Teasing out the elements ENGL 2306.001 and 002 Teasing out the elements

Plot First things first; try rendering the plot into a single sentence, or an action statement. This is essentially a one-sentence summary of the entire plot. You cannot possibly (nor grammatically) account for everything in the plot in a statement this short, so make it count. Focus on the action.

Plot (cont.) Plot description for the film Inception (2010): “Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back, but only if he can accomplish the impossible: inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming.”

Plot (cont.) What did you generate for Inception’s action statement? How about this? “A thief must attempt an incredible feat in order to win back his life and his freedom.” Or this? “A thief must attempt an incredible feat in the mind of his target in order to win back his life and his freedom.”

Plot (cont.) So, now that you’ve had some practice, try generating an action statement for “Part One” of The Pacific. Here’s mine: “With their country officially at war, various officers and soldiers must come to terms with the violence they intend to commit, the violence they do commit, and what it all means.”

Character(ization) Sgt. John Basilone Eugene Sledge and PFC Sidney Phillips PFC Robert Leckie, aka “Professor”

Character (cont.) E. M. Forster distinguishes between flat and round characters. Flat characters “are types or caricatures defined by a single idea or quality,” whereas Round characters “have the three-dimensional complexity of real people” (Bedford Glossary 56). Of the four characters previously identified, which are flat? Which are round?

Theme The best strategy for determining a text’s theme(s) is to compile a list of terms or phrases that you think are relevant to the plot and/or characters. What are some words or phrases that come to mind regarding “Part One” of The Pacific?

Diction I take back what I said; diction can be very important. In “Part One” of The Pacific, how might the words chosen by the writers and said by the actors, as well as how those words were pronounced, influence its plot, characterization, and theme(s)?

Melody (Rhythm) There wasn’t really a whole lot of singing and dancing in this episode. Even so, did you detect any uses of melody or rhythm? When and where?

Spectacle

Spectacle (cont.)

Spectacle (cont.)