate the audience into believing that Rubin Carter was wrongly accused based on racial discrimination. Foreshadowing shows the build up of something significant such as a key event or a change in a character’s attitude or core beliefs. Foreshadowing is shown in particular over the course of the movie when Rubin Carter is in jail.

There is a build up over time showing the different emotions Rubin went through, from being depressed and showing a lot of anger towards everyone, to a complete change of character when he met Lezra and his three other Canadian friends. Rubin is then put in a position where he has to choose between whether or not to trust these ‘white’ people to help him, or if he is just going to go back to his shorttempered, depressed self. This is a significant part of the movie as all other events shown so far lead up to this decision.

After deep thought and a mental battle Ruben decides to choose to fight for his freedom as he knows he has been unlawfully imprisoned due to racism. The use of foreshadowing in this instance tries to portray Rubin Carter as a tortured victim of racial discrimination. The use of foreshadowing in this movie is a key technique the composer uses to successfully manipulate the audience to believe that Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter was wrongly accused of murdering three innocent people due to a decision solely based on his race.

In conclusion, the movie ‘The Hurricane’ is not a reliable representation of the events that led to the imprisonment of Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter and is in fact a bias depiction of the real life events told from the point of view of Rubin Carter himself. The movie expresses his views on how he was unfairly accused of murder because of his race. Through the use of characterisation, non-linear structure and foreshadowing the composer is able to manipulate and effectively convince the audience that Rubin Carter was wrongly jailed based on racial discrimination. The Hurricane (Viewing Task) Isabella Moro Monday, 3 December 2012 1:55:18 PM AET

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