Pleasantville Film Analysis Essay

Pleasantville Film Analysis Essay
The film Pleasantville directed by Gary Ross is about two modern teenagers, David and his sister
Jennifer, somehow being transported into the television, ending up in Pleasantville, a 1950s black
and white sitcom. The two are trapped as Bud and Mary Sue in a radically different dimension and
make some huge changes to the bland lives of the citizens of Pleasantville, with the use of the
director's cinematic techniques. Ross cleverly uses cinematic techniques such as colour, mise–en–
scene, camera shots, costumes, music and dialogue to effectively tell the story. The town of
Pleasantville is dull and this is reflected by its lack of colour – the town is completely black and
white. Black and white life is simple and uncomplicated. However ... Show more content on
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Everyone in Pleasantville had a routine which was strictly followed day to day. Everyone wore the
same style of clothes. Even the houses were the same, with picket fences adorning houses and
everyone having the same car. Ross uses mise–en–scene to contrast idealistic, conservative
American views and reality. He highlights the fact that the people of Pleasantville like everything to
be kept to a routine. Their world has little time for change and is a complete contrast to realistic
America. Fifties clothing was conservative. Men wore gray flannel suits and women wore dresses
with pinched in waists and high heels. Gender roles were strongly held. Families worked together,
played together and vacationed together at family themed entertainment. Indecent language was not
used frequently. The biggest issue with reference to language used was the frequent use of "God" as
an exclamation or declaration. Camera shots and angles are also used by Ross as a cinematic
technique. The lack of engagement in class of a close up of David's face is an example. David's face
show the expression of boredom and tiredness, as he listens to the teacher talk. Another example of
a camera technique is the close up of David asking out a girl. It shows the strength and courage
David has in him, but a long shot shows us that the girl is hundreds of meters away. This conveys
that David is too socially inept to
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Conformity In Pleasantville
Pleasantville is a film about two teenagers from the 90's who mysteriously find themselves in a
black and white 1950s television show. They become residents of Pleasantville; a suburbia where
sex doesn't exist, the high school basketball team always wins, married couples sleep in twin beds,
books have no words, and everything is pleasant. The citizens of Pleasantville don't seem to
question their "good life," until Bud and Mary Sue come along and disturb the conformity. Suddenly
parts of Pleasantville become colorful, repressed desires surface, the 50's lifestyle is broken apart,
and its citizens lives change in a strange, yet exciting way. Some people are opposed to the
transformation, but in the end the entire town turns to color and the citizens are liberated.
This Gary Ross film is particularly captivating because of its revolutionary use of selective coloring.
Furthermore, it broke an all–time record with more than 1700 special effect shots. Not only did this
film create history with its special effects, but also utilized them in order to address very important
themes of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the 1950's it was encouraged to only have sexual desires while in a marital context. In actual
sitcoms played during the 50's including, "Father Knows Best," "Leave it to Beaver," and "The Dick
Van Dyke Show," sex was an avoided topic. For instance, in these shows couples slept in separate
beds in order to satisfy network censors, just like in the beginning of Pleasantville. About halfway
through the film, once the town starts becoming colorful, there is one scene where people standing
outside a store are looking at a window display of a king sized bed in complete bewilderment. As if
the thought of two people sleeping in one bed is unbelievably outrageous. This sexual suppression is
what led to the sexual liberation during the 60's and

Town Folk, Such As, For The First Time In Pleasantville,
town folk, such as, for the first time in Pleasantville, a tree catches on fire and the firemen have to
figure out how to put it out and a rose on a rose bush that is black and white turns red; this all
"triggers Betty to start seeing color. Gary Ross uses the instance of color to show an "awakening" or
transition from the "quid pro quo" norms of society happening to Betty. The more Betty wants to
learn and know about the goings on in and outside of Pleasantville, the more she sees in color until
one day she herself turns into color. Additionally, when Betty understands that people can see her in
color, she tries to cover it up with make–up because she is not ready to expose herself in a manner
that a person would feel if they had ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Everyone knows that once Pandora's box is open, it is really hard to get it closed again and havoc
and turmoil is released in to the world. Well, this being a similar situation, the town folk go berserk
and start burning books and vandalizing the soda shop and destroying a lot of the furniture. Betty's
own friends along with some of the high school boys come after her because of her non conformity.
All of this highly charged emotion which is so unpleasant in Pleasantville turns the whole town
color until everyone, even the mayor turns color and society as Pleasantville is changed forever. The
"bi–cultural binds" (Gunn Allen) that Betty was wearing fall off as her community– including her
husband– come to terms with adopting individuality as the new norm. Just as in Betty Parker's story
in Pleasantville, about how she overcomes gender role, social identity, non conformity issues,
author, Judith Ortiz Cofer relates her own social conflict in her story "The Story Of My Body." Mrs.
Ortiz Cofer's adaptation begins as a little girl who moves from a happy life in Puerto Rico to the
United States. While in Patterson, New Jersey, full of joy and wonder, she has a bad encounter and
her first experience with prejudice. Mrs. Ortiz Cofer is called "dirty" and "dirty brown Puerto
Rican," which alters her pretty image of herself. Thus begins her struggle with her bi–cultural bind.
(Gunn Allen) She has only

David In Pleasantville
The film "Pleasantville" is an extraordinary movie about a David, a senior in highschool, who is shy,
awkward and does not fit in with the other kids. When he is not at school he spends his days
memorizing every detail in the 50's sitcom Pleasantville. His parents are divorced and fight about
whose turn it is to take David. He would prefer to be inside his beloved TV show, where everything
is perfect. His sister Jennifer, on the other hand, is popular in school, the boy she likes has just
agreed to come over and watch TV. Unfortunately for David this happens on the same night that he
wants to watch a Pleasantville marathon to win a competition. The two siblings end up breaking the
remote fighting for control, this is when the strange TV repair man shows up and gives them a fancy
new remote with unknown consequences. When a button on the remote is pushed, Jennifer and
David are transported into the 50's TV show, Pleasantville, where David ... Show more content on
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The mayor sits at the front of the room on a pedestal, looking down on David. The mayor denies
David a lawyer because they are too unpleasant so David must defend himself. He starts by making
a speech about how much better it is to be silly or sexy rather than pleasant, and that everyone is just
like the coloured people, but the mayor objects. David then proves his point by talking to his black
and white father and bringing him to tears, and colour along with it. The courtroom is astonished
and more and more faces turn pink instead of grey. The mayor remains composed until David turns
to him, pushing him further into anger until finally he yells, cheeks red. As soon as the mayor sees
this he steps down and runs out of the courtroom, signifying that David has won. From then on there
is no more oppression in Pleasantville and all the citizens are free to live their new silly, sexy and
sometimes sad

