4 SEGMENTS, DANGLING CAUSES, AND MOTIFS THROUGH INDIANA JONES AND THE LOST ARK

By JD Goracke

TABLE OF CONTENTS Plot Development Transition (Section 1

) Transition (Section 2

) Transition (Section 3

) What is a Dangling

Cause “I hate snakes” Bottoms Up Pssssssh

Motif…What is that? RED Indy Marion The Ark Conclusion Works Cited

PLOT DEVELOPMENT There are four stages when it comes to

plot development.1. Set-up- Meeting the characters2. Complicating Action- Action goes in a

new direction3. Development- Goals are set but many

incidents are there to create action and delay

4. Climax/Epilogue- Will the goals be reached?

TRANSITION(SECTION 1) Once Marion is done drinking is about

the time where the movie goes from Set-up to Complicating action. After she is done drinking we learn what all of the characters are like. Indy is a brave hero while Marion is a tough girl who is always getting into trouble.

TRANSITION(SECTION 2) After Indy finds where the Ark is hidden

because we know that he must find the Ark before Belloq figures out the location. This sets up all the action that is about to happen, and it shows that Indy must achieve his double goal of saving Marion.

TRANSITION(SECTION 3) The last transition is when Marion and

Indy get captured by the Nazis and are tied to the pole together while the Ark takes the Nazis’ lives. They all disappear while Indy and Marion are still left letting us know that he has achieved his goals of getting the girl and saving the Ark.

WHAT IS A DANGLING CAUSE? A dangling cause is something such

as: lines, images, and/or actions, that are planted early in the film and reappear in the film at a later time period.

"I HATE SNAKES" A dangling causes is Indy is in the

plane and a snake crawls out of the cockpit onto him an he says that line. Then, when he discovers where the Ark is he finds out that it is guarded by snakes. He must battle the snakes to get the Ark out.

BOTTOMS UP Another dangling cause is we learn that

Marion is hard drinker because she has a drinking contest with another person. She out-drinks the person, and this becomes vital because she uses her strength to try to escape the confinement of Dr. Belloq

PSSSSSSH A dangling cause the audience learns is

at the beginning one of the Nazis burns his hand on the medallion. This becomes key because the Nazis only has half the information of the stick to find the Ark. The staff isn't long enough so they don't find the Ark.

MOTIF…WHAT IS THAT? These are lines, actions, colors, images,

or musical themes that are intertwined throughout the film in order to produce a consistent text.

RED The motif of red is used for multiple

reasons. The first reason is for love. Red is also used to show when there is death. Last it is used to show where the Indy and Marion are traveling.

INDY Anytime Indy does something heroic

like trying to get Marion out of the plane that is about to explode. Anytime they travel somewhere or he does something smart is when his theme song is played.

MARION Marion's theme occurs anytime when

her and Indy are having a love moment with Indy like standing on the stairs or right after the Ark takes everyone that looked at it. Also, her theme occurs whenever something sad happens to her.

THE ARK Anytime the Ark's theme is played is

when something mysterious has happened like when Indy discovers that the Nazis have found the digging site while his book is open. Another time the theme is played is whenever it is in view of the characters like when Indy first discovers it.

CONCLUSION Raiders of the Lost Ark was a great

demonstration of the 4 stages of plot development, motifs, and dangling causes. Not to mention it is one of the greatest movies of all time!

For more information about the movie or actors go to http://www.imdb.com/

To learn more about dangling causes or motifs go to http://www.davidbordwell.net/essays/anatomy.php which gives great examples of both.

WORKS CITED Spiiellberrg ,, Stteven,, diirr.. IIndiiaanaa JJooneess

aand tthee Raaiideerrss ooff tthee Loosstt Arrkk .. Wrriitt.. Lawrrencce Kassdan,,Georrge Luccass,, and Phiilliip Kauffman.. 1981.. Fiillm..

"Throwback Thursday: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark! | Geek Mountain State." Geek Mountain State | Geeking out in Vermont. Web. 27 Jan. 2012. <http://geekmountainstate.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/throwback-thursday-indiana-jones-and-the-raiders-of-the-lost-ark/>.