Paragraph 1: (identity) Flashcards
SCIM MP
Struggle Clinging Ideas, Mansion Mirrors Reflect
Struggle, clinging, idealising, mansion, mirroring, preserved
[S]CIM MP
Sunset Boulevard presents the struggle of individuals to achieve and maintain a coherent sense of self.
Strong: Struggle
S[C]IM MP
Norma Desmond embodies this by clinging to her “celluloid self,”
Cats: Clinging
SC[I]M MP
constantly idealising her own image, frozen in time within her “grim sunset castle.”
In: Idealising
SCI[M M]P
The mansion itself symbolises her decayed glory, a film technique reinforced by the film’s use of deep shadows, mirroring her emotional and mental entrapment.
Mamas: Mansion, Mirroring
SCIM M[P]
Her reliance on illusion is preserved by Max, her ghoulish butler, who fabricates fan letters and reassures her that she “is the greatest star of them all.”
Purse: Preserved
[S]OT DC BO
Max himself sacrificed his own sense of self to maintain Norma’s illusion.
Some: Sacrificed
S[O]T DC BO
His identity is defined by his obsession with preserving Norma’s self-image due to his guilt of “[making] her a star” and not wanting to “let her be destroyed”.
Of: Obsession
SO[T] DC BO
His perfectly tailored suits symbolise his submission to an old era, while the recurring decoration of broken mirrors in the mansion represents the shattered reality both characters inhabit.
The: Tailored
SOT [DC] BO
Norma’s distorted perception of her relationship with the “wonderful people…in the dark,” contrasts with Wilder’s cynical view of the industry.
Dead cry: Distorted, Cynical
SOT DC [BO]
Wilder’s belief that “an audience is never wrong” serves as a contrast to Norma’s outdated belief that her stardom is eternal.
By October: Belief, outdated [belief]
[D]U HE
Down-on-his-luck, Joe Gillis, on the other hand, grapples with his own identity crisis as he becomes increasingly entangled in Norma’s decaying world.
Down-on-his-luck
D[U] HE
Initially, Joe’s untidy attire reflects his detachment from Hollywood’s illusions. However, as he “[tries] to earn a living,” his identity becomes dependent on Norma’s wealth, symbolised by his gradual shift to more “Vicuna” suits.
Under: Untidy
DU [H]E
His “hunger” and financial desperation reflects his growing acceptance of the facade he once resisted.
Hungry: Hunger
DU H[E]
Sunset Boulevard illustrates how Hollywood’s illusions can erode personal identity, leaving individuals lost in a world where the lines between reality and fantasy blur beyond recognition.
Emu: Erode
