The idea of facades across a range of texts Essay -- essays research p

The poesy The Ballad of Calvary Street by James Baxter, the film American Beauty (directed by Sam Mendes and released in 1999), and the tactical maneuver An quizzer Calls written by J.B. Priestley and performed at Circa Theatre in 2005, are all texts that share a similar theme. Although these three texts are different in terms of authorship and the medium through which the significant messages are communicated, what the texts do have in common is that they all convey ideas about how facades and superficial images of family brio only lead to soullessness and domestic disorder. The unique approach that each text takes to this issue heightens the impact of the texts in every case, and allows the discussion of facades to become more relevant in a time when domestic problems still mar our society.Baxters poem, The Ballad of Calvary Street, satirises the concept of facades and fake family life by ironically using religious imagery, and by utilising figurative language and clever dict ion to develop a rounded depiction of the sad characters at the heart of the poem. The poem discusses firstly the trellises that line Calvary Street (an image which conventionally would symbolise happy domestic life), and mentions the flowers that bloom as bright as blood. In addition to being an insidious suggestion that there is violence beneath the veneer of this seemingly respectable society, this phrase also alludes to the crucifixion of Christ. This is confirmed by the line that later describes the house as an empty tomb. This evocative metaphor hints that the house is a place of depression and emotional soullessness, and again relate this home to the story of Christ however, Baxter is comparing this house to Christs story only ironically. Through the use of religious language, Baxter is able to sardonically fate that the values of forgiveness and compassion so often connected to The Bible and religion are nowhere to be found in this unhappy home. To emphasize that religion plays no role in this distorted version of family life, Baxter intersperses the religious language with mundane descriptions (for instance, he writes, the afternoon goes, goes by, while angels harp above a cloud ) to show that spiritualism and indeed, all ideas of ethics and morality are forsaken in this barren location.Baxter tells in the poem of how two old souls go slow mad, and const... ...ley play An Inspector Calls all scrutinise the nature of domestic life, and the facades that are developed to hide the true problems of our society. The Ballad of Calvary Street looks at the manner in which individuality and excitement are suppressed by the maintenance of such a faade, and emphasises that domestic relationships are devoid of any spirituality or ethical framework. American Beauty focuses on the advantages of breaking free from the constraints of the faade, and emphasises the freedom and openness that can be achieved once the duties of the faade are forgone. An Inspector C alls analyses the way a faade can crumble when there is pressure and confusion to reveal people who are not as respectable as they seem. The issue of facades is very relevant to our society, at a time when, in New Zealand at least, domestic abuse and divorce are still unhealthful problems. The issue is often explored across a range of texts and could even be argued to be a clich in current times. However, the uncompromising and honest manner in which these texts address the issue makes the concept of facades so intriguing and fresh, and causes these texts to gain added power and impact.