Under The Skin Transgender Allegory (Essay Sample)

Allegorical Meaning
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Allegorical Meaning
Under The Skin Transgender Allegory
The film Under the Skin by Jonathan Glazer depicts a blurred science fiction movie, which is characterized by images that are both blunt and abstract. The images on the covers portray unique ideas, although the whole picture illustrates what a woman in the present society feels like to be transgender, a behavior, which is not considered normative. A transgender society is ignored in all spheres of the media, meaning that it becomes vital to look for subtexts in different forms of art to witness similar stories. Under the Skin reflects similar examples because of the constant emphasis it lays towards gender identity, dysphoria, alienation, as well as the, which makes individuals feel as if they have other visitors in their body (Glazer, 2014). The allegorical story telling by Glazer aims at revealing a narrative to depict what a human being means. Even though the film covers this area, Under the Skin also touches on the feelings that unexpected women groups portray. In the field of cinemas, these kinds of narratives never become apparent beyond the genre of documentaries. When producing this movie, Glazer encounters something, which he had not intended. Even though certain scenes in Under the Skin do not portray a woman struggling to identify with her own gender, most of the scenes reflect the state of affairs (Molloy, 2014).
Under the Skin portrays rebirth, although the disturbing issue here is that the arrival of the protagonist does not come through infancy, but as an adult. The character Amy (Scarlett Johansson) did not go through childhood, meaning she did not encounter any girlhood stages. Hence, she was forced to adapt womanhood at a fast pace. The starting sequence depicts her arrival when she is characterized by sheer whiteness. When coming to earth she has nothing apart from the girl who brings her cloths upon her arrival, who she adopts, her identity. In the following scene, she visits a mall and purchases the clothes that the other woman would have bought. This thinking line is unique from the behavior exercised by young transgender women who are heading towards womanhood (Maclay, 2015).
Glazer later links the birth of Amy with a different scene, which also depicts transgender encounters whereby alienation intersects with adaptation while she is shopping. Amy realizes that she is in a different world. Here, as it is the case with other transgender women, she observes what the other women are doing and emulates their behavior. Glazer depicts this scene with women looking for clothes, trying makeup while Amy follows what they are doing. She takes a pink top and evaluates the lipstick. This scene is wonderful based on the ways in which it is played in a mundane and explorative manner. In the case of transgender women, they end up being confused when shopping for clothes initially. This scene is simplistic, although it captures unsureness feelings well (Stryker & Whittle, 2014). Amy portrays a similar situation because it is her first time in the fashion world without any idea of anything concerning shopping. The scene ends as Amy puts lipstick like other women she witnessed in the store. She evaluates herself to ensure that her face is perfect to ensure that she fits with the society (Glazer, 2014).
During the film’s second half, the themes of transgender intensify when Glazer shows obsession with mirrors as well as the manner in which Amy realizes her body. This kind of hyper-awareness makes her feel comfortable for the initial time. She feels as if her body is her home rather than something she carries from one point to another. One scene that is unique from other scenes in Under the Skin is where she stands in her room without clothes surrounded by warm colors, such as yellow and red as opposed to grey and black colors. When present in the room, her body becomes shiny while she also approaches the mirror to watch herself closely. She turns around when before the mirror to view her form. The body language she portrays reveals that she it is right. While turning around, the music rises slightly as she analyzes her soft curves. Her body was always ghostly and pale, but here it becomes shiny as a sun (Glazer, 2014).
The last scenes in Under the Skin induce fear. Although Amy is a woman, Glazer fails to polish the imminent danger of being in possession of that kind body. Cases of murder and sexual assault are apparent in different parts of the world, while a large number of women die when they encounter hostile men (Molloy, 2014). The film ends whereby Amy shows signs of suffering through fate, although the cause of her death is not being a woman, but rather that appears as one in the eyes of her murderer. After a man tries raping her, he sees her condition, leading him to set her ablaze because he became horrified. In his opinion, he was cleansing an inhuman thing from the world (Glazer, 2014).
The ending portrayed by this science fiction film does not depict fantasy but reality. For instance, by March 2013, one transgender woman was killed or committed suicide each week that year. Although Amy is not plainly transgender, she reflects pursuit of searching for humanity, which is in line with finding womanhood. Most women find a version of the film that fits their story, although some pass on while trying to figure their things out. In the case of Under the Skin, Amy was killed while searching for humanity. She died because she aimed at living on earth while being respected as a woman, although men perceived as a horrifying thing (Stryker & Whittle, 2014).
Close reflection on Under the Skin may make a person to be drawn or repelled by it because it resembles how transgender women live. They live a life of discovery, frustration, while occasionally encountering happiness moments. Being a transgender woman is what this movie engages most individuals about, hence meaning that it rings true about the state of our present society. Therefore, it is apparent to ensure that issues, such is transgender and other related concepts in the society are handled in the society appropriately through education and low enforcement to ensure that individuals are respected for who they are, hence allowing them to enjoy their humanity (Maclay, 2015).
Hidden Guilt Allegory
The film Hidden by Michael Haneke depicts personal level guilt as well as a country’s overall guilt. The film is structured in such a manner that additional levels of narrative emerge in addition to the narration given by the protagonist. The film lays notable emphasis on the guilt that George portrays while dealing with past actions as well as France’s guilt for failing to address the death cases of about 200 Algerians who were subjected to brutality by the police in 1961.The film’s allegory depicts the manner in which the French treated Algerians harshly. The events that took place on October 1961 were characterized by the protests that Algerians directed towards French policy introduced in Algeria, which led to the emergence of a major operation by the policy, leading to death and injuries of a huge number of demonstrators. These events were not acknowledged during this time nor for the decades that followed. The subject is still considered the taboo in the modern society. After more than four decades passed, the guilt portrayed by the two parties is still evident (Haneke, 2014).
The film starts with the picture of a house, which is later revealed to be owned by Georges Laurent. Laurent is a popular host for a talk show that takes place on a weekly basis. Anne, Laurent’s wife works in a firm that publishes books together with their son Pierror, who participates in the swimming team of their school. The picture of the house lasts for about five minutes as credits are typed with no music in the background. While lines later become apparent on the screen before they fast forward as the couple is noted to be asking about the origin of the film. This kind of technique is applied in films to remind the audience that they should be vigilant for the events they are about to witness. The film, Hidden is based on epistemological conundrum, regarding the party being prosecuted and the reason behind the act. The fast-forward serves as a warning to the audience to refrain from involving themselves with the film so much, but rather to remain skeptical and distrustful. This is because the film’s introduction plays a major role in terms of simulating and dissimulating its pillars. Even though a casual viewer may miss the story’s subtext, the film challenges the audience to understand the prevailing meaning on their own (Haneke, 2014).
Initially, the couple disregards the tape as prank, which their son or one of their friends may have played. However, trepidation becomes apparent as they start receiving additional tapes in their door steps, having a child’s crude drawing while coughing blood as well as a chicken that has been beheaded. Ann develops fear towards their lives as well as that of their child. She encourages Georges to report the matter to the police, although since no actual crime is committed, they just record suspicion. It appears that George has clues concerning the meaning of the tapes (Haneke, 2014).
Georges decides to pay his mother a visit at her bed top inquire about their past, although she refuses to talk about as she only enc...