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Essay / Social Identity and Character Analysis of Sherlock Jr.
When Keaton's character enters the screen and the cinematic world, the scene around him is constantly changing. The scene moves from a busy street to a cliff top to a pack of lions and so on. It could be that Keaton is mocking the conventional nature of mainstream cinema. By setting the majority of the narrative in a character's dream, Keaton has the power to instill a number of gags that would be considered impractical in reality. In the article “Keaton Relates Comedy Secrets,” Keaton provides insight into the world of comedy and what it takes to achieve originality. He says that “comedy must be clean and wholesome and the actor must be well-groomed. Even the "gags", those funny business places, in the comedy studio, have to be original. This is especially true in one scene where Keaton appears to jump through someone to escape, in another he jumps out of a window into a moving car. By setting the story in a dream world, Keaton can push the boundaries of cinema further than many actors before him. This way, Keaton can perform tricks that wow the audience while remaining somewhat plausible. His brilliant technique and innovative performance brighten up the film and make it even more