Topic > The character of Jack Sparrow and his trickster characteristics in the film

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, a film directed by Gore Verbinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer in 2003, is an action-adventure film in which two civilians get caught up in the cruel world of piracy. It has just the right amount of great fights, stunning visuals, intertwining plots, parallel action... but above all good characters who drive the story and twist it in a thousand different ways. This Walt Disney film is based on the famous Disneyland and Disney World adventure called, of course, "Pirates of the Caribbean". Unlike the "fun" ride at Disney parks, this film has a deeper meaning than just the ability to capture and hold viewers' attention. By examining the literary elements of this film, we can discover those deeper meanings and thus enjoy the film to its fullest potential. The director and screenwriters use a clever way of distributing information to the viewer. The characters in the film seek specific and often antagonistic goals. But the most charismatic of all the characters and the one I admire is Captain Jack Sparrow, played brilliantly by Johnny Depp. The character is in a delicate balance between lucidity and madness. Jack Sparrow represents the archetypal trickster to Carlo Goldoni's famous Alequin, demonstrating these necessary trickster traits in his exploits throughout the film. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The trait of confidence (and in some cases overconfidence) is introduced to us in the character's entrance scene. Jack appears to be bailing out his boat, and the potential seriousness of this scene is portrayed through Jack Sparrow's facial emotions. We know his boat is sinking fast, yet Jack appears to be overly confident and shows no signs of panic. Passing by a cave, Jack sees the corpses of other pirates and the danger sign, and gestures with his hat, suggesting that Jack is a man of honor and courage. The director shows and enhances this by looking forward in terms of direction. and future. The camera aimed and positioned within the frame looks at Jack, giving him a point of authority, supported by the heroic stance he adopts. The camera is focused on the mast of the boat, giving us the impression that the boat is large (when in reality it is simply a dinghy) ahead of the other large boats, once again suggesting that Jack is an important and confident character. This idea is also supported by the bright contrasts. The light shines and shines on Jack's face, this helps the audience to focus solely on him. The lighting in the bottom half of the scene seems to make it look like Jack is emerging from the darkness, giving him importance once again. The light is warm and plants the seed that Jack is "good" or civilized at heart. Since Jack's boat is in the final stages of sinking, he remains calm. His facial expressions and half-closed gestures indicate that he is calculating or working out something. As he walks onto the dock with ease, we are introduced to his physical side and his agility. He arrives at the port just in time, asking the audience "is he a genius or a complete disaster?" We get our first impressions that he's a trickster type, as his timing and movement relate to that of the Alequin from the Commedia dell'arte. Once again the camera suggests that he is responsible, following him as he walks quickly along the pier. The director used these camera angles to convey his perspective of Jack and manipulate anddeceive the public. The scene lasts just over a minute and there is not a single dialogue. Everything works with the soundtrack (composed by Klaus Badelt) and the staging. In this scene we start to get the slightest sense that Jack is going to be an important character. He is presented to us as a trickster, but one who we should learn to sympathize with. The traits of agility and trickery are best shown in the scene where Will and Jack are engaged in battle. The scene opens with Jack emerging as if from nowhere and keeping his will trained on his sword. This is associated with the character of Alekhino, where he used the element of surprise. The setting of the dirty and serene blacksmith's workshop is the perfect place to stage a fight. The light is dark and low, like the slow and cautious soundtrack that plays. The only warm light comes from the cracks in the walls, indicating to the viewer that the place is isolated and far from the chaos of the city. The director uses an over-the-shoulder shot as Jack appears to be watching Will curiously. His facial expressions clearly tell the audience that he is trying to remember something; this is supported by the phrase "you seem somewhat familiar, have I threatened you before?" Jack displays the common trickster archetype of trying to avoid fights, as he summons a comeback and decides to quickly hit the road. The shot then cuts to Will holding a sword towards Jack. Represent his excessive confidence; Jack lowers Will's self-esteem as, using clever wordplay, he threatens Will on the subject of crossing paths with a pirate. The director decides to make it clear that Jack can fight when he needs to, as the camera pans to a medium shot of Jack making his first sword