Pleasantville Analysis
Statement of intent: 'Pleasantville' Jennifer writing back to 'home' Jennifer telling her the changes in
herself and what Pleasantville made her realise.
Message: That we need to stay open minded and allow people to get to know you rather than trying
to be noticed as somebody you're not. Language features; Repetition, comparative connectives,
simile She takes a seat on her dainty wee stool Daddy had bought for her years back. She lifts her
head and looks up at the poster of her and the girls at the end of year dance, beaming like they're in
the spotlight, and the paper stuck up beside it with the heading "A Brighter Pleasantville". She
thinks back to that exact day, the day Pleasantville embraced change. That day will be remembered
forever ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It was so beautiful, everyone had so much appreciation for all of these new exciting things right
there waiting for them to give a go. And watching them made me think, it made me think about my
own life, it got me thinking about the opportunities I have had sitting in front of my nose for years
yet how little of them I had given a go. Pleasantville made me open my eyes and realise that in fact
all these opinions we form on people due to rumours, how unfortunate looking someone may be,
their interests or who's in their click are on the whole almost 100% inaccurate. Now I seem to find
myself reflecting on life back home often. I had no time for anyone except Tiffany and the girls and
other than each other the only people we would associate with was Hadley, Asher and Ronnie. And
to be brutally honest they're all awfully superficial. As were I. As far as I was concerned the other
kids were never on my level and being here has changed that. I don't feel any higher class than
anyone else, we're all equal now. I no longer have a certain group of people I will talk to and an
array of those I won't." A tear rolls down her face, not a tear of sadness but more a tear of pride.
"Ever since I have been transformed into this radiant new me I have gained friends like I never
thought was possible. I have gained relationships in a matter of two weeks that have outdone any
back at home. Ever. I was so focused on popularity back home and I have only discovered now I
was doing it all wrong. Popularity comes in numbers and those numbers are numbers of people who
like you for you, people who feel free and easy to communicate with you and enjoy your company. I
had it all wrong for thinking popularity meant being prettier than everyone, smoking, boyfriends,
sex, and the newest clothes complimenting your 'top

Change In Pleasantville
How do people react when they sense change?
When people sense change, the most immediate emotion they feel is fright. They do not understand
the reason for the change, and most times they question whether it helps their society. In the movie
Pleasantville, George Parker, Bud and Mary Sue's father, best personifies the fear of change. After
Betty Parker leaves him, he asks Bud whether or not they can change back. This fear of change
governs so many people in their reaction to change. The citizens do not want to change their
lifestyle and react violently. Some, however, ignore the change and pretend that nothing has
changed. When Skip Martin missed shooting the basketball, the coach decided that it was just a
fluke and never mentioned it again. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Both leadership styles yield similar results, however they both only work effectively if implemented
in the right way. Tobey was considered a "good kid" most of his life, and led by giving little pushes
to the members of Pleasantville. Take the case of Mr. Johnson, rather than give him the
responsibilities of the diner immediately, he started by pushing him to break his normal routine. Mr.
Johnson did not need to wait for Bud to close the doors with him, but instead could do it completely
himself. He then showed Mr. Johnson art, and inspired him to start creating his own. These small
pushes allowed Mr. Johnson to embrace the change he faced. Reese, however, led from the front and
took charge of change the minute she arrived in Pleasantville. By "pinning" Skip, she caused a
reaction from all of the teenagers from town. She began the change herself and did what she
believed was right to "modernize" the town. Even though both leadership styles are vastly different,
they push the followers to trying new things and not being afraid of the

Pleasantville
Tiffany Niemiller November 15th, 2010 Utopia/Dystopia Dr. Viau Pleasantville Pleasantville is a
great movie with many hidden messages. The not so obvious but informative messages are one of
best aspects of this nineties flick. The special effects are impressive considering this movie is indeed
from the nineties. Pleasantville touches base on many actual conflicts in America and throughout
history in the most subtle but blunt way. My favorite thing about this movie is how it takes this blind
community and shows them what they never knew existed: passion and real emotion. I have heard
many people talk about their love for earlier decades such as the fifties and how they wish they
could go back and live in the "Simple Times" but in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I found a website that brings a spiritual point of view to pop culture and on it I found a nice outline
of 'Pleasantville' filled with commentary and ideas of symbolism in relation to the Bible. I liked this
website because it called attention to many things I noticed throughout the movie. Here is a
statement from the site that lists some of the symbols, "There are a ton of Bible connections in this
film. There is a burning bush. The God–like moon behind the garden's apple. And even a rainbow of
color and promise over Pleasantville" (Bruce). He goes on to talk about how at first glance he
extremely disliked this movie, as do many other viewers, but he then discusses the realization he had
about 'Pleasantville' a week or so after watching, that is a good movie with a powerful message and
ability so shed light on certain hushed topics. This film is about honesty and real–life topics. As
viewers watch Pleasantville, they may find themselves feeling sad and uneasy at the interruption and
corruption of this seemingly perfect world. To me this movie can be seen as having similarities to
the novel Brave New World. In Brave New World books are banned because they create knowledge
and individuality begins to arise through one's thoughts and imagination. In 'Pleasantville' the
uncolored citizens burn all the books because they do not understand. In both novel and movie the
people are afraid of change. In Brave

During both the movie Pleasantville, directed by Gary Ross and the book "The Catcher in the Rye"
written by J.D Salinger, the main characters in both stories undergo some strong emotional changes.
These changes were caused by the events they had experienced during the storyline. While both
Holden and David(Bud) may seem very rigid in their personalities, they both underwent a dramatic
change, even during the smaller and less meaningful events. That is why life experiences can be the
modeling of a person's character and behavior, even if they may impact you in the smallest way. It
may be hard to see, but Holden Caulfield sure had changed through his role in The Catcher in the
Rye. Being a distraught teen that doesn't really know right from ... Show more content on
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In the movie, a change is considered when a person changes from black–and–white to color. Now as
this change may seem very unpleasant for the mayor Big Bob, it always happens when someone
changes for good, not for something bad they had done. As stated earlier, David happens to be one
of the last people to turn color, as he at first liked the pleasantness of Pleasantville. His sister,
Jennifer, was one of the first to find out as she pretty much began the change of Pleasantville with
her stunts at Lovers Lane. She tries to explain to David why nobody is happy in Pleasantville, but he
denies her, as he believes that Pleasantville will always remain so simple and cheerful. "David:
They're happy like this. Jennifer: No, David. Nobody's happy in a poodle skirt and a sweater set."
(Pleasantville–1998). David still had not seen what Pleasantville, was all about. Throughout the rest
of the movie, he slowly begins to change by little events that affect him. He fell in love with
Margaret, who turned into a colored girl thanks to him. During one there dates at Lovers Lane, it
began to rain, something nobody had ever seen in Pleasantville. That's where he showed his true
love for Margaret, when he was with her, under the rain. Then he changed Bill, the owner of the
soda shop. During the period when Bill would paint on his windows and when the black–and–white
trashed his shop, David really saw what kind of mess Pleasantville was. The person that changed
David the most however was his "mother" so to say, Betty. After cheating on her husband with Bill,
she turned color, and was made fun of by the black–and–white boys of Pleasantville. At one point,
they even ganged up on her, but David came to the rescue and did something nobody had ever seen
in Pleasantville. He punched the bullies and defended Betty. It was at that point he really changed,
because that's the point when he changed color.

