Story Lines, Openings and Binary Oppositions

Overall we identified that binary oppositions, are there to show contrasts between different groups of people and give the audience a clear understanding of what a character or group of people are and what they are like.

We looked at four films and analysed and discussed exactly what the binary oppositions were in each, the four films we analysed were:

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

In the opening of this film we see Ferris, pretending to be ill to skip a day at school and a test to stay home and relax the sunny exciting  day, which his parents reluctantly let him

The Binary Oppositions were:

Sister vs Brother (When his sister complains how he gets a day off school)

Reality vs Fake (Him pretending to be ill when he is actually healthy)

Home vs School (In school its boring at home he's doing exciting things

Boring vs Fun (Whens hes outside drinking tropical juice in the sun and we see the contrast of the boring slow school)

Colour vs Dark (When he's talking to his friend on the phone Ferris is happy and his surroundings are bright but his friends are dull because he is depressed and sick)

Holiday Music vs Gloomy Music (When he outside in the sun and it does a sound motif to his friend at home thinking he's sick)

Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet

We see two rivalling gangs the Capulets and Montagues fighting at a petrol station

The Binary Oppositions were:

Latin Americans vs White Americans (Capulets and Montagues)

Rich vs Poor (Capulets have nice cars and bling whereas Montagues don't)

Sophisticated vs Casual (Capulets are wearing suits and Montague's wearing casual wear)

Religious vs Non Religious (Capulets are catholic we see this with mother Mary everywhere and there crosses)

Comedy vs Serious (When the pink haired Montagues disgusts the nuns)

Brave vs Scared (When they start to quarrel the Montagues begin to back off)

Peace vs Quarrel (When the main leaders of both families come together and Montagues want peace while Capulet leader says he  

"hates peace."

Princess Diaries 

We see a young girl on her way to high school and some of the attrocities in which happens to her on the very same day.

The Binary Oppositions:

Popular vs Unpopular (When they come into school we see the popular kids messing around being loud and Mia's friends are quiet and nerdy)
Teachers vs Students (In her debate class, her teachers keeps the class under control)
Beauty vs Ugly (Mia is ugly, when we see them make fun of her in her debate class)
Confidence vs Nervous ( When in her debate class the popular boys said his speech effortlessly while Mia gets scared and pukes up in fright)

Ten Things I Hate About You