The Piano, Jane Campion

Study Questions VSAR 309

These questions are both a review of concepts we have already encountered in this class, and new material we are studying.

1. In general, what is narration and what is the narrator? (Film Art)

2. The Piano begins and ends with Ada’s voice over narration. What function(s) does this have in the movie?

3. Depth of information can be objective or subjective. In The Piano, we are given many clues to Ada’s subjective experience, even if she doesn’t speak. How do we know her inner thoughts and feelings, her inner states?

4. On page 8 in the essay, “A Strange Heritage..” about the Piano, the writer talks about the camera work as having a point of view, as “a witness, directing the viewer’s attention in a very intimate way.” In what ways does this happen in the Piano? How does this affect our subjective experience of the film (esp. in our relationship to Ada)?

5. Plot duration: the compression or expansion of an event for effect is done through film editing. There are some specific scenes in The Piano where duration is slightly manipulated as an effect to portray psychological or emotional significance. Where are these used and what is the effect?

6. In “How to Read a Film”, the writer discusses the difference between connotation and denotation. What do these terms mean? What are some examples?

7. What are some connotative elements (shots, scenes, objects, people) in the Piano? For instance, what do the Maori represent? How is that conveyed? What does the piano represent?

8. If the piano is a sign of Ada’s thoughts and feelings, what kinds of thoughts does she have? What are the different ways the piano is treated cinematically (within the shot, shot to shot, or syntagmatically)? What about paradigmatically—what are the relationships the piano has with culture, such as Maori culture or European culture? What does the piano mean as a trope, something that has dynamic meaning? (How to Read a Film, pg. 170)