Self-Discovery In The Film Pleasantville
Often times individuals have a difficult time discovering who they are. Many are uncertain on who
they truly are. It often takes lots of time or even a sudden change in their lives to accomplish this
task of self–discovery. Gary Ross, director and writer of the film Pleasantville, demonstrates that an
individual may need to learn to adapt to unfamiliar environments to help guide themselves to
discover who they are. Ross uses the character Jennifer, to demonstrate that even the most rebellious
individual can change and figure out their true purpose. Garry Ross suggests that it often takes a
sudden change in one's lives to help guide them on their journey to discover who they truly are.
Initially, the character, Jennifer is seen as a self absorbed, extrovert who only cares about herself and
reputation. The director shows the first scene of Jennifer outside the school, head up, smoking as if
all eyes are on her. A few moments later we see a young man approach Jennifer and her friends.
Jennifer quickly invites him over to her house that night since "[her] mom is out of town". It is first
said that the boy is coming over to study, but it is soon revealed that that is not the case because of
the Jennifers laid out lingerie. These scenes show us a glance of Jennifer's character. She is not
concerned about school at all but only with having sex and seeming cool. After breaking the TV
remote over a fight with her twin brother David. A strange old man comes to their home and gives

Pleasantville
Analyse how Nineteen Eighty Four and Pleasantville imaginatively portray individuals who
challenge the established values of their time. It is impossible for the individual who values freedom
to be exultant in a society that is underpinned by rigid conformity. In the Novel "Nineteen Eighty
Four" by George Orwell, a totalitarian future society is portrayed, through a man whose daily work
is rewriting history and tries to rebel by falling in love. Whereas The film "Pleasantville" directed by
Gary Ross, Two teenagers find themselves in a 1950's sitcom where their influence begins to
profoundly change the complacent world the portrayal how a dystopian and a utopian society,
contest the value of time. The ironic comparisons are seen through ... Show more content on
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Urban Decay is also used. Symbols are used throughout the text, they help us to represent an
abstract idea or concept, big brother and the telescreen. These are significant as they help represent
how someone is always watching. This is limiting societies actions and thoughts, through the use of
fear of being caught and diminished. Throughout the streets of London, Winston sees posters
everywhere showing a man gazing over down over the words "Big Brother is Watching You", this
had become the face of the party. No one actually knows whether he existed or not, but he
symbolised the party in its public manifestation, his name 'big brother' suggests his ability to protect.
But there is then the ironic comparison, that through numerous number of posters everywhere it is
representing how he is also a threat, as you cannot escape his gaze. You begin to understand the
totalitarian society created through manipulation, and how it is run on fear. The Society has become
intolerable for an individual who values freedom, to be happy where the ideologies are crushed and
manipulation is used to rewrite history, preventing anyone from ever knowing the truth. Overall,
throughout 1984 and Pleasantville, the director and author portray how a society is supressed,
lacking in individual freedom and how conformity is defied. Through knowledge and manipulated, a
subtle but heavy handed atmosphere is created in 'Nineteen Eighty Four',

Pleasantville Analysis of Film Techniques against the...
How are we made aware of the filmmaker's attitude towards change? Refer to three specific
episodes from the film. (excl. concl. stages)In Pleasantville, the filmmaker, Gary Ross, conveys his
attitude towards change through the characters of David and Jennifer who are transported into the
1950s sitcom "Pleasantville". He doesn't necessarily demonstrate change to bear a positive result;
rather, he addresses that change is essential to the development of society and self and that it is
important to understand and accept change. Ross contrasts the ignorance and mindlessness of the
unchanged people of Pleasantville with the hunger for knowledge that the changed (or coloured)
people possess, communicating to the viewer that change and knowledge ... Show more content on
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It was conventionally used in Noir films to represent the dark overtones of the society. It is used as a
motif in Pleasantville for the majority of the beginning of Jennifer and David's adventure (until
things start to change, that is). This is especially significant with all the subtle implications and
allusions to a Nazi–style dictatorship. For example, the burning of books is reminiscent of that in
1936 when the German government burnt all books which would oppose its rule, in fear that the
society it governed would think of rebelling.
Big Bob is the obvious ruler, as he is almost always seen with a low shot, making him look big and
powerful to the audience. Bob's situation is similar, burning books to stop changes occurring. Books
are seen as works of art which are derived from the imagination of thinking people. Bob's
censorship practices extend to the prohibition of Mr Johnson from using colours to paint (that is,
from using the full extent of his imagination) in his Code of Conduct. In this way, he is much like
the German government in the 30s. However, he wants to continue his rule without any violent
opposition; only 'pleasantness'. There is irony however, as there is vandalism and disruption when
the Milk Bar is broken into and sabotaged because of his encouragement, which is the exact
opposite of 'pleasant'. The fact that people submitted to this way of

Women In Pleasantville
One of my favorite movies that taught me the most about the roles of women in the United States is
Pleasantville directed by Gary Ross. The 1950s and 60s have always been an interesting time period
within women's history for me. In that time period, women were homemakers where their job would
be to cook, clean, and take care of their families. It is so interesting to me because that is not at all
how my family life is now. Pleasantville depicts the life of women in that era by telling the story of
two teens who are brought into the world of Pleasantville where they take on the roles of Bud and
Mary Sue Parker. In this world, everything is black and white and their lives are seen as "perfect"
family. Nothin ever went wrong in Pleasantville, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As most of our popular culture, everything is always changing. What is in while we are teenagers
will be ancient in 10 years. The same goes for the wardrobes of women. I think that the clothing
options have had a positive progression because of the acceptance of female sexuality. In the early
1920s women were extremely modest by showing little to know skin in their daily lives. Women
were expected to be made up all of the time and that is something that I couldn't even imagine.
Being a Marian girl, there is nothing I love more than throwing my hair up every morning with no
makeup. As you move into the 60s and 70s women began wearing skirts, dresses, and girdles.
YUCK. There is nothing wrong with a more modest look, the problem I have with clothing is that
even when mothers were cleaning the house they were expected to be in dresses or other types of
uncomfortable, but nice looking clothing. It has been cool to see how slowly skirts have gotten
shorter and more skin is being shown, but the central issue is the mindset of seeing women as sexual
object rather than a person. Although in our time no type of clothing is surprising, there is still a
sense of judgement from men and even older women when you wear something that makes your
look like a "slut". It saddens me that people really can't look past what you are wearing. I hope the
future for women is going to be

Stereotypes In Pleasantville
Growth is a strong component that symbolises how the human condition can be shaped to become
today's society's perception of moral standards through generations; this is clearly represented
through the film's change between the teenagers of the 1950s and the 20th century eras.
A concept of a stereotypical teenager in the 20th century was to grow up through childhood but not
surpass the values, beliefs and attitudes of a typical adult. In the 1998 film, the audience is shown a
great selection of characters, symbolism and setting which reinforces the idea of a teenage role that
shows a new perspective that affects society.
In Pleasantville, the film displays the change of an extroverted and introverted pair of teenagers
from the mid–20th century who take a life experiencing journey into a ... Show more content on
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Eventually, the black and white population of Pleasantville in now full of vibrant colours, each with
personality and individuality. On the contrary, pleasures in Pleasantville were soon considered
taboo, which erupted chaos amongst the people of the community. Books that were full of
knowledge and mystery were burnt; many colourful items were confiscated, banned by law of
Pleasantville. Not so pleasant.
This law brought upon by the colourless community of the town targeting to control the system of
change, passion and affection, especially the 'colours'.
A mirror effect of racial discrimination is presented through a courthouse scene involving majority
of Pleasantville as 'colours' that are fighting for rights, equality, acceptance.
Similar to how the African American's were treated in society throughout the 50s era, carrying
different rights than the White Americans when the entire system is illogical based on the fact,
everyone is

