An individuals circumstances and personal constraints may impact how they break free, yet breaking free may not always result in success.
Breaking free can refer to a desire to free yourself forcibly from a confined or restricted matter. It is an expression of either an individual or object rupturing and demolishing a specific aspect of their life. An individual may not succeed, yet determination can be the key. Breaking free is represented in texts such as Atonement By Ian McEwan, where Cecilia attempts to overcome social circumstances, "The Glass Jar" by Gwen Harwood, as the boy is confined in his childhood and Bend It Like Beckham By Gurinder Chadha, where Jess struggles to find her own identity. These three texts convey the theme of breaking free through the many literary forms such as symbolism, rhythm, and metaphors. As well as features and themes such as social expectations, the discovery of identity, and innocence.
Atonement discovers two main characters that are sisters, Briony and Cecelia. Briony, the younger sister, is a character of ambition and passion for secrets yet desires to create friction and is unable to discern between her real and her fictional worlds. Cecilia, on the other hand, is the complete opposite of Briony; she is negligent and casual. After Cecilia begins to fall in love with Robbie Turner, her childhood friend, arguments start to arise. The theme of social expectations is demonstrated through an overtone of class issues between Robbie and Cecilia. The Tallis family believes that having a relationship with a person of the lower class is seen as unacceptable and embarrassing. In Chapter 2, McEwan describes Robbie as "Her childhood friend and university acquaintance, Robbie Turner, was on his knees, weeding along a rugosa hedge" This quote depicts the social class as someone on their knees must be of lower class and gardening is generally a job for the poorer. McEwan also uses the word 'Acquaintance' to show that Robbie and Cecilia are just colleagues; however, this is ironic as the novel develops. This portrays to the reader that both Robbie and Cecilia are unconventional characters, as they do not adhere to conventions of the time, such as having a relationship with someone of their own social class.
Bend it like Beckham similarly follows issues in relation to Atonement along with social expectations. This movie, set in West London, follows an Indian family with a daughter named Jess, who is inspired and lives to play soccer. Her parents, however, do not allow her to play soccer, as her father's dreams were shattered when he was not allowed on the English cricket team due to his race. Jess desires to break free from these social norms and ends up getting into the English soccer side. Many different types of film shots and techniques convey contrasting scenes. The director uses close-ups of the player's feet in union with widespread shots depicting the whole team. These shots contrast Jess, an Indian play...
