Binary Oppositions

A binary opposition is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning.

Ferris Bueller's Day off

In my group we analysed 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' and made notes on how the binary oppositions are set up through the four technical areas (mise en scene, editing, sound and camera).

The binary oppositions we spotted were:

1. Brother vs Sister

2. Parents vs Children

3. Rebel vs Good kid

about the film...

In the intro of the film, we are shown that the storyline is about a boy, Ferris, who pretends to be sick to get a day off school and avoid a test. He acts ill to persuade his parents, but his sister doesn't believe him. He calls his friend who is actually ill to join him and enjoy the day.

Brother vs Sister

The first binary oppostion we spotted was brother vs sister. The tension between Ferris and his sister is visible through all four microelements, especially mise on scene and camer. The body language of the sister is really aggresive because of her stance; her arms on her hip and her facial expression as if she is jealous and angry at Ferris. Ferris, the brother, is making faces behind his parents back and clearly faking he is being ill and because he is getting attention from this parents, he mocks his sister. The editing was mostly shot/reverse shot to show the reactions of the two siblings, Ferris had more camera time because he is the protgonist. Dialogue here was also effective in establishing binary opposition because Ferris is speaking as if he is ill and his sister shows no sympathy for him and talks as if she doesn't care. The camera shots

consisted of close ups of the sisters feet and her body to emphasise

her relationship with Ferris and her feelings towards him. Also it showed aggression. The camera was positioned high above Ferris to show a POV shot his sister looking down at him.

Parents vs children

The parents vs the children was another binary opposition. The mise en scene between these two is really significant, for example the mother is wearing a dress and the father a suit and black leather shoes, whereas Ferris is in his pajamas and his sister wearing trainers and casual clothes. This contrast in clothes emphasises  the age difference. The editing is at a fast pace when Ferris is home alone to show he is happy that his plan worked and also to show that he is perfectly okay.

There are lot of shot/reverse shots when the parents and children talk, as well as

match cuts to show the conversation. The dialogue from the parents, especially

the mum, is really noticeable because she talks to Ferris as is she is talking to a baby this shows how she portrays him as baby even though he is a teenager. Ferris talks back like a baby to manipulate his mother into thinking he is ill and smother her. The music is really upbeat and energetic when Ferris is home alone, this highlights his lying was succesful and he got away with it. The camera angles used are over the shoulder and low angle shot to show Ferris's perspective of seeing his parents as authoritive figures and that he has to persuade them that he is actually ill and also to show that they are looking down at him like a mother and father do to their baby.

Rebel vs good kid

The significance between these two binary oppositios are that the rebel, Ferris, is chilling on a deck chair, laid back and drinking cocktails whilst listening to music. In contrast to the good kid who is actually sick and trying to get better. This shows how the rebel fakes being ill to get off school and the good kid is forced to to take a day off because he is actually ill. The editing used here is cross cutting to show the contrast betwen the two, and again Ferris has the most screen time because he is the protagonist. The sound is mainly dialogue, Ferris sounds really relaxed and not bothered, whereas the good kid, his friend is anxious and worried about being                                                   ill and not being in school.