Change is always occurring. Our lives consist of fierce amounts of changes due to growth, change of
mindset, experiences, and society. There is not a feasible way to avoid change. Changes can be
positive or negative; nonetheless, it has a powerful influence on an individual's life. The film
Pleasantville is introduced through revealing the structure of society in the 1950s and comparing it
with modernized society which is thoroughly divergent. In view of this black and white 1950s
civilization, unvarying is the key notion in their community. The citizens reinforce the idea of
maintaining their view and ideologies on life and retain it that way. On the other hand, the
modernized society is utterly different and is demonstrated with colour ... Show more content on
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Firstly, the change of colour resulted from Jennifer's date. A red rose appeared in a garden and it was
the only coloured flower. The red rose symbolizes love and passion, a feeling that is absent in
Pleasantville. It also advances the plot because the change allows Pleasantville to be similar to the
modernized society. The absent feeling of love and passion displays the lack of comprehension the
people possess because they convey no knowledge about love and passion. Thus, the lack of
knowledge identifies the reason why the people of Pleasantville are satisfied with comfort and
happiness. Further on, missing a basketball shot is impossible in Pleasantville. However, when Skip,
the guy who dated Jennifer notifies his team about the date, their shots started to miss. This was a
metaphor because this was a domino effect on them. To add on, this is viewed as a change of
character through the appearance of colour and abundance of comprehension. Lastly, the red apple
scene between David and his mother was also significant because the apple indicates a symbol of
knowledge. Thus, the mother was promptly a character of the modernized society because the apple
demonstrated the knowledge she acquired which is obsolete in

Pleasantville
The decade following the Second World War brought about a new sensation of the ‘perfect
housewife' and her duties at home. Men being drafted and shipped oversees during World War II had
taken a lot of women out of the kitchen and put them into the workplace. This was the biggest
movement thus yet of women changing roles in society and moving away from domestication. This
movement was thwarted by returning soldiers, their moving back to the workplace, and the
repositioning of women in the home. The baby boom followed the Second World War, furthering the
encouragement of women to stay home and be the ideal mother and wife. Television greatly
reflected this attitude. Sitcoms about the ideal family emerged left and right. Shows like ... Show
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Soon it was clear that the color did not just come from sexual experience, as Mary Sue remained in
black and white as did Skip, but when a character in Pleasantville discovered something inside
themselves they did not know was there. Mary Sue turns color when she falls asleep reading a book
which enlightens her. Bud turns color when he defends his mother from harassing school boys. A
number of teenagers turn color when they are first exposed to rain. At first the phenomena of things
and people turning color was seen as an illness that would be cured by "cutting back on sweets and
greasy food" but soon, as more things turned color, the city felt threatened, especially the mayor, Big
Bob. In response to Betty not being home to greet George with dinner one night, the mayor feared
that "If George doesn't get his dinner, anyone of us could be next". When a neighbor and member of
George's bowling team, Roy's wife burned his shirt ironing, Big Bob summed up the fears of their
society and the fears of all societies that have faced revolutions, "My friends, this isn't about
George's dinner. It's not about Roy's shirt. It's a question of value. It's a question of whether we want
to hold on to those values that made this place great." By nature, people are hesitant of change and
devoted to holding onto values they grew up with. That is why, generally speaking, younger
generations are more susceptible to start movements and revolutions, they are not as

Pleasantville setting essay
Describe at least ONE important setting in the text(s).
Explain how the setting helped to show the author / creator's idea(s), supporting your points with
visual and / or oral language features.
The film Pleasantville written, directed and produced by Gary Ross shows a time period in
American History where life was more comfortable, stable and 'perfect' if you would generalise it.
However, as the film ironically shows, this was a time when people were more ignorant, racist and
most certainly sexist. Ross demolishes this illusion of the great 1950s American society by showing
how its defects are gradually changed from black and white to colour. Ross uses various settings to
help show the viewer the imperfect aspects of Pleasantville's ... Show more content on
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Betty is a clear example of costume change. In the beginning Betty wore the typical ladies dress
wear,big poodle skirt etc but as betty starts gaining more knowledge and independence she starts
dressing more elegantly and feminine .This shows the viewer that as the people of pleasantville
gains more knowledge they start to demonstrate the idea of 'The importance of change' which is one
of the ideas that gary ross shows us through setting.
Music is an important signifier of setting and shows the idea of 'The importance of change' clearly
throughout the film. When Jen and David first enter Pleasantville the recurring songs and motifs for
example 'Take 5' by Dave Brubeck which is played at the beginning in the soda shop gives the town
of pleasantville a very joyful and 'pleasant' atmosphere. This music perfectly matches the naivety of
the teenagers as they engage in good,clean fun with their peers. As the idea of 'The importance of
change' starts to appear in pleasantville,the music becomes more complex and darker to portray the
new rebellious mood that has seized Pleasantville. An example of this is when the new code of
conduct was issued and one of the rules were 'In no event shall any music be tolerated that is not of
temperate or 'pleasant' nature'.In a scene when the 'coloureds' were all gathered at the back

Symbolism In Pleasantville
Pleasantville a film, directed by Garry Ross challenges us to think about the way we view the utopia
constructed through "sitcoms" to be ultimately perfect. Through the use of black and white, we are
encouraged to see this "utopia" as boring and lacking character. The contrast in colour symbolises
imperfections and changes throughout Pleasantville. The people of Pleasantville all live in a society
of strict social equilibrium, preventing any social inbalance. The natural imperfections and flaws
which the people of "the real world" hold to be true are in fact encouraged by their counterparts in
Pleasantville, but do not shine through due to the lack of imperfections that influence such flaws.
The influence of these flaws within each citizen ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The imperfections and flaws which the people of "the real world" naturally hold to be true are
encouraged by their counterparts in "Pleasantville", but we as an audience do not take notice, due to
the imperfections that influence such flaws. The factors that influence these flaws within
"Pleasantville" is seen as un–natural, leaving citizens feelings unhappy at heart, ultimately leaves us,
the audience to take our world less for granted and come to realize that nothing is in deed
perfect.The fathers of the town, who see the changes in "Pleasantville" as negatively affecting the
town's morals, remain unchanged, commited to their roots. Certain youths, like Skip and their
friends, also remain unaffected. They agree to do something about their chaginging families and
friends. Rioting similar to the African–American Civil Rights Movement started to occur in
"Pleasantville". Rioting was started when citizens started to notice a nude painting of Betty on the
window of Bill Johnsons soda shop; the window is smashed using a park bench, the soda shop is
ultimately destroyed, books are put into a burning fire, and any citizen who is "colored" is harassed
in the streets. Bud begins to be seen as a, teaching the disaffected youth that it's ok to not follow the
"Pleasantville Code of Conduct", a list of guidelines that people forces citizens from visiting the
library,

Pleasantville Essay
Pleasantville Essay A lot can happen in sixty years, and America is no exception to that statement. It
is arguable that one of the biggest differences regarding America in the 1950s to modern America is
culture. The movie "Pleasantville" reflects much of these cultural differences from 1950s to today in
a creative and thoughtful way. It also provides much useful insight into the cultural conflicts
America faced throughout the 1950s. The many differences between 1950s culture and modern day
culture, my own opinion which time period I would personally choose to live in and cultural
conflicts of the 1950s will be discussed throughout this essay. There are many differences between
the 1950s and modern day culture as illustrated by the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We definitely have more peace of mind in today's era rather than in the 1950s. Furthermore, the
movie Pleasantville reflects some of the cultural conflicts of the 1950s. To begin, racial
discrimination in the 1950s was extremely prominent in society. Whites discriminated against blacks
because they were taught that anyone different than themselves was evil. Pleasantville portrays this
when the citizens thereof begin changing color from black and white to color. These people
represent an embrace of cultural change which goes against the normal, stable and secure status quo.
The people of color are persecuted against by those of black and white color because they feel their
existence is threatened by this symbol of change. For example, this persecution is seen in the scene
when Betty Parker is persecuted by five black and white people while out in town. The five boys
threaten her with verbal and physical attacks, as would blacks or "coloreds" would be by whites in
the 1950s. Another cultural conflict exemplified by Pleasantville is changing teenage culture. Two
ideas that challenged the cultural status quo in the '50s were the idea that sex is ok, and Rock n Roll.
Teenagers embraced these changes, and these changes are seen in Pleasantville. For example, a
location called "lover's lane" is where teens would go in this movie to participate in taboo, status
quo–challenging sexual activity with the opposite sex. The idea of this in the 1950s was not even
considered,

