Winter's Bone Task

Winter’s Bone Task:                                                                                                                  

 How far does ‘Winter’s Bone’ rely upon an understanding of its social context? Refer in detail to at least one sequence from the film. (500-700 word response) 

‘Winter’s Bone’ is more raw and realistic from relying on the social context of film. It gives us more of an understanding of the struggles and real issues the characters experience, in particular Ree. 

The reality of financial insecurity is portrayed through the mise-en-scene of the house Ree and her family lives in, the type of clothing the characters wear, the aesthetic of earthy colours which emphasise the reality of the issues and lifestyles the characters experience. No bright or bold colours are used as they suggesting artificial behaviours, portraying false intentions and not showing extreme but truthful reality as this is an insight into the reality of financial insecurity, violence, domestic abuse and mental illness.

The film mainly focuses on Ree, showing the struggles her family has to go through just survive. Ree is an example of someone who is faced by the social issues of the different neglected society she lives in, as she desperately tries to take care and provide for her whole family. Referring to the hunting scene with Ree and her siblings (38:08) the opening shot of the sequence is a close up shot of the hunting rifle, and the diegetic sound of the gun being loaded shows the confidence Ree has as a person as she has to be strong and confident. Her being confident also shows that she has done this many times before showing a routine and experience.

 The lighting is well lit, not at extremities, not high-key or low-key, but shot at a natural lighting with the colour theme of earthy and natural colours. By doing this makes the whole film feel as truthful as possible, to also portray the serious and real issues raised within the film. This can be done to expose the truth to an audience or to just raise awareness of particular issues that people struggle and suffer in their daily lives within their societies. 

 Despite Ree being the exemplar older sister image and role model for her siblings, she has to educate them too as The Community is blighted by rural poverty, lack of opportunity, low educational outcomes and sense of separation of mainstream USA infrastructure. Simple things others take for granted, such as just having an education is seen as a privilege to others who are less fortunate. The relationship Ree has with her whole family, in particular with her brother and sister, is a very different connection to any other sibling relations in any other mainstream society of America.

The following shot is a mid shot of Ree and her sister, side by side, both holding the gun. As Ree is teaching her siblings how to hunt, there is another unspoken contrast which is shown through the mise-en-scene. The types of clothing they are both wearing are similar but also very different. Similar in the terms that the clothing is old, dirty, worn out. The difference and contrast is that Ree is wearing dark green and natural colours to camouflage, which are the appropriate clothes for hunting. Her sister however is still a young child and hasn’t learned the techniques yet, as she is wearing a  light blue tinted coat with a fur outline on the hood. The clothing contrast also compares to their personalities. Ree being strong (mentally) experienced and responsible, whereas compared to her sister, she is still young, vulnerable and uneducated. 

Having the extra background information of ‘Winter’s Bone,’ by understanding the social context, I believe makes the film more effective and powerful from the social issues portrayed, as while watching the film, you can identify as the story progresses. However, the film still makes sense and is still effective even if the social context wasn’t read before viewing the film. The performance makes the story line more than clear and understandable without the social context.