Motifs

The use of the spinning top is an important symbol that is carried throughout the film of Inception. It holds the significance to whether the characters in the film are in reality or a dream. This is known as a motive in a film because it carries a symbolic reference and is repeated throughout.

 

The reason for using the spinning top as the motif connotes the idea that life is being compared to a game. This is because the object is commonly known as being used by children for a game, as a form of entertainment especially in the Victorian time period, where entertainment was limited for children. So this suggests that by choosing a spinning top as the object for the motif, it creates a sense of surrealism and throughout the film the characters use the spinning top  to differentiate between when they are in a dream or reality.

 

 The final scene of Inception shows the main character ‘Cobb’ returning home to see his kids, in the film he has a very distant relationship with his children. When he finally is embraced by the hugs of his children, there is a sense of false reality and the idea of it being too good too be true for the character. This suggests to the audience that he is likely to be dreaming. The only way this concept can be tested is by the use of the spinning top. Therefore, the film chooses the mise-en-scene carefully by cleverly placing the object of the motif in the final scene, however just as it looks as if the spinning top is about to topple over, the shot cuts to a black screen and the film ends. This controversial end to the film, is debated and has a lot of different answers and opinions to whether the spinning top fell or continued to spin and questions to what this means. This is where you can see the significance of a motif in a film. It’s about making a statement, and the clever statement that is suggested by the motif really brings the film together and leaves the audience wanting more answers, which I believe shows the true quality and intelligence of a film.

 

 

 

 

The whole of idea of the ending is to debate the philosophical idea that argues that you cannot know if anything is real. And expresses the idea that all senses of reality are important, due to the reaction of the audience which shows the determination of wanting to know the answer – even though the film itself is a sort of virtual-reality. This therefore shows the importance of all reality.  And does it even matter whether it is reality or not and the most important question of what reality even is?

 

To conclude, from this research of the use of motifs in films, it shows motifs have a purpose to elicit a response from the audience. Whether this is to inspire philosophical questions about reality like in Inception or another psychological thriller like Donnie Darko, or if the motifs purpose is to frighten or spook the audience like the use of motifs in the horror thriller, The Sixth Sense. The way the film approaches the use of the motif can always evoke a response in the audience, which I believe is the most important use of the motif in any film.