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  • Essay / Billy Eliot's Illustration of Human Experience

    Human experience involves inconsistencies in human behavior and motivation, which encompass a wide range of concepts about overcoming adversity and finding identity as individuals and as a collective society. This allows speakers to explore the world differently, question assumptions, spark new ideas or even have personal reflection. Stephen Daldry makes sense of these concepts of human experience through his exploration of metaphysical challenges and their impact on human existence in his debut film, Billy Elliot, which recreates the holistic experience of a historical event that occurred in the northern England in 1984, “The Miners' Strike”. . The film uses cinematic conventions to depict a personal experience that challenges social and cultural assumptions behind traditional gender roles and the transition from adolescence to adulthood, conveying the value of human experiences through the notion of bildungsroman. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayAdversity is an obstacle that arises in the progression of an individual's life and when overcome, it will help the individual develop a better understanding of themselves and desire for the world around them . In Billy's journey to becoming a ballet dancer, Billy challenges and questions the discrimination of stereotypical gender roles and the expectations of his family and working-class society. This challenge is presented in the scene where Billy dances to the song called "Town Called Malice". A quick shot captures the reactions of the two supporting characters, Tony and Jackie, depicting disgust and shock as they discover Billy is learning to dance in private. In contrast, a close-up of Billy's facial expression is the opposite: one of pleasure and joy. The visual techniques of using a quick shot and close-up capture the facial expressions of the characters, displaying their inner emotions and feelings on a physical medium for the audience to see. Furthermore, the contrast created between the characters demonstrates the state of conflict that Billy experiences between wanting to pursue his passion for dance and not conforming to the expectations of others. It also highlights the human experience of inconsistencies in human behavior, helping viewers have a personal reflection on how they once found themselves in Billy's position. However, with perseverance and enthusiasm, Billy defies society's expectations and rebels against the masculine stereotype by pursuing his passion. for ballet. This is demonstrated in the final scene where he prepares to perform on stage. The use of an extremely close-up of Billy's face depicts his anxiety which is further accentuated by his heavy breathing and trembling legs, as he is finally able to perform for his father with his loving support. Additionally, as Billy enters the stage for his final leap, dim lighting, slow motion, and non-diegetic music are used. The slow tempo and harsh sound of the orchestra in the classic piece "Swan Lake" builds suspense while the slow-motion, low-angle shot of Billy skillfully jumping depicts his ability to finally overcome his adversity. This act highlights Billy's sense of liberation and final moment of triumph as he overcame his adversity. It also reveals Billy's personal growth and transformation as he became a defiant and confident individual despite family difficulties and a distraught society caused by the miners' strike.Billy's personal transformation through opposition illustrates the adversity aspect of the human experience on an individual level as he encountered, experienced, and overcame an obstacle that life threw at him. Furthermore, Daldry describes the struggle against adversity as a collective experience, as exemplified by the 1984 miners' strike in the north of England. It reflects the event when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced the closure of the Cortonwood coal mine in Yorkshire, resulting in the loss of 20,000 jobs. This sparks the protests and can be seen in the picket line scene, where Daldry uses the high angle shot to capture the anger and irritation of the miners shouting "Scab!" Gale!" of their government. However, Daldry addresses the concept of struggling with adversity and overcoming it completely in Billy Elliot as an individual and collective human experience that many can follow. The search for identity is a personal human experience. which is often found when an individual finds those he feels he can relate to, connect with and belong to. This is presented through Billy's best friend, Michael, who encounters the barriers created by his discovery of. his own sexual identity, Michael is initially afraid of revealing his true self, because he lives in a tight and strict community with extremely clear and distinct gender roles. It is living within this community that prevents him from doing so. Michael to learn and explore his sexuality, which hinders his ability to truly understand his place in society. This is highlighted in the scene where Michael cross-dresses in the safety of his own home. As Michael opens the door for Billy, there is no camera movement, depicting the strict and stagnant community that is reluctant to change. Therefore, this prevents Michael from speaking out as he fears strong reactions from the aggressive male-dominated community. This is further emphasized by a medium shot of Billy cautiously looking around before entering to make sure no one has seen them as he knows society would not approve of what they are doing, "What is -what are you doing?!” » declared Billy. Through the lack of lighting in the room, this highlights Michael and Billy's transition through their isolation from society to discovering Michael's sexuality. It is clearly evident that the dress fits him perfectly, which reveals his awakened sexuality and demonstrates the fact that he really does belong in this dress and that he must accept and embrace his new identity. Another defining identity journey involves Michael's determination to express himself freely to overcome societal pressures and the conformity of defined gender roles. This is evident in the final scene when he attends Billy's ballet performance. The use of a medium shot highlights Michael's contentment and his light blue eyes, which symbolizes that he is finally at peace with himself as he is able to dress and apply makeup freely, unaware the opinions and judgment of others. When he says "Hey, it's me, Michael" symbolizes how free he is to express himself towards Tony when they get together. The photo also emphasizes his interaction with another man, indicating that he has discovered his sexuality and is no longer afraid to hide it, ironically with the background music of "Swan Lake", which emphasizes the way he is transitioning into his discovered individual identity. It appears from this that Michael's determination and courage in embarking on an experiment..