Corbett—WRD 201: Essay #3 Spring 2022 Due Dates: Thursday, March 17: Working thesis (11:59 p.m.) Thursday, March 24: Complete draft (11:59 p.m.) Directions: In his Library of Congress essay about John Cassavetes' 1968 film Faces, Boston University film professor Ray Carney states that the central theme of Cassavetes' work is exploring the differences between his "free" and "trapped" figures. (Carney's full essay is on Moodle, but the same theme is also discussed at length in the Cassavetes on Cassavetes chapter on A Woman Under the Influence—also on Moodle.) The "trapped" figures are stuck in roles they feel that they must play. They take themselves seriously and are comfortable in their established ways. Their behavior is guarded and reserved. They feel protected by their definitions of themselves. This is in part what Carney means when he refers to them as "emotionally cautious and conservative." For them, the thought of "being yourself" is terrifying; they live in fear of what others might say or think about them. By contrast, the "free" figures are not as emotionally limited as the "trapped" figures. They are less defined, more open to experience, more willing to throw themselves into life rather than looking around to make sure it's okay first. They "dance like no one is watching" even when there are others around not only watching but judging. This is of course what Mabel literally does in front of Mr. Jensen and what she tries to get Nick's co-workers to do. Notice how timid those around Mabel are, how reluctant they are, how resistant they are to breaking out of the cages that they are in. But as we see from the reading and the film, being "trapped," as bad as that may sound, is a safer way to go through life. To be "free" entails a high level of risk and danger. Being free means being emotionally vulnerable. It means leaving yourself open to getting rejected, hurt, and misunderstood. Your job is to write about this theme and what you learn about it from studying A Woman Under the Influence. (Of course, not everyone is either 100% "free" or completely "trapped." There are qualities of both in each figure in the film. But the two categories—the two different ways of being in the world—offer a helpful way to navigate the emotional minefield Cassavetes takes us across.) Ultimately, base your thesis on answering this question: What is Cassavetes saying about what it means to live as freely and as openly as Mabel? 1. Give a close reading to at least three moments from different parts of the film that support your thesis. By "close reading," I mean a thorough and detailed examination of a particular section of the film. (How long or how short the section is will be up to you.) Extra consideration will be given to discussion of moments that we did not cover in class. 2. During your "close readings," make a meaningful connection or reference to other similar or related moments in the film. In this way, you'll enhance your evidence and demonstrate that you know the film well. 3. Include in your essay at least five framed quotations by John Cassavetes from different sections of Cassavetes on Cassavetes, chapter 7. Choose relevant quotations that give you the most insight into the film and that best support your thesis. 4. Frame at least one quotation from Ray Carney in Cassavetes on Cassavetes and/or his Library of Congress essay on Faces. (In the book, his words are in boldface.) Remember to mix up the ways that you frame each quotation. Specs and other points: • 5-6 pages (about 1,800 words), MLA format. • Review the last page of the syllabus for what to capitalize, italicize, put in quotation marks, etc. • I will be looking for you to make the moves we've been reading about in Farnsworth and They Say, I Say: long/short sentences, anacoluthon, metacommentary, etc. • Please conclude your essay with a one-paragraph naysayer and response. • Review Oxy’s Academic Integrity statement on Moodle. • The grading rubric for this essay is the same as it was for Essay #2. • After your last paragraph, include a list of Works Cited with the following information: Works Cited Carney, Ray. Ed., Cassavetes on Cassavetes. Faber and Faber, 2001. Carney, Ray. Faces. Library of Congress National Film Preservation Board. https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-film-preservation- board/documents/faces.pdf