Isabel Coixet Analysis Of The Body And Communication

ENG 440, Spring 2013
Analysis of the Body and Communication
Over the course of cinematic history, filmmakers have manipulated the image of the body to convey larger ideas about gender, society, and interpersonal relationships. In Isabel Coixet’s The Secret Life of Words (2005), Coixet uses the body to make a statement about the body’s relationship to interpersonal communication and bonding. She manipulates the body’s image, action, and position, as well as the lighting and setting, to express how the body imparts emotions and experiences in a more powerful way than words. The body’s mode of communication leads to a mutual understanding and bond between people. In thoughtfully dissecting a still from Coixet’s film depicting Hanna placing Josef’s hand on the scars of her naked breasts, one can clearly see these values at work. The action of the scene expresses not only the full effect of Hanna’s trauma, but also her shedding of emotional walls and subsequent sexual comfort with Josef, showing the budding of their bond. The action effectively showcases the impact of
In the bottom right of the shot, the edge of her loose pink shirt is barely shown, draped in the crook of her elbow. Throughout the movie, she wears layers of very professional clothing or scrubs when caring for Josef. In this scene, she suddenly wears a transparent pink shirt with no bra. Her big shift in fashion hints at a change in attitude and shows her forethought—she knew in advance she was going to reveal her secret to Josef. The sheer shirt is the hint to the audience that she has made a decision to be open with Josef about her trauma, which shows how she now trusts him. Even the fact that it is so haphazardly tucked in her elbow shows her lack of concern of how much skin she is