Contrasting quot;the Black Girlquot; and quot;the...

Symbolism varies from culture to culture. The messages of different factors are interpreted differently. Also, there are varying strengths to symbols within a culture. While suicide is a bold statement in any culture, it is represented in a variety of ways with many meanings. For instance in the movie The Ballad of Norayama suicide is looked upon as a good thing in that the old woman was helping the rest of the village to thrive. In a movie like The Black Girl, suicide is the only option that the girl had, and she kills herself to make a point to her former mistress. Suicide has a negative connotation, but it is with that connotation that it serves its point. Some of the most striking points are made with the dramatic use of suicide.†¦show more content†¦When the girl ends her life, its in the bathroom, and it is a bloody mess that the girl knows the woman will have to clean up. She took her revenge in knowing that the woman would have to look at her remains, and while she w as cleaning it up, the the woman would have to contemplate why exactly the girl had done this, and hopefully realize that she was to blame. This is a bold statement to be made in both film as an art and otherwise considering that this film was made at a time when such things were not talked about, nor were they advertised in film. The Black Girl uses suicide to shock the audience into realizing the message of the story. Although the message is harsh, it is also real, and the point is well taken by the audience. The Japanese film The Ballad of Norayama uses suicide in an entirely different way to make an entirely different point. This film shows how a small group of villages surrounding a mountain deal with non-contributing members of their society. By setting an age limit on the town, the members of the village ensure that only contributing members live. Orin, the character on which the movie is focused, is 70 years old, and now ready to make the journey up Mt. Norayama to give herself to the mountain god in suicide. Here suicide is represented as a release of burden. By sending off older members of the village to a mountain