In the movie “The Sixth Sense,” the director employed varied techniques to bring about a valuable motion picture. Out of the many techniques evident in the movie, gothic symbols and motifs are paramount as these techniques bring about other aspects of the film such as thematic expressions. This paper explores different motifs and gothic symbols in the movie “The Sixth Sense.” Ultimately, the paper highlights the meaning or importance of the identified technique.
Shyamalan (the director of the movie) consistently employs visual motifs through reflective objects such as glasses, windows, mirrors and many others. The visual motifs in “The Sixth Sense’’ are basic for thematic and dramatic expressions in the movie. A complimentary motif to visual expressions in reflective surfaces is the continuous application of symmetrical compositions and paralleling shots in almost the entirety of the movies. An outstanding example of motif visual expression through reflective or parallel imaging is evident in the beginning shots of the film where and her husband celebrate his civic award at the basement with a bottle of wine. The Couple settles in front of a fireplace where they sarcastically admire the glass encased plaque. In the incident, two shots of the real selves of the couple are accompanied by three shots of their mirrored images. The visual expression in this scene explores the illusion under which the plot will be anchored subsequently. The motif symbol of the shot thus reveals the false personality of Malcolm, who is depicted throughout the film as a reflection of his personal self.
Another motif in the movie is the white hair. On the back of Cole’s head and Vincent’s lies conspicuous white hair. Throughout the movie, Cole and Vincent are traumatized out of the experiences that they visualize. To that effect, it is evident that white hair is a paramount motif for trauma within the character. Evidently still, a motif reveals the character of the ghosts in the film. For the audience, the motifs that surround the ghosts are exploited to break the suspense. An instance is whenever the ghost gets angry; the audience is informed of a prominent bad occurrence through a freezing environment.
Color red is a primary motif in the movie “The Sixth Sense.’’ Naturally, whenever an individual sees red, they see the danger. That is almost the same case when the color red is applied in a range of instances in the movie. At the kid’s party, Cole puts on a red jumper, which pre-empts a sobbing ghost in the wall. Uncertainty and naivety then follow the whole shot. The color thus symbolizes the struggle with which Cole meets the ghosts. Other instances of the color red are detailed in Anna’s constant attire of red clothes after the death of her husband, which symbolizes grief, Kyra’s fate is foreshadowed in her get well soon cards that are mostly red. At the funeral of Kyra, her mother puts on a red attire to further cement her grief. From “The Sixth Sense,’’ Red is the color of the spirit world and occasionally depicts a frequent flash of the same. The movie culminates with gothic symbolism in the uncanny and supernatural manner in which the actions of central characters are depicted. Application of gothic symbolism in ghosts further communicates the unprecedented realism within the plot. Finally, gothic symbols and motifs are the primary cast techniques in the movie “The Sixth Sense.’’ Not only do the techniques reveal the intent of the film, but they also explore auxiliary components such as transitional time periods, manipulation application of marginalization among other factors central to the plot.
Work Cited
The Sixth Sense. Shyamalan Night. Hollywood Pictures, 1999. Film
