Summary
Keppeler Oscar
Writing ll English 2150
Professor Wilson
Response Questions:
1. Give a brief outline of the plot (action) of the film.
At the film's beginning, a priest and a woodcutter sit under a building to shield themselves from the pouring rain. A stranger then appears and took interest in what the two men were discussing. The priest and the woodcutter go on to explain a story they overheard and witnessed in court. This story revolved around a samurai’s death and involved a bandit, a wife, and said, samurai. The plot of the film revolves around each and everyone involved in the story even the witnesses to give their sides of the story. Before even telling the stranger the story, the priest mentioned that he lost hope for humanity.
2. What are the main symbols in the film, and what do they represent?
The rain can be represented as a symbol of disaster and it can be connected back to the disastrous and confusing story being told about the samurai’s murder.
The testimony scene is also a symbol of how each people got to tell their own version of the story even when all the different events are raised from the same story.
3. What are the main philosophical questions (ideas) being raised by the film? How are these themes still relevant today?
One of the main ideas being raised in the film is the impact of storytelling throughout the film. We see just how powerful and yet both confusing the influence of storytelling can have especially when it is the same story being told from multiple points of view. This theme is especially relevant today because, in the real world, there are always two sides to one story, and the truth of it all can be interpreted differently just based on how the sequence of events was told. Another main idea formulated throughout the film is human nature and the standards that humanity upholds for being good and evil. This is especially relevant today as well because as we know human behavior is influenced by emotions and biases so it is complex in itself as a whole.
4. How is the structure of the film important to the telling of this story?
The structure of the film is important to the telling of the story because what is being mainly focused on is the credibility of everyone’s memories. The film is divided into parts, each of which tells the same story from a different perspective that being of a bandit, a wife, a woodcutter, etc. By presenting the story from multiple perspectives, the film suggests that there is no one truth and that different people can have vastly different interpretations of the same event.
5. Who's story did you find most trustworthy and why?
I found none of the stories trustworthy as a matter of fact because each story seemed to be told in a way to make the person telling the story look good. All the stories were filled with biases and just worked in a way that suited the storyteller.
6. Consider the final scene when the Priest chooses to hand the baby over to the Woodsman. What is Kurosawa trying to say with this gesture?
This gesture suggests that there is hope in humanity after all because, at the beginning of the film, the priest stated that he lost hope in humanity. After hearing the kind words and the action that the woodsman was willing to take this shows that he has trust in humanity once again.
7. Rashomon is an adaptation of a short story written by Akutagawa, consider what elements are present in the film that enhance or diminish a story like this. Are there aspects of the story that might be better served on the page, why?
One element that enhances the story in the film is the use of visual imagery. The rain adds to the dramatic scenes of mystery and drama within the film. Even the music adds to the intensity of certain scenes and connects to the audience even more. Aspects of the story that might be better served include detailing the characters in depth to allow the audience to have a sense of knowledgeable background on the different types of people.