Media Essays

Text: Slumdog Millionaire 
Question: Narrative 
Essay: The narrative of SM is unusual and unorthodox. It consists of 3 different plotlines and throughout the films jumps between each one. The unusual structure allows the filmmaker to build tension and create anticipation amongst the audience. The structure of the narrative challenges expectation of a traditional narrative which in turn makes the audience work to try and figure out , understand the film as a whole. This way provides the characters with much more information and also allows certain parts of Jamal's life to be emphasised and also his character traits. It acts as a form of restricted narration whereby the audience is positioned to learn as much as possible as the detective interrogates Jamal.It also heightens the identification with Jamal's character by creating cliff-hangers along the way. This way of storytelling is described as portmanteau. The film is divided into separate chapters, each one revolving around a different question Jamal is asked. The non linear plot means that images and motifs appear and return , sometimes seemingly for no reason however , they(by the end) all hang from the same frame which is finding Latika. It can also be seen as conventional in many ways. For example, he finds the girl at the end of the film and they 'kiss'. The plot is typical of the genre, classic story of boy meets girl, loses girl, boy gets girl back. There are the inclusions of Vladamir Propp's character types such as the Princess which is Latika, the villain being Prem and Mamon and possibly Salim. There is the conventional narrative structure of Equilibrium, 3 orphans living in Mumbai, the disruption being Mamon offering them a new life recognition the trio trying to escape from Mamon leading to Jamal and Latika being separated, the attempt to repair is Jamal trying to find Latika and finally the new equilibrium being that he is reunited with Latika. The film is made up of chains of cause and effect. Every action from a character, every scene of the movie is caused by something else. Everything involved in the film serves the plot of the film. Taking into account Enigma and action codes. The questions that Prem asks on WWTBAM are action codes that move the story into its next episode. This in turn provides the audience with the enigma codes such as Why does Jamal know they answers to these questions? The film explores the idea that the important moments in life need to be grabbed or in a motto 'cease the day'. But that they can also be gone if we miss them. The structure files through Jamal's life so quickly that it shows the audience how quick and short life is and that if you don't hold onto something those points can pass by just as quick. The structure creates the illusion that Latika is ever present when in reality she is only in a short amount of the film. This reinforces the notion of true love and how even though Jamal has not seen her for most of his life he has never forgotten her. The film emphasises that as a youngster life is chaotic and fast paced and some elements will be unexpected. The first 20 minutes of the film confirm this as the structure doesn’t seem to make sense and is on some level a bit confusing. 

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