How Do the Makers of Shrek Use Presentational Devices to Subvert Generic Conventions and Reverse This Tradition (to Reveal the Ogre as Good and the Prince as Evil)?

How Do the Makers of Shrek Use Presentational Devices to Subvert Generic Conventions and Reverse This Tradition (to Reveal the Ogre as Good and the Prince as Evil)?

  • Submitted By: moffgirl
  • Date Submitted: 03/12/2009 1:26 PM
  • Category: English
  • Words: 2295
  • Page: 10
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How do the makers of Shrek use presentational devices to subvert generic conventions and reverse this tradition (to reveal the ogre as good and the prince as evil)?

Traditional fairytales, I believe, are simply representations of what people wish life was like. Therefore, what they entail is often unlikely, unrealistic, and completely wishful thinking. For example, almost every fairytale is made up of a number of certain things. Many, even most fairytales are home to magical/ mythical creatures, and I believe each and every one of them holds some sort of magic in its own right. In every tale, there is always a harbourer of good, and a harbourer of evil. Most often, the representation of good is a prince; strong, handsome, powerful, they always save the day. Evil is usually represented by some sort of malevolent being or creature; often a monster of some sort (ogre, giant, etc), or a being of evil intent, such as a witch or king. And stuck in the middle of it all: the damsel in distress. Beautiful, feminine, and weak, she can never defend herself, instead depending upon the services of her prince to protect her. But she is still a representation of all that is good.

However, the film ‘Shrek’ subverts almost each and every one of them. To begin, the film starts off with an almost completely traditional opening; the tale being read from a book, with the age old phrase, ‘once upon a time…’, with a soft, melodic tune playing in the background. However, at the point of the book coming to an end, it suddenly is turned on its head, creating an obviously more modern and definitely more crude theme. This is because at the point that the book has finished, a large, green hand extends out of the foreground and rips the page embellished with the words, ‘…and they all lived happily ever after’, from the book, with Shrek intoning, ‘yeah like that’s ever gonna happen! What a load of cra-’. After this, the film switches to a scene outside, showing an outhouse. Coupled...

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