Hands in "The Piano".

Paper Summary:

A brief discussion of how the visual of hands are used throughout Campion's film, and what they represent for the storyline and the characters.

From the Paper:

"Scene two begins with a close-up shot of many hands waving in the air, reaching for the sky, this is merely a foretaste of what is one of the principle elements within the film, The Piano. The symbolic use of hands throughout the film is significant and expresses some of the key themes in the film including expression and communication, as well as being essential in helping the audience understand Ada's character. The development of hands as an important symbol and as a vital constituent of Ada herself also helps to build a more devastating climax as it makes the severing of Ada's finger a much more shocking and unforgivable act."

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