Harold and Maude - 1451 Words

Youngil Yoon Professor Virginia Shirley English 300W 08 October 2013 Harold did not Ruin her Suicide In 1997, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress selected the movie, â€Å"Harold and Maude â€Å"by Hal Ashby, 1971, for preservation for being â€Å"culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.†1 This movie was dealt with black comedy and, at the same time, romance that leaves uncertainties in the ending which was significant at that time because it was unusual for Hollywood films making vague endings where the viewers expected solid happy endings or has clear noticeable thriller at the end. Not surprisingly, the last scene from the movie, where, the protagonist, Harold, throws himself off the cliff and weirdly comes out†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, she mentioned when Harold and she were talking about the funerals that, â€Å"They’re such fun. Burials and births. The end to the beginning and the beginning to the end,† which clearly shows how she is not affected by normal human emotions and death is something that can be fun and absolutely natural to her.9 In addition, when she told Harold that she took the pills, she mentioned, â€Å"I am happy, Harold. Ecstatically happy. I couldn’t imagine a lovelier farewell,† which, of course, an expression of happiness about her decisions and she did not even show any pities or sadness towards Harold.10 She goes on saying that, â€Å"Harold, we begin to die as soon as we are born. What is so strange about death? It’s part of life,† which can be, with no doubt, a sign of her firmness and it supports the idea that her suicide plan was firm and unbreakable.11 Lastly, when she said, â€Å"it’s been all such fun† at the end, it concludes that there were no hard feelings and Maude was happily embracing her death without thinking about Harold. Therefore it cannot be said that he ruined her peacefulness of her demise.12 Although some might argue that she may not be showing her trueShow MoreRelatedHarold And Maude Character Analysis1273 Words   |  6 Pagesquestion how they decide to react to what life gives them. In the movie Harold and Maude, Harold is displayed as an odd boy who has a strange habit of enjoying to portray death, but only to get a reaction from his mother. Harold did not always have this desire to scare his mother, but one day when his mother was told of his â€Å"death† he enjoyed the reaction so much it changed how he lived life. Warren Buffett may argue that Harold spent his entire life building a reputation for himself, but everythingRead More Harold and Maude an analysis Essay examples951 Words   |  4 Pagesanswer an endless stream of questions only to find the answers to be a complex path of even more questions. This film tells the story of Harold, a twenty year old lost in life and haunted by answerless questions. Harold is infatuated with death until he meets a g ood role model in Maude, an eighty year old woman that is obsessed with life and its avails. However, Maude does not answer all of Harold’s questions but she leads him to realize that there is a light at the end of everyone’s tunnel if you pursueRead MoreCult Hit Films : Harold And Maude2026 Words   |  9 PagesAbinav Teja Chilukuri Professor Allan Havis TDGE 11 12 November 2016 Cult Hit Films Harold and Maude, a movie directed by Hal Ashby and released in the 1970’s, did not receive much attention and popularity when first released. Since the movie depicted obsession with suicide through a 20-year-old character Harold, the movie received backlash because during the 1970’s there were high rates of suicides among teenagers and college students. However, over time college students found the movie very entertainingRead MoreHarold And Maude, A Film Released In 1971 And Directed1233 Words   |  5 PagesHarold and Maude, a film released in 1971 and directed by Hal Ashby is a provocative and relevant anti-establishment film against today’s society’s traditional definition of love and marriage. The definition being that the older man and the younger woman is acceptable to us simply because a marriage is about propagating children. Through the relationship of Harold, a twenty-year old man, and Maude, an eighty-year old woman, Ashby presents us with the ultimate love story, one which is not set withinRead MoreThe Writing Style Of The Term- Harold And Maude By Colin Higgins1206 Words   |  5 PagesTerm- Harold Maude Have you ever read a book that has changed your life? A book that leaves you feeling motivated and enlightened. â€Å"Harold and Maude† by Colin Higgins does just that. This book is not simply a quirky love story between two unlikely individuals, but about the power of optimism and a unique way of living life, a true inspiration. However, besides the storyline, the writing style of the author has a huge impact in setting the book apart. When considering why the book â€Å"Harold and Maude†Read MoreAnalysis of the Movie Harold and Maude- A Cult Classic Essay793 Words   |  4 PagesHarold and Maude is a cult classic from the 1970’s that defined film making today. The movie based around a young man named Harold Chasen, and an old woman Maude. Harold seems to have a bizarre psychological fascination with death. While Maude is also interested in death; she enjoys living as well and has lived her life to the fullest. Both are brought together while attending funeral s simply because they enjoy them. Maude begins to influence and change Harold’s perceptions and attitudes about lifeRead MoreShe’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb Essay687 Words   |  3 Pagessimilarities to the film Harold and Maude. In this particular film Harold was very interested in death, and because of this he attempted many fake suicide attempts as a cry for help and attention. When Harold meets a woman named Maude, she teaches him many life lessons and the importance of living life to the fullest. In turn Harold opens up to her about his thoughts and feelings and the two of them become great friends. This film relates to She’s Come Undone because just like Harold, Dolores battled herRead MoreAnalysis Of George Higgins s Harold Maude 1571 Words   |  7 Pages Favorite Character: Maude The text defines characterization as, â€Å"the author’s presentation and development of the traits of the characters.† (WEAL, 60) It is important to understand that characters are the heart of a book and good characterization is essential in order to make them real to the reader. Imagine for a moment, reading a book and having a hard time to connect with any of the characters, this factor could make the reader lose interest in the story. In order to keep the reader’s hookedRead MoreAnalysis Of The Novel World War Z Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pagesnarrating a story to a friend, the way that you tell the story will in most cases be biased based on what you like or dislike in order to get your story across. However, in the case of the third-person omniscient point of view like in the book Harold and Maude you get â€Å"a narrator from â€Å"outside† the story world tells the story.† (WEAL, 45) a birds eye view for which there is less likelihood of a bias and plus the reader can see and hear all the character’s thoughts giving the reader a better frame ofRead MoreThe Life of Robert Lewis: Method or Madness?792 Words   |  3 PagesCompany. Lewis is well known for his contributions to Group Theatre and Actors Studio, along with his other workshop, teaching and acting endeavors. From 1931 to 1941, Robert Lewis acted for the Group Theatre, a theatre created by Lee Strasberg, Harold Clurman, and Cheryl Crawford. He served as one of the original members of the company. Lewis appeared in many of their plays during this decade. The Group Theatre worked under the principles of Konstantin Stanislavski and Eugene Vakhtangov. After