Zampano To Gelsomina example essay topic

- Growing up stories of Bruno's, Viridiana's and Gelsomina's In all of the three films (Bicycle thieves, Viridiana, La Strada) the development of the characters throughout the films is an essential part. First I would like to talk about the development of Bruno, Antonio's son in ' Bicycle thieves' and his way to growing up. In the beginning he looks up to his father. He admirers him in a way, but a childish way. He acts like his father, copying his walking style, his gestures and just simply doing everything the same way. But later on when he is criticizing his father, he gets slapped by him.

By this act the idol feeling towards his father is lost. Antonio slaps Bruno, because Bruno is right and that makes him nervous. After the ' drowning scene the father realizes how important Bruno is to him, so he is trying to be a better father. The psychological core of the film is on the father & son relationship. Father starts to ask questions to his son about soccer teams and other things as well. This is a kind of role reversal.

In the restaurant they drink wine and talk about money together. At this point they are equal, Bruno is growing up. Later on Bruno saves his dad by calling police, who would have been lynched otherwise. It is a role reversal again. When Dad gets caught again after stealing a bicycle Bruno gets mercy from the people, so they let his father go. He is the one who takes father's hand, because he still loves his father.

The father is crying. These are all role reversals. Bruno's feelings changed from childish adoration to a grown-up love in one day. He had to grow up in one day. In 'La Strada' the title is already suggesting (the Road) the changes of feelings, it suggests an emotional journey. Gelsomina is the main character of the film.

She is a person with strong emotions, her gestures are silentfilmlike expressions. She always shows what she feels, this shows that she is an innocent being. In the beginning she runs towards the sea and arrives home -- -cheat cut expresses that her home is nature, she is a natural person. Gelsomina is sold to Zampano, his refers to absolute power over her.

Zampano is cheating on Gelsomina twice. At the first time she enjoys the company of the other woman in the restaurant, because she is not aware of what is happening there. At the second time (woman giving clothes to Zampano) she already understands it. It is a process of learning.

So she is not happy at all, altough she is psychologically retarded. Gelsomina is childlike, doesn't know social rules, nor social roles. She is innocent, imitating Zampano. She is clown like, because of her strong emotions.

Off-stage she is the same as on-stage. The Fool tells Gelsomina that Zampano needs her. Fool explains Zampano to Gelsomina, so from that point she has found a meaning in life. It is a major turn in their relationship. At the second 'sea scene' Gelsomina tells to Zampano: ' home is with you', his reaction is:' ' you are only with me, because you don't want to strave'- he acts very cold, tries to be even tougher. When she says ' tomato seeds must be planted '-it also refers to her natural way of thinking by this natural law.

She is really one with nature. She has several mirror images in the film: the lonely horse, the big headed boy, the fool, the stone. -- -small, useless like her. She is a real entertainer, unlike Zampano who is monotonous. She can play the trumpet that Zampano doesn't allow her to do it, but later on in the nunnery he tells her to play it. There is no communication between them. After the jail there should be a change in there relationship, because she stayed with him, but he is still rude to her.

After the murder, where Zampano killed the fool, he starts explaining and apologizing to Gelsomina, he is not that tough anymore. She becomes a sad person, not smiling anymore and not communicating with Zampano anymore. He leaves Gelsomina giving her all his money, a blanket and his trumpet. Later on we get to know that she died years later at the seashore where she belonged to. In 'Viridiana ' the person who is going thru a change is Viridiana herself.

She is a nun, even her name (Viridis), means fresh young, fragile. In the nunnery she is in an isolated environment, there is no temptation present. Altough the sister superior tells her to visit her uncle, she doesn't want to -she doesn't show forgiveness, that is not a good christian thing to do. When she inherits the house of Don Jaime along with his son Don Jorge, she tries to make the farm into a convent, helping poor, homeless people. She acts like a medieval saint. She is trying to live a perfect christian life in the ral world.

She acts like a mother superior. But after the ' orgy scene's he gives in to real world, when the beggars betrayed her. Viridiana was ignorant of human nature, because of the lack of experience in real world. -she is not a good christian again. She is trying to deny her own beauty, her flesh, her bodily needs. When she is sleepwalking her legs can be seen -this refers to her subconscious, where she is not denying herself. She even has problem with milking a cow, because it looks too phallic-too sinful.

She gives up her principles, because she realizes that people cannot be changed. She even lets her hair down. Viridiana was the symbol of good christian value system, but in the end she finally offers herself to Don Jorge who intends to get her into a threesome right away. So she goes in to 'play cards' (devil's bible-sin) with the other two. Throughout the film there were several attempts of losing her virginity: by Don Jaime, the painter, touching cow, the bum trying to rape her and of course in the end going over to Jorge.

The thorn crown burning in the end is a metaphor for Viridiana giving up her principles.