Comparing Pleasantville And Pleasantville
In the novel 'The Giver' written by Lois Lowry, and the film, 'Pleasantville' by Gary Ross, there are
many similarities and differences in the themes and ideas explored. These are represented in the
novel and movie's main themes, such as freedom and choice, colour and the description of utopian
and dystopian societies.
Comparing both 'The Giver' and 'Pleasantville', they each deeply explore the theme of freedom and
choice. In 'The Giver', the citizens of the community live in a world where they make very little
decisions of their own, and lead a life where everything is set. "Our people made that choice, the
choice to go to Sameness." For example, no one gets a choice at want they want to do in life, as the
elders decide their futures at the age of twelve. The only two people in the community that can
independently think are Jonas and The Giver, due to having memories of the past, when everyone
could think freely and feel real emotions. Similarly, in 'Pleasantville', the characters also have little
control as they are deprived of independent thought and follow the same routine every day. The
simple clarity of black and white matches the idealised nature of the world, where everything is
perfect and simple. Everyone in Pleasantville has given up colour, knowledge, new experiences and
pleasure in order to keep things "pleasant" and uniform. In the beginning of both 'The Giver' and
'Pleasantville', their worlds are in black and white. As Jonas, and the citizens of Pleasantville start to
discover new things about the "real world" and individuality, both worlds slowly start turning to
colour. "If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the morning
and decide things!"
Another common theme is the audience perception of the societies morphing from utopia to
dystopia as both texts progress. Initially in 'The Giver' and 'Pleasantville', the communities are
portrayed as a perfect place where everything is orderly and efficient. "How could someone not fit
in? The community was so meticulously ordered, the choices are made so carefully." The citizens of
both communities are protected from human conditions like pain, hunger, homelessness, and
anything that would be of inconvenience to

1. Pleasantville most closing parallels the story of Adam and Eve. We can most closely see this in
symbols and themes. Adam and Eve are both naive to all knowledge in the world caring only about
their own activities. The same goes for Pleasantville, that civilians only know/care about
themselves. Both stories have individuals that have closed minds to everyone else and the rest of the
world. A theme included in both stories is temptations. In Adam and Eve the apple and all the
knowledge it represents, tempts the couple into eating the apple. After eating the apple they become
aware of their surroundings and that their is more than the the garden they live in. In Pleasantville,
after Mary Sue tempts skip, people begin to change color ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
4. The people of Pleasantville connect ot the quote, "In trying to get free, they're sorta free already"
by both characters of Huckleberry Finn and the civilians are prisoners in their own mind. The
civilians were free already they just had to accept their own differences. Nothing really holding
them back from reaching the enlightened state, it was up to them to do so. A symbol used to see this
big turning point is the rainbow. Rainbows represent hope and change, and in Pleasantville is also
represents the civilians freeing themselves from their own standards of living. The quote is another
way of understanding the civilians fight to free themselves of their own body.
5. Mr. Johnson is an artist who represents himself and forces people to see things from new
perspectives. Artists also try to find the true beauty in the world and recreate it on canvas. Mrs.
Parker was trying to cover up the color on her face, using black and white make up believing the
color was shameful. When Mr. Johnson wipe the makeup off her face, which is can also be seen as
paint, he is revealing her try beauty. This is iconic because he removed the "paint" to find the try
beauty instead of paint it on.
6. The quote, "People change" (Pleasantville) brings up the nature of knowledge. Once the civilians
know something or have an understanding of something, they are unable to forget that

Themes In Pleasantville
In the 1998 film, Pleasantville, the idea of defying a supreme leader and exploring new taboo ideas
is demonstrated by the rebellious mural painted by Bud/David and Mr Johnson. This mural painted
in vibrant colours explores ideas that are nothing short of unthinkable to the bland citizens of
Pleasantville. The elements painted on the mural include representations of sex, knowledge and
music, which is against the core values of this idealistic town. While Pleasantville seems to have the
all–american dream with white picket fences and nuclear families, it is evident that they are lacking
many of the vivacious elements present in a normal flawed life. To begin the scene begins with a
view of the mural and then cuts to a canted angle of Bud/David and Mr Johnson indicating that they
have done something that is deemed wrong in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
These two items, a book and a record represent two of the first, and most vital things to penetrate the
perfect world of Pleasantville. A book, representing knowledge, and a record, representing freedom
of expression are two concepts that Pleasantville was lacking before the introduction of David and
Jennifer. These elements escaping the mural represent how these two elements will never be
eradicated from this town again. They are simply expanding beyond their confined space despite the
constant effort of Big Bob and others. Even the burning of books will not destroy the newly found
knowledge that they have discovered. The books themselves, even if they are burning, have wings
attached to them. Knowledge, which is being represented by books, is what began the exploration of
new ideas and concepts. Knowledge is what let their city expand and what let words appear in
books. The other object to break the barrier of the mural is a record. Before the transformation of
Pleasantville occurred, the notion of things such as freedom with art and music were
incomprehensible. They weren't nonexistent, as Mr Johnson said

Masculinity In Pleasantville
Pleasantville is about a David and his twin sister Jennifer two high school student from the 1990's,
who have a very different social life with each other. Jennifer is socialized, shallow and extroverted
but on the other hand, David is introverted, shy and spends most of his time watching television.
David is addicted to a classic 50's sitcom television show called "Pleasantville", in which
everything, everybody is always black and white, wholesome and happy, temperature is the same
every day, the sky is always clear, and weather is always good, and the citizens never see any rains
and fires and do not know what it is. Sex is an unknown word and action and emotion is obsolete.
Books are empty, the high school basketball team never misses any

Temptation In Pleasantville
Temptation causes an urge to do things even if it's not the right thing to do. In the movie
Pleasantville, the town is introduced as a utopia where everything goes the way it is intended to and
there are no problems. Everyone knew their place in society and nobody stepped in on each others
jobs, until everything changed. One day David and Jennifer fight over a TV remote and they brake
it, soon after a TV repair man knocks on their door and tries to fix the remote but ends up giving
them a new remote. The remote turned out to be a magical remote that transported Jennifer and
David into the show Pleasantville. When entering Pleasantville David and Jennifer transform into
the characters, Mary–Sue and Bud. David was a big fan of the show but Jennifer

The world is ever changing. No matter where you live or who you are you will be constantly
changing. In the movie Pleasantville everything is centered around change. Citizens of Pleasantville
begin changing from black and white to colored when they experience personal expression, or
change. Citizens of Pleasantville have very different views of change. Are you willing to accepting
change? In the world, everything is constantly changing. The world is moving roughly 1,000 miles
per hour. People in the world are sometimes unwilling to accept change. This is completely
understandable. To some people change is scary. Little do they know, they are constantly changing.
No matter how unwilling you are to change, you will always be changing. As you ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
People enjoy life more when they are colored. Black and white people have a very negative opinion
about colored people. They begin harassing colored people, and treating them badly. This could
come from a source of jealousy. Black and white people could be jealous of the colored because
they are having more fun and being social. They are able to express themselves in different ways.
They are more happy because they don't have to be the exact same as everyone else and they are
able to do and see things they haven't done or seen before. In my personal opinion I believe change
is a good thing. I believe in change because without change we wouldn't be able to express
ourselves in different ways. With change comes different views and opinions. If we look back on
history, without change there would still be segregation, same sex marriage would still be illegal,
women wouldn't have voting rights nor have the ability to work. Without change our society would
wither away. We need to keep igniting change, keep educating people, and keep talking about it.
Without education, there would be no change. We need to keep fighting for what we believe

