Arts/100 - Symbolism in Movies

Symbolism in Movies 

For this week’s assignment, students are supposed to identify and analyze symbolism in movies. At first I thought about finding individual symbols in different movies, but then I realized that a movie that I recently watched for the first time would provide an extensive list of symbols. The movie is “Gravity”, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. In this movie there are so many scenes with symbols that don’t mean what they apparently do. Sandra Bullock’s character, an astronaut named Dr. Ryan Stone, finds herself alone and in danger in space, when a mission goes awry.

The first symbol we can identify is her name, a predominantly male name. This is a symbol for the male dominance that is present in so many industries, NASA being one of the biggest offenders. In one scene, after Dr. Stone successfully returns to a space base after being in serious danger outside, she removes her space suit and immediately floats into a fetal position. This impactful scene represents Dr. Stone’s starting point, as she has just passed a serious test that could have ended her life.

Another strong symbolism can be noticed at the final scene of the movie, as Dr. Stone successfully returns to Earth and lands on the ocean. In the scene, the astronaut crawls out of the water onto the land, as a symbol of evolution. Interestingly, the director himself, Afonso Quoaron explained the scene, as he says “She’s in these murky waters almost like an amniotic fluid or a primordial soup. In which you see amphibians swimming. She crawls out of the water, not unlike early creatures in evolution. And then she goes on all fours. And after going on all fours she’s a bit curved until she is completely erect. It was the evolution of life in one, quick shot” (Cuaron, 2013).

Overall the symbolisms found in the movie “gravity” were surprising and enjoyable. I did not expect any deeper meaning from the movie as I started to watch it. In fact, my expectations were low and I did not think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. Before watching the movie I had already ready about some of the symbolism found in it, and that encouraged me to watch the movies. Knowing what to look for, I thoroughly enjoyed finding hidden symbols throughout the movie.

Reference

Quaron, A. (2013, October 8). Personal Interview to Meredith Woener. Retrieved from http://io9.com/gravitys-ending-holds-a-deeper-meaning-says-alfonso-c-1442690788