POST 10: WITNESS AS A THRILLER

POST 10: WITNESS AS A THRILLER 

Primary elements of  the Thriller as a genre	Witness as a thriller Illustration in the film
1.Central protagonist(s) The central protagonist(s) faces death, their own or someone else's.	In Witness, the main character, John, is a police officer, in his job, he faces the death again and again. In the car park, for example, he is wounded seriously by the shot of McFee.
2.Force(s) of antagonism The force/s of antagonism must initially be clever and/or stronger than the protagonist.	The force of antagonism is stronger than the protagonist because he doesn’t know who are the murderer but the murderer knows where he is.
3.Main storyline The main storyline for the protagonist is either a quest or the character who cannot be put down.	The  main storyline, is to sue the murderer, thus is a long quest .
4.Main plotline The main plot line focuses on a mystery that must be solved.	Indeed, John searchs McFee and his dirty cops during the whole film. This is the mystery that must be solved.
5.Narrative construction The film's narrative construction is dominated by the protagonist's point of view.	The majority of the film is dominated by the protagonist’s point of view. But the viewer is omniscient too, because he knows what the dirty cops is doing and not the main character.
6.Action and characters All action and characters must be credibly realistic/natural in their representation on screen.	Except the fact that the Amish are not really plain, they are realist, and all the protagonists are too. They are natural because we see their troubles and feelings.
7.Major themes The two major themes that underpin the Thriller are the desire for justice and the morality of individuals.	The desire for justice is really omnipresent because John wants sue the dirty cops and do all he can to do this.
8.Small but significant aspect One small but significant aspect of a great thriller is the presence of innocence in what is seen as an essentially corrupt world.	The innocence is represented by Samuel, the witness, who is a little boy. He is naive but ingenious.

POST 9: WITNESS - A DOCUMENTARY ON THE AMISH WAY OF LIFE

WITNESS as a Documentary on the Amish way of life

The Amish way of life		Witness as a documentary: Illustration in the film
ORDNUNG: BASIC PRINCIPLES The Ordnung regulates private, public, and ceremonial behavior. à Men and women are expected  to wear distinctive clothing. à Members must  speak a German or Swiss dialect. à Owning an automobileis forbidden.  Instead, members ______ _____________   to travel by horse and buggy. à It is forbidden to own a television, radio, camera, or computer. à Higher education such as high school and college is generally not allowed. àDivorce is forbidden. àJoining the military is forbidden. àIt is taboo to  wear jewelry or any other ornament or garment that emphasizes vanity. àCommunity members are _____ ___________  to sue anyone. àMembers ________ use self-propelled farm machinery. àIt is ___________ ____tap electricity from public utility lines.		®      When John wears an amish clothes to go to the city. ®      At the beginning, in the church, they speak a German dialect. ®      We see the difference in the city, the horse and buggy are at the next of  the horse and buggy, that creats a  gap. They use the horse and buggy during all the film. ®      The sherif can’t tell the Amish because they don’t have cellphone. ®        ®      We suppose that Rachel doesn’t love really her husband but she can’t divroce. ®        ®      Rachel and the others women don’t wear any jewerls. ®      It’s not their logic, because they are surprised with the way while John sue the dirty cops. ®      We see the machinery, John  kills someone in. ®      We see the women takes water at the well during the barn-raising.
SHUNNING Based upon religious scriptures, the Amish believe that avoided by active members in all social and business activities. However, the offenders are always welcomed back to the community if they repent. Members who are excommunicated and shunned are avoided by active members in all social and business activities However, the offenders are always welcomed back to the community if they repent.		®      If  Rachel is shunned, she will not can accept and give something at the other Amish, including her familly. She will not can comes back at home, and into the Amish community, and their church. Eli tells her when he sees her with Book.
AMISH HISTORY Mennonite and Amish history is generally thought to begin on January 21, 1525  in  Zurich, Switzerland Who was Jacob Amman? What did he do? When? Where? In 1693, in the Alsace region Jacob Amman formed his own Christian fellowship because he felt that the Mennonite Church did not exercise enough church discipline or maintain a strong enough spiritual life. When did the Amish first migrate to the USA? The first migrations of the Amish began in the 1720's. AMISH BARN-RAISING An Amish barn raising is an important example of the selfless practice of assisting one's RELATIVES, neighbors and community through life's many hardships that characterizes the Amish people of Lancaster County. It is such close-knit devotion and loyalty that has protected the community over the generations. In fact, the Amish barn raising experience becomes a social occasion bonding the families and neighbors in mutual assistance.		Ø ®     When John gives an helping hand at the barn-raising, we see that is a real event, for the whole family and community, and his help is welcomed.
AMISH RELIGION & BELIEFS Amish religion is based  tenets of early Christianity and a desire to be faithful to God. They believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that the Church is the body of Christ fulfilling God's purposes on earth.  Amish beliefs also emphasize the importance of humility, obedience, and simplicity. They believe that true Christians should never use violence or force.		®      In the film, the Amish religion is really present, they do their prayer before eat, and Eli asks John for don’t use the violence and don’t fight back.
AMISH HOMES Although modest and simple,the typical Amish house reflects the importance of  the family, daily work, and humility. Amish homes are usually large with two stories since many Amish families consist of six or seven children. The homes tend to be plain and are usually painted white, green, blue or brown which are the  colors of nature.		®      We see in the film that the house ( after  the funeral, the whole family  get together, and show the amish house ) is very simple, and modest, for example, Rachel doesn’t have a real bathroom and must take a  sponge’s bath.
AMISH CHURCH SERVICES In Lancaster County, there is a tradition that Amish church services are held in the homes of the congregation This Amish tradition expresses the  simplicity, purity, and community spirit that is so essential to the Amish faith and way of  life. The Amish women are required to prepare the communal meal which is served at noon in the home of the member HOSTING the service		®      The amish church is  in the barn, for example, the funeral takes place in the barn, next to the house.
AMISH WOMEN Amish women are expected to  place the needs of their family, church, and community above their own. They are responsible  for managing the household, preparing the food, sewing and ironing the family clothes, and assisting the needs of their neighbors.		®      Rachel  shows that the needs of her family, church and community place above hers own.  Indeed, she is really devoted to her church because she doesn’t leaves her community for Book, she is always taking care of  Samuel, Eli, John, she cleans the house and cooks ( for example during the barn-raising istead of eating she serves ).
AMISH CHILDREN Amish children are disciplined to be respectful and obedient to their elders. To prevent their children from becoming spoiled, the parents teach their children to "surrender" their selfish  will as opposed to always trying to get their own way.		®      Samuel  is polite and  listens at the adults, for example when Eli explains him that he is not allowed to touch the gun, and also when he is witness, he doesn’t talks  this  twisted to and trough .
AMISH CLOTHING Old Order Amish men and boys generally wear dark suits without lapels which fasten with hooks rather than buttons. Quote 6 items of clothing that women and girls wear: 1. a cape 2. the dress 3. the bodice 4. black shoes 5. hair uncut 6.  black bonnet What do they never wear? 1. jewelry 2. make-up	®      When  Rachel  gives the  clothes to John,  and tells him that he looks “plain”.  During the whole movie, anyone wear any jewelry or make-up. But every women wear the bonnet ( that is  set  values  when Rachel takes it off  to  kiss  John, that is really symbolic ) .