Topic > The Advantage of Using Postmodern Characteristics in “Stranger Than Fiction”

Postmodernism states that there is no real truth because all people see and identify the truth based on their own knowledge and beliefs. The film "Stranger than fiction" belongs to a recent cycle of postmodern films with philosophical meaning that explore important issues in our lives. The postmodern characteristics shown precisely help the viewer to receive an overall message, especially that destiny cannot be controlled. Some would say that these elements distract from discovering the overall message; however, fragmentation, unanswered questions and genre conventions are used as really powerful tools in the film to prove otherwise. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original EssayFirst of all, Harold Crack is the protagonist of the film who lives his life in order, he counts his brush strokes, the number of steps to reach the bus stops, his work stops and everything times with his wristwatch. It seems that the man simply follows the clock's instructions and acts as its servant. His internal conflict is that Harold allows time to dictate his individuality. For twelve years the character struggles with the daily routine to find comfort and a purpose in life. The routine is depicted using physical fragmentation that holds the audience's attention through the use of graphics, dark camera angles, split screen, and camera rotation. These methods allow for a deeper understanding of Harold's personality and make the film more interesting. The fragmentation shifts smoothly into another element of postmodernism, like asking questions without giving answers. The central questions of the film seem: is the narrator's life real and is Harold's a fiction? Is Harold just a fictional character from the book "Death and Taxes" and all the events, shown in the movie, are written and performed by Karen Eiffel? However, the viewer has many opportunities to ask other philosophical questions, unfortunately without receiving answers. Furthermore, the postmodern element makes the audience reflect on the importance of people's actions and what the meaning of our lives actually is. For example, the personification of the wristwatch has led everyone to ask: does time control us? This question brings us the important lesson of using time wisely and not getting lost in routine like the main character of the film. The element, asking questions without answers, also refers to another no less important postmodern characteristic called genre conventions. Mostly, movies have a clearly defined genre, such as comedy, drama, tragedy, horror, romance, thriller, and so on. . In some cases, “Stranger than fiction” doesn't exactly provide one, leaving people to decide which genre is most appropriate for it. The film does not present its characters' lives as comical or tragic, but rather asks the audience whether or not their life is a comedy or a tragedy..