The idea of literary concepts being expressed in a theoretical format is what constitutes the practical expression of a boy of ideas in literature. It has thus been a significant area because of the interest to examine what literature means. The use of critical theory in the interaction of literature could thus be referred to as the process of conducting a literary analysis and it serves to enable the expression of common patterns in different literature. The paper seeks to examine the movie “Trance,” the short story “Two Kinds,” and the movie Divergent as they inherently share on key themes. The movie “Trance,” the short story “Two Kinds,” and the movie “Divergent” are all interrelated through the expression of the themes of self-establishment and the characteristic use of symbolism.
The movies Trance is a significant piece that enables the apprehension of the themes of self-establishment and the use of symbolism. The plot of the movie begins with an illustration of the role of auctions being a target for thieves as the process is undergoing evolution. Self-establishment in the movie is demonstrated by the fact that the producer ensured that the characters relate in the expression of their roles in a self-satisfying manner (Boyle). The theme is what makes the movie relatable easily because the scenes in a self-established manner especially when the viewer noted that the characters’ actions enabled the understanding of the meaning of Trance. In the process, there is the illustration of how Simon sort to investigate the place where the painting is hidden while Franck and Elizabeth try as much as possible to ensure that they made it hard for Simon to gain access. The other theme that is relevant in the film is that of symbolism that is used stylistically to express the emotion. The movie is shockingly depicted to be emotional and erotic and it is used to define the deep-rooted issues that are covered in the movie and the suppressed memories. The hypnotic scene for instance underscores the dreamlike connection that existed between them in a symbolic manner. The way it is done is such that there is consideration to ensure that the emotional are symbolically used to illustrate the main theme of investigations in the movie.
The other relevant piece of literature that is relevant in the assessment of the themes of self-establishment and symbolism is the short story Two Kinds. The self-establishment in the book is similar to that in the movie Trance because when the reader covers the plot, a clearer picture of the way the book unravels its themes and the relevance to the book title becomes more apparent. The reader would wonder what Two Kinds is named so but as one reads along, they understand that it is used to imply that the daughter never had the chance to exploit her maximum potential. Jing-mei’s efforts to impress her mother were fruitless because while she tried, she only managed to cover half of her potential which brings the theme of self-establishment into being. The author ensures that the themes in the book enable the explication of the primary subject that the title embodies in a manner that is self-fulfilling. Another related subject that the reader can draw from the book is that symbolism is a major subject in the understanding of various scenes and their significance (Tan 45). The most apparent is the use of a piano that showed that the mother intended for the daughter because while Jing-mei never desired it, her mother adored it. The mother decides the focus on the piano lesson for her daughter amid her tight schedule and even decides to sacrifice her cleaning services but the daughter is not interested. It is relevant to the primary theme of the daughter’s talent because despite her mother’s effort, the daughter was not up to the task to realize her two kinds of potential.
The last literary piece that is appropriate for the review is the film Divergent that is similar in style to the book Two Kinds. The similarity is based on the fact that the main characters shared on the fact that they had great abilities that could be perceived in two-dimensional manner (Burger). The most important is the consideration of the theme of self-establishment so that the movie explores the subject of being divergent in a self-explanatory manner to establish the relevance that the director intended. The identity factor is the major theme that the directors focus on because it is Tris’ desire to understand who she truly is in the society. the family and friends that she interacts with, however, make it possible for the reader to relate this subject in the greater perspective of how Tris’ takes up the sole responsibility in a self-satisfying manner to decide what she wants. The movie thus fits the greater setting of the contemporary world because it is expected that people should make autonomous decisions depending on their preferences. Her whisperings, the nervous expression by Tori and many other relevant scenes make the theme of divergence in potential apparent in a manner that makes the movie self-representing. It is also important to describe the theme of symbolism that is stylistically used to build on the greater subject of divergent abilities. The most relevant was the Aptitude Test that was administered at the age of sixteen as it serves as the pillar of the dystopian world in the setting that is used. The test was used to express the social stratification and faction system that was common of the dystopian system because while there was a groups that had unique abilities, they were thought to be a threat. The test was thus solely meant to classify everyone into either Abnegation, Amity, Dauntless, Erudite, or Candor types of abilities that represented a limitation of one’s true potential. It can thus be compared to suppressed abilities that are pertinent in the short story Two Kind where Jing-mei could not realize her true potential.
In summary, it is worth affirming that the concepts of elf-representation and symbolism are all common in the three literary works “Trance,” the short story “Two Kinds,” and the movie Divergent. The target audience in all the three works can thus relate to the common expression of self-explication of either piece of literature to epitomize the concept of self-representation. Symbolism is also common through the stylistic use of imagery and symbols to affirm the character’s hidden potential or other themes that are of relevance. It is thus affirmed that based on the notable similarities, the three works of literature were the best options in the analysis of the selected themes.
Works Cited
Boyle, Danny. Trance. United States: Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2013. Film.
Burger, Neil. Divergent. United States: The Divergent Series, 2014. Film.
Tan, Amy. Two Kinds. N.p. Print.