The Characters Of Pleasantville And Pleasantville
Tobey Maguire plays David Wagner, a teen addicted to watching reruns on a classic TV show called
Pleasantville, and his sister, Jennifer, played by Reese Witherspoon, experience a big twist as they
have never seen before. David uses Pleasantville to take his mind off of the "cruel" world he
believes he is living in. Their mother then leaves them home alone to head out of town to meet with
her young boyfriend. The siblings then fight over who gets to use the television, Jennifer wanting to
watch a channel with her date, while David wants to watch Pleasantville. If there was a movie that
clearly depicted a 1950's noir style of movie, it would be director, Gary Ross. In spite of Fahrenheit
451 and Pleasantville both sharing character qualities including rebelliousness, the characters all act
in this way because of their dedication to form a better society. Rebels within these stories are often
looked down upon as well as thought of differently because of their "abnormal" ways of thinking.
These rebellious characters are all hoping to create a "change" within society, and in which they
believe that is a good necessity. Rebels often struggle to achieve their goal because "change" in
society was often feared, but the rebellious characters persisted; causing a well built society to be
thrived in. Having change does not always mean something bad or evil, in fact it is sometimes
needed to open up minds, allowing a whole different point of view to be experienced.
David along with

Color In Pleasantville
When this world was created, God or whatever you believe in made a form of nonverbal
communication by using the display of color. It can have countless different meanings from one day
to the next and can change in a heartbeat. In the movie Pleasantville that was filmed in 1998 and
directed by Gary Ross, color becomes a baffling wonder, that has never been seen before in a town
where everything is perfect. When color starts appearing around the city everything in a perfect
town naturally turns to chaos and terror.
Color was created to show emotion in ways that people don't understand in the small town of
Pleasantville. A remote capable of placing a human being into a TV show was given to a boy, David
and his sister Jenn by a TV repair man. David thought Pleasantville was perfect it was his ideal
universe. Jenn on the other hand wanted to change it, it didn't seem right to her something was
missing. David soon realized that something was wrong as well, the people of Pleasantville were
hiding something, they were hiding their emotions. That's where color comes in, the entire town is
black and white without any color, or emotion. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
But in reality they are just expressing themselves, Bill the cafe owner paints pictures to show his
emotions. David learns to show his color when people are making fun of his mom and he punches a
boy out of anger. These are examples of how color gets displayed through emotions. In lovers lane
people reading books became colored where the people listening stayed the same and this is because
the readers were showing emotion. If color is added is shows emotion rather than a black and white
screen showing no mood

The Village Of Pleasantville Board Meetings Essay
. The village of Pleasantville conducts public board meetings every second and fourth Monday of
each month. On rare occasions, for further discussion on serious issues or concerns of Pleasantville,
the village board will conduct meetings–like a public hearing–on other weekdays. These meetings
are located in the conference room on the second floor of the Village hall, which is also next to the
Pleasantville Police Station. The village board consists of four trustees–Steven Lord, Mindy Berard,
Colleen Griffin Wagner and Joseph Stargiotti–a mayor–Peter Scherer–a village clerk–Judith
Weintraub–and the village administrator–Patricia Dwyer. The village board members were dressed
in semi–casual business attire, which appropriately fit their position. The members sat in a
congressional layout, which looked like the formation of a half circle or crescent. This allowed the
audience to see each individual's face and it is easier to identify who is speaking. They also used
parliamentary motions when they spoke. The purpose of the village of Pleasantville board meetings
is to discuss and resolve present issues and future events that are happening or are expected to
happen in the Pleasantville area. Residents have the opportunity to either post questions for the
village board to answer on their website or they can call the board live on the telephone. The trustees
and the mayor usually dominated the entire conversation and were the only people who were
permitted to speak during the

An important idea that is relevant to young people in the text is the idea of change is needed for
social and personal development and progression in society. This is relevant to young people today
because without change we would not be able to better ourselves and evolve. Ross uses the
techniques of colour, symbolism and cinematography to assist the viewer and help us understand
this important idea. The film is about two teen age siblings named David and Jennifer who are
teleported into an ideal and restrictive community which is in a 50's black and white television show
called Pleasantville. Jennifer and David introduce the idea of change to the community of
Pleasantville which change the community from restrictive and ideal to an open and ... Show more
Before Bill's change we see him as the stereotypical diner owner who is obedient and submissive of
the 50's but after we see him evolve into a passionate individual who loves art. A decent example of
this is when we see Bill before is in a long shot inside the diner, we hear the dialogue as Bill says "I
always wipe down the counter when you set up the napkins". This shows that Bill is reliant on his
routine. Ross wants us to think about that changes are difficult to make but it is important for our
personal growth. An example that shows that Bill is resistant to change is when in an over the
shoulder shot from David is shown talking to Bill in the kitchen of the diner. This shows us how
David sees him, as he tries to convince Bill to change. Bill is hesitant to change. A good example to
show Bill after his change is in a long shot when David inspires and helps Bill to paint the mural in
colour after painting in public and especially in colour has been banned. Bill is hesitant to change at
first but he changes from being obedient and submissive to expressing his own opinions and
individuality through art and does what he thinks is right not what others order him to do. After
Bill's change he completely shuts down his diner to pursue his passion for art. This relates back to
the question because even though David influenced Bill's change, Bill was hesitant. He was afraid of

Color In Pleasantville
Color in Pleasantville is something totally unheard of until one day when David and Jennifer are
sent there through their television. In Pleasantville, everything is in black and white and nothing
ever changes. It is always bright sunny skies with a high of seventy–two and low of seventy–two
degrees. Everyday is exactly the same and everything is perfect in their eyes. There is never any
fighting in this town and the only thing the fire department ever does is save cats from trees. The
wives do everything for their husbands, like doing all the cooking and cleaning. The children always
obey their parents and never fight with their siblings. All the men go to work at exactly the same
time everyday and expect dinner on their tables as soon as they get home. At the town's high school,
the basketball team has never missed a single basket in a game and they have never lost a game.
Every single thing in Pleasantville is perfect without a single complaint. One day, twins David and
Jennifer are sent into Pleasantville by a crazy old man and almost instantly things start to change. As
soon as they get to school, Jennifer asks the teacher what is outside of Pleasantville and everyone
looked back at her like she was absolutely insane. As the day progressed, David was trying to make
everything stick to the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As the movie progresses, the books start filling with words and people start reading them like crazy.
The men that did not like the colored things, did not like the books either. Many of the books spoke
of things that were frowned upon in Pleasantville, and when the teenages read what was in the
books, they wanted to do things that were mentioned. The library was shut down when the men
condoning the colors found out it was bringing more color into their once black and white town.
This is representation of how people are influenced by what other people

