The Painted Veil A Structural Analysis ASL Literature

The Painted Veil: A Structural Analysis ASL ~ Literature in English

Foreshadowing Kitty’s first meeting with Charles Townsend u Watching a play at a Chinese theater u Townsend’s translation of the storyline: u – About a young girl weeping – For her being sold into a life of slavery and taken away to a foreign land – For her being condemned to this life in which she will never find happiness, never be loved or love in return

Foreshadowing u. A striking description of the life that Kitty will soon know: – Her and Townsend’s affair begins shortly after watching this play – Soon taken away by her husband, Walter, to a very foreign land where she feels enslaved, alone, unloved and unable to love – As a punishment of her infidelity

Explicit Plot u Kitty and Walter get married, but she has an affair with Charles Townsend. u Walter takes revenge by forcing her to accompany him to a diseaseridden Chinese village where she will feel miserable. u However, misery awakens enlightenment, reconciliation and redemption.

Implicit Plot u The motive behind Kitty’s affair: – Marrying Walter for the wrong reasons – Kitty never loved Walter, respected him or had any interest in him – Getting married to spite her mother – Kitty’s character: selfish, impulsive and rebellious – Her affair with Townsend: to rebel against her husband whom she didn’t love

Implicit Plot u Walter’s motive for avenging Kitty’s affair: – by taking her to a cholera-infested village – Instead of bursting into the bedroom when he knew his wife was cheating on him – Walter as malicious and calculating, rather than confrontational – Decision upon cold, calculated punishment by enslaving his wife into a life where she would be miserable

Sub-plots u The relationship between their neighbor Waddington and his Chinese wife – Waddington’s affection and his wife’s admiration towards him – Forcing Kitty to examine her own relationship with Walter u Motives of the French nuns operating the orphanage – To serve God’s will to serve others with love while one has it – Help Kitty become more self-aware

Ending of the Film u u u Walter and Kitty are able to find love and acceptance of each other toward the end of the film Portrayal of raw human emotion, anger, resentment, guilt and finally acceptance Walter and Kitty are never happy in the film A somber acknowledgement of growing respect for each other that did not exist before the betrayal Under the life-threatening Cholera, they are able to put their bitterness aside, find companionship and mutual understanding

Imagery u Breathtaking images of an idyllic, seemingly mythical Chinese landscape – Idyllic beauty = Immense suffering – The cholera epidemic and political turmoil ravages the landscape

Imagery u The scenery: symbolic for Walter and Kitty’s relationship – Seemingly a healthy young married couple to those they initially meet – Just as the perfect Chinese landscape – Immense suffering, grief and turmoil inside – Always feel like a foreigner in an unfamiliar land uncertain of what will happen next

Colour and Lighting The beginning of the film: gorgeous bright colors u After the betrayal: more muted colors u A lot of dead colors like grays and very drab blues: u – Impact of sadness, loneliness and unease Early in the film (before the betrayal): bright and cheerful lighting u Post-affair: dim lighting filled with shadows u – Creating an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty and a sense of powerlessness

Conclusion u. A powerful and provocative tale of betrayal, revenge and the immense emotional havoc that infidelity reaps on relationships u A story about self-awareness u A cautionary tale to be weary of the “painted veil”

Conclusion u Do not fall in love with an illusion u Get to truly know your love-interest to avoid disenchantment and pain when the truths are revealed u Ending: a somber tale of betrayal, consequence, self-discovery and the difficult road to redemption

~ The End ~