Le Confessional Fatalism and Breakthrough Group 3 Angela

Le Confessional - Fatalism and Breakthrough Group 3: Angela, Debby, Eva, Jasmine, Jenny, Mavis, Trista

Outline Introduction–Eva - Robert Lepage - Le Confessional Analysis - Two Fathers – the father image – Jasmine, Mavis - Fatalism: Marc – Angela - Breakthrough: Pierre – Debby & Jenni Conclusion -- Debby Discussion

Robert Lepage Born on December 12, 1957, in Québec City He is a playwright, actor, film director, and stage director. He was dignosed with a rare form of alopecia. He struggled with the depression and turned to drama classes to overcome his shyness in teenage. He and his younger sister had French education while his elder brother and sister (adopted) had English education. Famous work: Le Confessional (1995) Nô (1998) The Far Side of the Moon (2003)

Le Confessional Characters Paul-Emile Lamontagne • Pierre Lamontagne Francoise Lamontagne Old and young priests Rachel • Marc Lamontagne • Massicotte • Manom • Mowse

Two parallel plots 1952 Francoise’s confession Rachel’s pregnancy and her confession Suspicion of Massicott Marc was born and Rachel’s suicide Showing of “I confess” Father’s confession 1989 Father’s death Search for Marc Search for father and the album Massicott’s confession (the chess game) Marc’s suicide Massicott’s revelation

Le Confessional Some similarities with Robert Lepage’s life Paul-Emile Lamontagne and Robert Lepage’s father were both taxi-driver. Paul-Emile Lamontagne and Robert Lepage’s mother both dead of diabetes

Le Confessional Big events in 1952 Modernization of Quebec (television) Maurice Depulessis’s winning the election of premier of the Canadian province of Quebec Hitchcock’s film I confess shot in Quebec Big events in 1989 Tiananmen Incident

Two Fathers – the Father Image False Father vs. Absent Father

Massicotte 1952: Priest 1989: Ambassador False Father Failed in being a real father -Rachel - Get into the mainstream (La Loi du Père: Priest Federalist) - The Seal of Confessional

The Influence of False Father The Death of Rachel and Marc Used his power –In the parental system/ Rachel ─Being a colonist /Marc Although Massicotte wanted to help, he directly and indirectly oppressed the people in the end.

Paul-Emile Taxi-driver Wife depressed by miscarriage Absent Father -cannot confess -did not love Marc -self-punishment by not taking medicine

The Influence of Absent Father Quebecois nationalist - Homophobic sexual anxiety “The history of sexuality is national history. ” (the historian Steven Maynard) “In this anxiety, those found to be traitors or sell-outs to the cause of national revolution are gendered as passive/seductive men. ”(Schwartzwald 1991, 179)

Because of the absent of father… -Marc not feel belong Marc's Suicide- Marc’s neglect as a father

Marc Fatalism

Fatalism (Influence by past) Sense of insecurity Orphan Complex Seeking for origin Distorted Characteristic - selfish、no ability to love Mistake: - Diabetes → Excuse? - Tragic Circle → abandon his son

Fatalism-In symbolic Level Ø lattice - enclosure、confinement - Religious power→ political power - Society: fragment、no energy

Fatalism-In Symbolic Level Ø Red Color: the doom of Marc - Past: (Predict the doom) - Now: Suicide of Marc Ø Overlapped presentation

Relationship with Pierre Ø Brotherhood Ø Mental reliance

Pierre Breakthrough of the fatalism

Pierre breaking the cycle Influence of and China Difficulty Chances The Bridge

Influence of and China Transcultures and Transnational economical cooperation between Japan and Canada Tiananmen Incident 山 vs. 川 Lamontagne → la montagne: mountain Teaching Marc how to use chopsticks Explaining the word “山” to Marc

Difficulty Massicotte “Just when think you are in perfect control of the situation, a move you’ve made previously, suddenly comes back to haunt you. ”

Chances Finding Marc’s father Taking care his son Getting medical payment from Massicotte

Implication

Implication

The Bridge Extending and being out of the cycle The sign “Danger” the cycle of the false father? ambiguity?

Argument In La Confessional, it seemed that the fate of all the characters kept circulating. The past carries the present on its shoulders like an infant. In the end, the director used the bridge to try to extend to the other world; nevertheless, the sign “danger” obscured the change again. Maybe the director tried to convey that Pierre would go into the circle of the false father. If Marc’s death negated the transactions and the breakthrough of the cycle, but what about Pierre and Marc’s brotherhood? He loved Marc so he fostered his son, not like Massicotte who had other intention from Marc. He didn’t have the heritage; he was eager to help Marc. He wouldn’t fall into the cycle again; instead, for Marc, he would bring a different life to Marc’s son.

Conclusion Ø The image of the absent and false father reflects the anxiety of Quebec. They are confined by their history because of the French father and the Catholic father. The strong sense of orphan complex causes their insecurity. Though Quebec’s history is unchangeable like Marc’s destiny, Quebec people still can make the breakthrough as long as they look forward.

Discussion How does director portraits women in the film? Do you agree or disagree? Why? 2. How do you think the abnormal passion of Massicotte toward Marc? 3. Do you think there’s possibility for Marc to change his life? Why? 4. Why the father (Paul) use the story of Oedipus to confess the truth? What does it suggest? 1.