Essay on Pleasantville
The movie ''Pleasantville'', written, produced and directed by Gary Ross, approaches a period in
America's history which subsequent generations idealise as a better and more stable society. He
portrays this time period of the 1950s as a time when people and life were less complicated; a time
when everyone knew their place in society. However, as the film ironically shows, this was a time
when people were more ignorant, racist and most certainly sexist. Ross demolishes this illusion of
the great 1950s American society by showing how its defects are gradually changed from black and
white to colour. Ross shows that 'change is inevitable' once a catalyst for change is added to the
ordered life of "Pleasantville". Once David and Mary–Sue begin ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Throughout the romantic scene between Skip and Mary–Sue, the viewer notices that Jennifer, as her
'Pleasantville' character, Mary–Sue, is the original catalyst of change within "Pleasantville". Without
her intervention change would not have been inevitable in "Pleasantville". This intervention,
however, was not a one–way process. The viewer also can note that Jennifer originally hated
"Pleasantville" but grew to accept it. This is clearly shown in the scene "From the Tree of
Knowledge" (01:10:00), where Jennifer puts on the coat, a symbol of "Pleasantville's" old fashion
dress. Supposedly because of the chill from the coming storm, she willingly puts on what she
originally first stated she would never wear. This act was the initiator of her changing attitudes.
Further by putting on glasses that symbolize "nerdiness", reading a book and rejecting an offer to go
out because she "has to study', Jennifer shows that 'Pleasantville' is changing her into Mary–Sue.
The arrival for the first time of a thunderstorm and rain to 'Pleasantville' is a symbolic technique by
director Ross to imply that those who embraced change had their former selves "washed away." So
Mary–Sue, Bill and many of the teenagers become "coloured" people after the storm. They become
different people no longer "normal" residents of "Pleasantville."
Bud is the second catalyst of change, yet most of the time when he does inflict change upon
''Pleasantville'' he does so

Pleasantville Essay
Pleasantville Essay 'Pleasantville' is a satirical movie about two siblings who are high school
seniors. They get transported into the 1950's black and white television show 'Pleasantville'. In the
show, the sister, Jennifer, starts to become bored with how life was back then. She decides to take
action. Introducing all her newly made friends to some of the pleasures of the 90's may have been
fun, but it came with a cost. Many people of the town started to become coloured instead of black
and white. While Jennifer is enjoying her new and exciting life, her brother Daniel is worrying about
how they are going to get home. What he doesn't realize is that the changes to the townsfolk aren't
all Jennifer's fault. He has also influenced Bill, the soda shop owner, by encouraging him to start
work by himself, and stop relying on other people. These changes to the script caused many citizens
to change colour, but those who remained colourless went on a rampage. In the scene I have chosen,
the colourless have started a gargantuan bonfire of all the books. Hoping that if they ... Show more
Reducing them to a pile of ashes. Jennifer can be heard yelling at her boyfriend, Skip, because he
wants her to give up the book; but she won't because the book represents a part of her she didn't
know existed. She isn't willing to give up this newfound strength of hers she hadn't realized she had.
As a viewer, I could sense her determination. This book was not going into that fire. As she is
struggling to keep the book, she claims that it is the first book she has ever read. This is a very
critical part of the scene because she is realizing she can be more than the shallow, slutty girl she is
back in the 90's. She is realizing that she has value, and self–worth. Finally, she snatches the book
from Skip's hands, and runs away with it, clenching the book that represents her ability to change,
and grow as a

Functionalism In Pleasantville
Pleasantville is about a 90s kid named David Wagner who is hooked to rerun of a show baes about
the 1950s called "Pleasantville" were everything is considered to be simpler than any other time.
David uses the show to escape from his not so pleasant reality that he share with his more popular
and urban sister, Jennifer. The two 1990s teenage siblings find themselves in a 1950s sitcom where
their influence begins to profoundly change that complacent world.
– [ ] The purpose/thesis statement was to show that there is not a certain way to live life and that
sometimes we must break the rules the society is set up so that we can find our truest self, even if
others may not agree.
– [ ] Pleasantville functionalist perspective that is shown throughout the movie first starts when we
see the relationship between the TV parents Betty Parker and George Parker and how they interact
with each other with the wife staying to take care of the house and the kids while the husband goes
out off to work to make a lived for them.
– [ ] Pleasantville interactionist perspective is best shown with the differences of how the people in
Pleasantville talking interact with each other versus the people ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Pleasantville didn't know there was any other way but their way. "Honey, I'm home!" for men, and
"Hi, darling the dinner is ready" for women. Which even today many Deal with the reality of
wanting except Ince from others and being afraid of who you are and the ridicule them may come
with excepting that you're different from others and that sometimes you just don't fall into one
category and you don't see the world in the way that others may, which is OK and many have to
learn to accept that even in today's time with the existence of social

Pleasantville Comparison : The Giver And Pleasantville
The Giver/Pleasantville Comparison Essay
The novel 'The Giver', authored by Lois Lowry, and the film 'Pleasantville', directed by Gary Ross,
share numerous similarities. Many of the themes and messages conveyed throughout both the novel
and film are very alike. Some of the various similarities between the themes explored include the
concept of colour, denial of true emotions as well as the main character being a harbinger for
change.
Colour in both texts has many meanings, several of which are similar. Both 'The Giver' and
'Pleasantville' start off in black and white with colour gradually seeping into the two worlds. The
dull shades represent mundanity as they all look alike. Colours contrast against this, portraying
individuality, freedom and change. However, the community in 'The Giver' chose to live without
colour as it would give them fewer options and decisions to make.
"If everything's the same, then there aren't any choices! I want to wake up in the morning and decide
things! A blue tunic, or a red one?" Jonas (The Giver).
Although colour exists in 'The Giver', the people can only perceive a greyscale world. The reason
for this is that they have been artificially induced to see only in black and white by scientists.
"We've never completely mastered Sameness. I suppose the genetic scientists are still hard at work
trying to work the kinks out." The Giver (The Giver).
In contrast, 'Pleasantville' does not have any colour at the beginning of the film. Objects and,

The Movie ' Pleasantville '
The film Pleasantville shows the changes in American society over the past 50 years by placing two
teenagers into the Pleasantville show, which was from the 50's. The movie depicts how there is no
longer the "American Dream" and no longer a perfect way of life and the changes the world has
made. The world that the teenagers come from is filled with sex, drugs, money, and is very different
from the way the world was in which the Pleasantville Show took place in. Morals and values have
changed in the people and in society that the teenagers came from and shows it would be impossible
to return back to the kind of life style the world had in the 50's.
In the early 1950's to late 1960's the American Dream is what everyone strived for. ... Show more
David and Jennifer are zapped into the 50's Pleasantville show and become the son and daughter.
While in the Pleasantville show, David and Jennifer cause some trouble in the town and begin to
change the views of the other students as well as their own. David and Jennifer show other students
that they can ask questions and that they can make decisions on their own. You are able to see how
people and environment are influenced by David and Jennifer by how color is added to people and
things around them. Some embrace the changes as others fight against any change. As more people
become influenced by David and Jennifer's ideas the more color is added to the show, which is
depicting how certain changes can have a ripple effect. As more people accepted the changes, the
more color was added to the show and the changes became their new normal and life wasn't so
defined as it had been and there were a lot more choices and acceptable scenarios of life.
In the world we live in today we understand that experiencing different things is OK. The black and
white in the film is represented by a more traditionalist value which is how most of the world was. It
was when people's personalities were kept hidden from the rest of the world and even family
members. Later in the Pleasantville show, some characters were starting to change color

