Directed by Walter Hill
Conflict – Symbolism
Symbolism is a predominant convention used in The Warriors (1979) to show conflict between characters. The symbolism shows conflict between characters through the use of the colour red. The colour red is a (unofficial) globally recognized symbol of many things which include love, anger and teen anxiety. However the use of this colour is used appropriately in context to communicate a specific meaning. Many films that involve such themes like anger/teen anxiety/hatred have used the colour red as a symbol to portray these themes. It is used so that the audience will understand that the characters in The Warriors are experiencing external or internal conflict with characters, situation …show more content…
As Swan says “I bet you can’t even remember who you get on Saturday nights” a flash of red light washes swans face as he turns to face mercy. The sudden flash of red light signifies that swan is angry towards mercy’s choice of lifestyle (not remembering who she has slept with and not caring about it). Here, the red light symbolizes swans a different sort of anger. He is angry towards mercy because he believes she is better than that and shouldn’t live the way she does. Also he believes she should take pride in herself, this concept is reinforced on the train when the “prom kids” get on and look down on mercy for her appearance and as she tries to fix her hair swan pulls her hand away in a way to reinforce this idea of how she should just take pride in herself the way she is.
As red is seen as more of a gang related conflict towards the warriors the director has used blue washes to signify conflict between the authorities of New York (the New York police force). This is showed many times throughout the film to symbolize the conflict the warriors are having with the authorities. This is shown when all the warriors are against a fence in a parking lot and their way is blocked of by police cars and the blue light can clearly be seen flashing on all the members faces suggesting that the gangs aren’t going to be the only people trying to stop them getting back to Coney