A Film Directed and Written by Akira Kurosawa
The death of a samurai and the rape of his wife are the centers of this film, “Rashomon”. With four different perspectives of the event by the wife, a bandit (rapist), the dead samurai (speaking through a medium), and a woodcutter, we get to see how one incident can be viewed so differently by those involved.
Some of the main symbols in “Rashomon” are the rain and forest. Rain symbolizes a sense of sorrow and inner conflict whenever the characters are twisting the truth, and adds gloominess to the scene. Forest symbolizes uncertainty as it is secluded from the outside, hiding the truth within it.
The contradictory and constantly changing structure of the film is important to its storytelling because it shows the dynamic of the film in its non-linear order. With events constantly contradicting each other, it shows how the different accounts of the characters created conflicting perspectives, making it hard to depict what the actual truth is.
I think that the Rashomon effect can be mitigated in news events. The main reason that contradictory interpretations of the same event occur is due to bias, and the differences in how one may view a certain event. By using certain strategies they can mitigate this, creating a more realistic and accurate portrayal of whichever events they write on. Firstly, if journalists were able to come together and write a portrayal of such events together, then these divergent interpretations could cease to exist. They’ll be able to seek out different biases and information about the event, noticing that it may not be as one-sided as they originally thought. They could seek sources from multiple sides of the conflict, not just one, being able to view the event as a whole and provide context for why views may be so dramatically different. Secondly, they can use different types of sources. By using sources such as videos, audio, or photos, people can more clearly comprehend events, especially if they rely heavily on witness reports. This helps people form educated thoughts and points, removing gaps between different accounts of the same event. Lastly, journalists can debunk myths or false information surrounding the event. Both of these factors play a key role in audiences misunderstanding the event and many conflicting accounts, who often believe the lies instead of the truth. By doing this, they’re able to clarify misconceptions about the event, expose the parties or journalists who promoted the false ideas, and bring light to the truth. Although the Rashomon effect may still be prevalent, it is something that is possible to avoid with the effort of journalists to spread the truth.