Harold and Maude A Meditation on Life and Death Essay

Harold and Maude A Meditation on Life and Death - Essay ExampleIt is alike a well known fact that Carpenter Square Theatre opened its xx-first season with Harold and Maude, the stage version of the 1970s cult sheer film by the same name from 03-25 Sept. 2005.The main thesis of such a popular comedy is depiction of two scenarios of human life. One is an introvert, Harold, twenty year old, who has evolved as a dramatic recluse as a result of receiving consistent neglect from his mother. Secondly, it is Maude, a septuagenarian who is an extrovert and freely living cleaning woman having no hassles. Both are representing two extremes. The movies real concern is that there is a time to live and time to die (Canby, 1971). All that occurs is on the bridle-path to life andAs such, Harold (Bud Cort) recognises feigning suicide attempts. He does them in front of his mother, Mrs. Chasen (Vivian Pickles). She is then infuriated instead of being frightened by such reiterate attempts. Harold pretends to drown, shoot, hang, slit his wrists, chop off his hand and immolate himself. Nothing of this sort affects his mother. Yes, his mother arranges computer dates for Harold which he promptly scares away. Harold enjoys driving a hearse and frequents funerals of people he doesnt know. He is also fond of spending time at junk yards.Then there emerges his match in Maude (Ruth Gordon). ... Then there emerges his match in Maude (Ruth Gordon). She is an expert at stealing cars and so many other things. She is still full of life. Her friendship with Harold starts at a funeral where she is having a solo picnic of her own. Harold learns to love life, to embrace it and nurture it only from Maude. There is so much of happening on the highway to life and death in this film that Harold - representing death, and Maude - depicting life, withdraw numerous meditations to share mutually. This ultimately brings them, first, to the altar of marriage and, then, separation in the suicide of Maud e. This is the communion of Death in Life and Life in Death.Authors lastly nameHYPOTHESES1. There are varied streams of consciousness in this film. These diverse levels of consciousness show cinematic representation of mental processes occurring in the minds of fictional characters simultaneously with the external action, granting a penetration into their inner life (Callev, 1997). This is reflected in Uncle Victor, Mrs. Chasen, Sunshine, Edith and other girls from Dating Service, Police Cops, Nurses and Priest etc. in the film Harold and Maude.2. One of the nearly interesting aspect in this movie is its emphasis on self. What this over-concern with self can bring about is shown in diversity of character and their behavior. Different roles and dispositions are shown in the film. That is why it is also branded as a black comedy. For instance, Nurses do not listen to Harold when he is asking them to immediately treat Maude to save her life. some other similar example is there in th e acts of Harold presenting Maude with an I Love You memento and, Maude, on the other hand, throwing it into ocean depths instantly 3. All these characters and