move. Jack's swashbuckling ship shows the audience that while he may be silly at times, he is very skilled and experienced when things get serious. Again, a contrast between his easy-going nature and his seriousness. The director used this particular shot to emphasize to the audience that Jack is experienced and trained when it comes to doing what he does best. Light falls through the roof to the edge of the frame as Jack strides confidently towards the exit. He is stopped when Will throws his sword into the door lock. The camera is positioned against the sword, looking at the side of Jack's face. His facial expression is one of shock and surprise. The director's intention in this shot was to convey to the audience how close the sword was to his face. He did this brilliantly, as the shot captures both Jack's reactions and the subtle lighting in the background. Jack's agility is also shown, as he is hanging from a chain but continues to fight with his free hand. The lighting then changes to a darker tone, as if the light coming from outside was covered by something. As Jack is held at the point, he withdraws his gun, clearly paying no attention to the rules of a fair fight. This indicates to the audience that he will do anything to get what he wants and, frankly, doesn't care about the "rules." The scene ends with Jack pointing the barrel of the gun at Will. The shot cuts to a direct close-up of Jack's face, as pain and shock are displayed. The wide shot shows the result of this. Jack Sparrow's characteristics of forward thinking and improvisation are best shown in the scene where he, together with Will Turner (played by Orlando Bloom), reinforces the interceptor ship. As the scene begins, Jack and Will stand under a bridge, with Jack's facial expressions clearly indicating that he is analyzing the locations of his targets. Once again, the previous stretch ofOverconfidence is shown when Jack neglects the smaller ship docked in the bay, instead motioning directly to the larger one, the interceptor. The camera position is a point of view taken by Jack and Will. This camera angle allows the audience to witness exactly what Jack is all about. The long camera shot allows us to see all the men surrounding the ship, determining exactly how big the task will be. Jack is mentally sure he can do it, but to eliminate his partner's (Will Turner) doubts, he lashes out with a line, “Don't ask questions about your business guy, there's no use going, just go. How far are you? Willing to go and save her?" In which Will replies, "I would die for her." By using this play on words, Jack has reassured and instilled confidence in Will. We begin to realize that Jack is well informed when, using only the resources at his disposal at the time; he conjures up a plan to sneak aboard the ship without being seen. He improvises an underwater breathing device using a nearby canoe and an unusual use of Newtonian physics The director then tilts the camera towards the shot of Jack and Will walking underwater. The shot passes then inside the canoe, showing Jack and Will from a frontal view. During this, Will exclaims "This is madness or genius", to which Sparrow replies, "It is remarkable how often these two traits coincide." Truer words are rarely spoken, which once again indicates that Jack is sure of his plan. His movement through the water is smooth and rapid compared to Will's, as if implying that he has lived and experienced a similar situation before. His broad and unhesitating steps refer to those of Alekhino. The camera looks up from the water to see a close-up of the side of the large ship, further emphasizing its size. The light at the bottom of the ship is dark, indicating the dangers of the water. The top of the ship is illuminated by a much warmer light from the sun. The director used this shot to establish the grandeur of the ship. The soundtrack also complements the lighting. The composer used a low, almost dark and subtle piece when the camera emerges from the bottom of the ship. But as it tilts upward toward the light of Jack and Will boarding the ship, the diegetic music becomes more upbeat and faster-paced, almost in time with Sparrow's careful movements. As he stumbles aboard the ship, Jack comically and confidently exclaims that he has come to "take over the ship", with Will following in his footsteps. This lets the audience know that Jack is clearly in charge and the one making the decisions. Jack's appearance and nature lead you to underestimate him. They respond by laughing, then smugly point out that this particular ship cannot be manned by two men, who will never make it out of the bay, to which Sparrow replies, "Son," and holds up a pistol, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, expert ?" Jack uses this phrase often throughout the film, as if trying to make his mark on the world and, more importantly, constantly remind himself of who he is. During the gun encounter, the camera is positioned against the barrel of the gun, capturing the crew member's confused expression in close-up. This once again demonstrates overconfidence and eliminates any hint of his plan's failure. The scene shifts to the Commodore at the docks, where he sees Sparrow and Turner trying to steal a mean and currently ship,.