SILENT THINGS

Silent Things:
We are first introduced to Jake and Charlotte on a beach on a sunny, bright day, flying a kite. This immediately symbolises happiness and positivity. The MS of them, standing in silence watching the kite lets us observe them as characters. Charlotte is playing with her hands and her hair and neck and as the camera angle changes from a MS of them both to a CU of her, we see from this that her mind works in a way that is different to the average person.

In the 2nd scene we learn that Jake has Asperger's syndrome. When Amy walks over to speak to him, he can't give her eye contact and seems too interested in the kite to talk to her. This starts to show us the way in which autistic people and people with mental disabilities are different to those without. They find social situations awkward and much prefer their own company- two things that Jake clearly portrays in this scene. The flying of the kite and the high angle CU of the sky obviously symbolises what keeps Jake calm. Many autistic people get angry and frustrated when things are out of their daily routine and flying a kite is what keeps Jake happy and feeling normal and calm. The sky portrays this too, through pathetic fallacy. With no clouds in the sky and it being bright and light it represents his mind being calm and peaceful.

When Amy sticks up for him against the rowdy group of teenagers, a CU of Jake is used here and we see him close his eyes as if he is trying to block them out, showing that he too feels embarrassment as people without mental disabilities do, we hear him speak for the first time, he sounds calm, however, never moving his eyes from the sight of the kite and sky.

When Charlotte walks over to them, the atmosphere changes with the diegetic sound of the wind howling. When Charlotte and Jake start arguing we see the contrast between Amy and them. Amy is giving them both eye contact and saying direct, if, confrontational lines, such as "I am still here, you know.". Whereas Jake and Charlotte don't look at each other and clearly show their awkwardness through this and through the way in which Charlotte plays and holds her hands.

Their voices are also monotone, portraying no emotions, showing that they aren't in touch with each other emotions (which people with Asperger's aren't) and showing that they are uncomfortable with the situation they are in.

When on the ferry, pathetic fallacy is used to show Jakes state of mind again. The shot becomes darker and scarier to show that he is becoming more and more insecure on the ferry and that he is scared and unsure of the situation he is in. Being on a ferry is obviously not part of his usual routine and his mental disability is making him frustrated and worried- emotions he can't control. The non diegetic quiet sound of the white noise and the eerie voices in his head convey his panic and his sharp, jolted movements to get Amy and the security staff off him when they try to help proves how vulnerable his disability makes him and how he can't do some things that the able-bodied see as normal or easy. The editing of blocking out Amy's voice when she is trying to talk to him and him closing his eyes and not looking at anyone, portrays him trying to block out the situation he is in and the fear and panic he is feeling.

When Charlotte sees Jake after he comes off the ferry in a state, she starts to wring and play with her hands, hair and neck more. This proves to the audience that she too is uncomfortable with the situation and that is how she shows her uncertainty and panic.

The editing shows a shot reverse shot of Jake and Charlotte getting more and more wound up and upset at the minute. Jake squeezes his eyes shut and holds out his head and eyes, trying to block out what's just happened, he lashes out at the officers too. Charlotte starts to pull her whole arm over her face and neck and looking more panicked and upset the more she watches Jake struggling. The music crescendos here too, to add more suspense and tension to try and understand their mental state and struggle.

The film finishes as it starts, with Charlotte and Jake assembling a kite together and flying it. However, the sky is darker and cloudier and finishes on a dull and depressing mood relating to Charlotte and Jakes state of mind after the events that have taken place and the way in which they have to deal with it because of their mental disabilities.