Representation of Sexuality : Fingersmith

G322 Fingersmith from Stephen Adams on Vimeo.

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Representation

– Forbidden love/lust

– Unrequited love of Rivers: Dominant, aggressive, villainous

– Homosexual love: Secretive

– Male representation of sexuality is threatening

– Sense of sensual and erotic feelings

Camera

– Two shot of Sue and Maud, shows Maud looking at her lovingly, also shows that her lust and love towards Sue is secretive.

– Tracking shot of her hand when Sue is sleeping, suggest sensual feelings, however she didn’t touch her which again connotes that her love/lust is secretive.

– Close-ups of Maud face, suggest her desires towards Sue.

– Two shot of Maud and Rivers, connotes that Rivers love towards Maud is one way, also that he is an aggressive and villainous character.

Editing

– Slow cross dissolve transitions suggests a sense of sensual feelings/romance.

– Eye line matches amplify Maud’s lust, as the shots focus on Sue’s breasts and hands.

– Match on action as the paint dripping down on Maud’s dress connotes that she wondering about Sue.

– Parallel editing as Sue is looking for Maud, whilst Rivers is harassing Maud, which infers that Rivers is aggressive and dominant.

Sound

– Non diegetic score with violins create a sensual and romantic feeling as Maud is thinking of Sue.

– Non diegetic narration by Maud, tells what she thinks, as she cannot say it out loud suggesting that her love is secretive.

– Non diegetic sting as Rivers touches Maud’s hand as she is painting creates the feeling that he scared her; this infers that Rivers is the villain in the extract.

– Non diegetic score is incidental as Rivers arrives it changes to a more suspicious score, inferring that Rivers know what is going on, also represents him as a villainous character.

– Amplified diegetic exhaling as Rivers takes her away, connoting that Maud is scared and Rivers is aggressive, also the score stops which again suggest that its incidental.

Mise-en-scene

– The candle lights create a sensual mood, and suggest that the extract sets in an older era.

– Fill light on Maud as she paints represents that her desire and lust is secretive.

– The costumes reinforce the Victorian era; it also represents status and class. Rivers costume is black which infers that he is a threat towards Maud which makes him the villain in the extract.

– Maud’s gloves are white which represents her innocence ad purity, Rivers takes off the gloves, and seducing Maud, which infers that he is aggressive, and that his love towards Maud is one way.