Wag The Dog
Wag the Dog
Texts frequently portray conflicting perspectives of personalities, events and situations in order to influence the response of the reader. These perspectives are shown through a variety of techniques, and the composer invariably favors one perspective over the other in order to represent their underlying message or purpose within a text. Wag the Dog, a political satire, directed by Barry Levinson, is one such text. Levinson portrays conflicting perspectives of the character of the President throughout the film, ultimately influencing the audience into questioning the morality of their own leaders. Similarly, the documentary, Bowling for Columbine composed by Michael Moore explores conflicting perspective of CHARACTER in order to REPRESENTATION PURPOSE. Another issue explored in Wag the Dog is the Albanian war. Levinson utilizes conflicting perspectives of this situation in order to suggest that the power to manipulate a country stem from the media rather than from the government. This is mirrored by ISSUE/SITUATION/EVENT as it is portrayed in Bowling for Columbine in order to PURPOSE. Thus, it is clear that the representation process of texts influences responses to those texts.
Levinson uses conflicting perspectives of the President in Wag the Dog in order to influence the audience’s responses. One perspective of the President, displayed periodically, is that he is an effective leader in a time of crisis. This perspective is shown through the symbolism of the prop of the phone. Ames is frequently shown as connected to the phone and through this, the President controls Brean and Motss. This is exposed clearly in the production room when the President successfully obtains a white kitten for the Albanian girl to hold. Ames, holding the phone, is shown from a low angle standing over Motss, physically representing the President’s power. In stark contrast to this, the alternate perspective of the President as a week puppet figurehead is shown when the
Texts frequently portray conflicting perspectives of personalities, events and situations in order to influence the response of the reader. These perspectives are shown through a variety of techniques, and the composer invariably favors one perspective over the other in order to represent their underlying message or purpose within a text. Wag the Dog, a political satire, directed by Barry Levinson, is one such text. Levinson portrays conflicting perspectives of the character of the President throughout the film, ultimately influencing the audience into questioning the morality of their own leaders. Similarly, the documentary, Bowling for Columbine composed by Michael Moore explores conflicting perspective of CHARACTER in order to REPRESENTATION PURPOSE. Another issue explored in Wag the Dog is the Albanian war. Levinson utilizes conflicting perspectives of this situation in order to suggest that the power to manipulate a country stem from the media rather than from the government. This is mirrored by ISSUE/SITUATION/EVENT as it is portrayed in Bowling for Columbine in order to PURPOSE. Thus, it is clear that the representation process of texts influences responses to those texts.
Levinson uses conflicting perspectives of the President in Wag the Dog in order to influence the audience’s responses. One perspective of the President, displayed periodically, is that he is an effective leader in a time of crisis. This perspective is shown through the symbolism of the prop of the phone. Ames is frequently shown as connected to the phone and through this, the President controls Brean and Motss. This is exposed clearly in the production room when the President successfully obtains a white kitten for the Albanian girl to hold. Ames, holding the phone, is shown from a low angle standing over Motss, physically representing the President’s power. In stark contrast to this, the alternate perspective of the President as a week puppet figurehead is shown when the