400 Blows Paper

Here is part of my paper! (Intro, Literary aspects, comparison)

The 400 Blows Review
The 400 Blows, by François Truffaut, is a black and white movie made in 1959. Overall, I enjoyed it. This film was very effective as a memoir. The actors in the movie portrayed emotion well, making me feel as though I were a part of it. Truffaut was able to bring his work to life through the use of literary, dramatic, and cinematic elements. The plot of The 400 Blows was also very exciting and kept me engaged. Through this film, I got a great sense of what François’s childhood was like. I liked the movie in general, and thought it was very effective in its purpose.

The 400 Blows shares many aspects with literature. Setting is one example, and the movie takes place in Paris, France. Two other main literary elements include plot, and characters. The story’s plot is exciting, and during it, many characters are developed. Antoine is a troubled kid, and the relationship he has with his parents’ is strained, especially the one with his mother. Antoine’s mom is discouraging, which feeds his desires to live on his own. He and his friend René skip school and attempt to escape their home several times throughout the film. Antoine continually runs into trouble as he lies to his teacher, sets part of his house on fire, steals a typewriter, and runs away with his buddy. Antoine’s parents try to improve his behavior by rewarding him and punishing him, but both efforts fail. Mr. and Mrs. Doinel eventually decide they don’t want to put up with it any more, and send their son away to an observation camp. Antoine can’t stand the camp, making a break for it during one of the daily activities. We never find out if he makes it as the last scene ends with him still running. Many themes can be taken away from the film as well. The one I find most significant is as follows: Maturity can not be forced, but is something that must come naturally. As displayed in my explanation of the plot, Antoine’s parents attempt to force him into maturity through bribery, discipline, and finally just sending him away. Other literary elements occur throughout the film, such as point of view and symbols. The many aspects that The 400 Blows shares with literature enhance the overall quality of the film.

There are many parallels between The 400 Blows and Black Boy. First of all, both stories are memoirs. Richard Wright and François Truffaut outline a part of their earlier years in their work. Another similarity that The 400 Blows shares with Black Boy centers around the main characters. In The 400 Blows, Antoine is an outcast in his family. He is rebellious, and because of this is sent away, disowned by his parents. Richard, from Black Boy, is rejected in his family as well. Richard’s grandma and aunt are very religious. When he decides not to pursue religion, Richard does not even exist in the eyes of his close relatives. Contrasting the two works, they are very different through the setting. While The 400 Blows occurs in Paris, France, Black Boy takes place in the deep south of the United States. Truffaut’s The 400 Blows and Wright’s Black Boy are alike in many ways, but also have aspects that differ.