Table of contentsIntroductionAnalysis of the filmConclusionBibliographyIntroductionThe Matrix, as a film, is a perfect representative of an analysis of structuralism presenting a reality torn between the two ideologies, The Matrix: the film or the artificial world , the double life of the main character or even the red and blue pill. Films create meaning by using structures (codes and conventions) as a language that we can understand. In this essay, we will analyze how films convey meaning through the use of their code structures and conventions (narrative, camera shots), in the same way that languages ​​convey meaning through the use of their code structures and conventions (words, sentences, grammar). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayAs I mentioned previously, structuralism is generally defined as the way in which films convey meaning through the use of codes and conventions created by the manipulation of film. world. This methodology considers a film as a set of patterns, relationships or structures; we see, understand and enjoy films through the recognition of these structures. The meaning of a film comes not so much from the meanings inherent in its individual elements but from how they interact within what we call the "structure" or "system" of a film. Structuralism emphasizes the importance of narrative theories and other recurring patterns, content that helps the audience understand what is happening. For example, in genre films, the audience can easily understand the meaning: a genre is considered a structure, a set of conventional models. Not only the narrative, but also the way a camera is used to tell a story can also be analyzed as structural elements because they use the structure of cinematic language to communicate with the audience. Structuralist theorists such as Barthes, Lévi-Strauss, and Todorov have analyzed plot patterns found in fairy tales and other traditional narratives as they appear in contemporary cinema. Structuralism is about semiotics, which is a concept of codes for discussing conventional ways of doing things. Semiotics can be applied to anything that can be considered to mean something – in other words, to anything that has meaning within a culture. Codes are cultural phenomena because they are learned; it is through familiarity that codes come to appear natural rather than cultural: this process is called "naturalization." Film Analysis The Matrix is ​​a 1999 science fiction film focused on the concept of reality. Structuralism is shown in four ways in camerawork, plot, semiotics, symbolism, and characterization by casting. To begin with, the camera work is essential in this film. The Matrix uses filters to display the setting: green is why the Matrix appears artificial, ghostly. A green filter was used on all of the scenes shot in The Matrix, giving it that otherworldly feel, as if we were seeing it through a monitor. This color suggests that, unlike the real world, what we see in the Matrix is ​​shown or filtered through something else, another reality. The color blue has also been removed from everything we see in the Matrix. Additionally, the bullet time is one of the most notable features of the film. The Matrix is ​​characterized by its strong transformation of time, showinggenerally imperceptible events such as flying balls and space, thanks to the camera angle's ability to change the point of view of the audience moving around the stage at normal speed while the events are slowed down. It was created specifically for The Matrix. Second, the plot. The Matrix is ​​a complex film. Plot structures are recurring story patterns that are a defining characteristic of a genre. However, this movie constantly shifts from the virtual world to the real world and back again and has endless plot elements. With this complex plot, the viewer can focus on Neo because he is also very affected all of a sudden with this rush of information. We feel lost like him. On another subject, it goes without saying that the world is shaped by countless networks of meanings and codes. By doing a semiotic analysis, we discover different codes. Cultural codes include how texts mean; beliefs about gender, class and authority. As an example, the Hitchcockian Blonde brings together several ways of representing gender, class, and sexuality, which in turn reveal cultural beliefs in these areas. Cultural codes are particularly susceptible to naturalization, as in notions during historical periods of what was considered the inherent nature of men or women or of particular national or racial groups. Technical codes in film include elements such as continuity editing, point of view and reaction shots, cross shots and over the shoulder shots, dissolves and editing. Technical codes involve both filmmaking techniques and, for viewers, learned ways of seeing them. Soviet filmmaker Sergei Eisenstein believed that editing was one of the most important aspects of cinematic language. It describes 5 types of editing: lighting, angle, length of shot, juxtaposition and cultural context. According to him, “editing” is a structure that allows the audience to make sense of the film. An example of how structuralist theory can be seen in cinema is understanding how the simple combination of shots can create an additional idea. The blank expression on a person's face, an appetizing meal, then back to the person's face. Although nothing in this sequence literally expresses hunger or desire, the juxtaposition of the images conveys this meaning to the audience. It is the structure of the film that we use to understand its meaning, but unraveling the meaning can sometimes become quite complicated. Another key point is symbolism. The word itself "Matrix" in the dictionary refers to "a surrounding situation or substance in which something else originates, develops, or is contained." The belly.” About the main character, Neo, his name has several meanings. It is an anagram for "one", as in He who will save humanity, and also means "new" as in the new person freshly born, now conscious of the Matrix. The Trinity represents the number three which is a powerful number in many stories and traditions. In keeping with Christian themes, the “father”, “son” and “Holy Spirit” seem linked here. In The Matrix, Morpheus, Trinity and Neo fight the machines. Additionally, you may recognize references to Alice in Wonderland and The Wizard of Oz, Neo's computer advises him to "follow the white rabbit" - the conscious choice to take a trip to an alternate reality. Morpheus is the Roman god of dreams. He constantly alludes to dreams and two different realities: "Have you ever had a dream, Neo, of which.