Pleasantville Racism Paper
Thomas Lovsey
Mrs. Barker
ENGL 1100
Nov. 12, 2015
Not as Simple as Black–and–White "Discrimination is behavior, intentional or not, which negatively
treats a person or a group of people based on their racial origins" (Randall). It is unclear what the
exact cause is for people to be prejudiced towards another group of individuals. Racism could
perhaps be triggered by having a fear of people who are different, needing to fit in with others who
are of a racist mindset, and/or being ignorant of other people's cultures. In the 1998 movie
Pleasantville, it is shown that racism and discrimination towards different people occurs because of
sudden changes to an established system and society. In reality, racism is a result of generations of ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The appearance of color in Pleasantville showed that the town and citizens were undergoing change,
and that this change was making the inhabitants feel free and similar to people from the '90s. When
objects and people around town quickly turned from black–and–white to color, many of the older,
more traditional citizens of the town resisted the change. Pleasantville mayor Big Bob speaks of the
changes, "up until now, everything around here has been, well, pleasant. Recently certain things
have become unpleasant. Now, it seems to me that the first thing we have to do is to separate out the
things that are pleasant from the things that are unpleasant" (Pleasantville). Big Bob and a large
group of citizens, mostly consisting of the older men of the town, form a group of people trying to
keep the town "pleasant," or not colored. This group begins putting up signs around town banning
colored people, similar to situations that African Americans dealt with before the civil rights
movement. They also harass all the colored people on the streets, and even vandalize and destroy
Bill Johnson's shop for having colorful art on the windows. Finally, the group has meetings featuring
all the influential non–colored people in town, and this new assembly draws similarities to Nazism
with their symbols and beliefs.
Pleasantville shows a

Appearance In Pleasantville
Pleasantville is a film by Gary Ross in 1998. The plot takes place in a nostalgic way to 1950s, the
era when American society lives in a simple but not poor life. In Pleasantville, everything seems to
be stable and simple. People live in black and white world, no chaos or mayhem. They only know
that they already have a pleasant life in this small town. However, by considering the following
examples, Pleasantville is indeed an illusion of a perfect society.
First of all, in Pleasantville, People may think that they have happy lives. They are truly
independent. They can do anything that they want. In fact, their life is so conventional. For example,
George is a head of a family. He works hard at his job during the working hour. Then he would
come home as he always does. He would take off his coat, put down his suitcase and say, "Honey,
I'm home". Betty, his wife, would offer him a warm welcome with all the dinner that is nicely
prepared on the table. They basically have ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Everything expresses in grey, black, and white only. Their black and white world is so innocent.
They limit people to express themselves. They limit the human potential palette of color. When the
story begin to tell in Pleasantville. Everything is in black and white. It is that moment when people
live their life day by day without knowing who they really are. They live without knowing how real
life are like. They are so emotionless. As the story goes on, by the stubbornness of Marry Sue to live
like the others, she introduces new stuff like sexuality, love, and many more things. Although Bud
may seem disagree to deny the tradition of Pleasantville, he realize that he cannot resist people to
show their true color. He, therefore, introduce whole lots of interesting stuff of the outside world like
art, book, life, etc. Thing gradually change into color. Starting with rose, car, people, building, and
so on. People, then, have a chance to show their true

Government Administration Final Paper : Synopsis On...
Government Administration Final Paper: Synopsis on Government and Student Conducted Meetings
Meetings are universally common among people, whether it's a council, school, club, job,
community or government gathering. People assemble in groups to discuss plans for the future,
issues, solutions and they also reflect on previous experiences. Although meetings convene for the
same purpose, initiating and engaging in a government meeting could be different from sitting in for
a local community meeting. The village of Pleasantville's board meetings with the village's trustees
and mayor is conducted similarly to Pace's Student Government meetings and the Pace Community
meetings, yet each meeting differs by serving their specific and targeted community for their own
purpose. The village of Pleasantville conducts public board meetings every second and fourth
Monday of each month. On rare occasions, for further discussion on serious issues or concerns of
Pleasantville, the village board will conduct meetings–like a public hearing–on other weekdays.
These meetings are located in the conference room on the second floor of the Pleasantville Police
Station building. The village board consists of four trustees–Steven Lord, Mindy Berard, Colleen
Griffin Wagner and Joseph Stargiotti–a mayor–Peter Scherer–a village clerk–Judith Weintraub–and
the village administrator–Patricia Dwyer. The village board members were dressed in semi–casual
business attire, which appropriately fit their

Sexism In Pleasantville
It's no secret that Baby Boomer Americans have idealized the pre–Vietnam war, pre–commercial, all
American, cheeseburger–eating, family–oriented, black and white era of the 1950s, with it's five
television channels, chastity rings, suburban streets, and traditional church–going families. This
desire is represented in the Gary Ross film, Pleasantville, which has been called the most liberal
movie of all time. The actions and behavior expressed in the film represent the importance of
leaving the past behind, and standing up for what is right against all odds. However, no matter how
destructive, hateful, or unaccepting some actions may have been, they represent a political response
to the unreasonable wish to return to the 1950's and to traditional ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
One of the biggest aspects of this utopian community which seems to be overlooked by conservative
voters who idolize (represented by David) is the conformity and dullness that occurred in such a
place, We see that after David and Jennifer being to alter the perfect TV world, citizens try to reflect
on their purpose, and end up drawing blank. One of the first times we see this is when David (as
Bud) tells Skip not to go after his sister. Skip is shocked by this, and has no idea else to do because it
was written in his part to do so. This one track mind is the filmmakers way of showing that a so
called "perfect society" would mean no deviation in personality, in desires, in interests, or in beliefs.
The end result is a world of perpetual

Family In Pleasantville
No family is perfect. Although from the outside looking in, some families may be depicted as
perfect, they are far from it. The theme of unhappy families being portrayed as perfect is shown in
the movies American Beauty directed by Sam Mendes and Pleasantville directed by Gary Ross.
American Beauty depicts the Burnham's as being the perfect 1990's suburb family. Lester, the father,
has an office job and Carolyn, the mother, works as a realtor. They have a teenaged daughter named
Jane, who is in high school. They live in a single house surrounded by a white fence and perfect
shrubbery. In the movie Pleasantville, the Parkers are illustrated as the perfect 1950's family in the
sitcom named Pleasantville. Betty Parker is a stay at home mom whereas ... Show more content on
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In both movies characters escape reality in order to keep their image of the perfect family. In
Pleasantville, escaping from reality is done primarily conducted by David. It is suggested in
Adams's review that David comes from a broken family. Due to him striving for a perfect family,
"David finds comfort in the nostalgia of a 50's sitcom" (Adams). However, even when David gets
engulfed in the sitcom and is finally apart of the Parker family, he realizes that even the family that
he admired as perfect, was in fact far from perfect. Adam's idea of escaping from reality is also
portrayed in American Beauty. For example, Lester and his wife do not have sex anymore. Due to
that frustration, Lester takes on a sexual interest in Jane's friend, Angela. However, if Lester went
forth with that sexual desire and actually had a sexual encounter with Angela, then could had
completely ruin his image of his perfect family. First, he would be cheating on his wife, even though
she already cheated on him and secondly, ruin his relationship with his daughter. In both movies the
characters, it is these fantasy, which spark their improvement of self. For example, David tries to
have a better relationship with his mother and Lester, starts doing things, like getting in shape,
which betters

Pleasantville Film Analysis Essay

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Pleasantville Film Analysis Essay