A SINGLE MAN
A Single Man is set in 1960’s Los Angeles,
which in itself constructs the social expectations of a single English
professor. The protagonist George contradicts social beliefs of the 1960’s
through his behavior and surroundings. His house is impeccable and modern
compared to his neighboring houses, which display American dreams and white
picket fences. As an English professor he contradicts societies normality’s
through a lecture that displays his contemporary beliefs and profound thoughts
that contrast an ‘idealistic’ 1960’s structured idea on social behavior.
“A minority is only thought of by some when
it constitutes some type of threat to the majority, a real threat or a imagined
one, and therein lies the fear” states George as he looses his social graces
during a lecture. He establishes his world as he talks, inadvertently relating
to his own sexuality as a gay man as a minority. George had been cut off from
his old life when his boyfriend dies in a car accident; he is cut off from the
family after the funeral because of social resistance to differences. His
partner’s death is the catalyzing event that turns his universe upside down,
forcing him into a state of melancholy and segregation. The characters obstacle
is his own exclusion from society, he faces extreme inner torment as seen
throughout the movie when we are shown his point of view through close ups,
establishing to the audience that his thought process is more profound than an
average person. Everything about George is different and he seems to be living
outside societies own verdict of his self-governing behavior.
The movie portrays George’s fantasy of
taking his own life to escape this internal torture and grief which he faces
daily. He is a fish out of water, alone and depressed to the point where he is
so excluded from his own being there is no where to go but into the future as
he states “death is the future”. George’s goal is to escape his grief and
because of this unbearable pain, he attempts to experience beauty and pleasure
as he embarks on an emotional rollercoaster throughout his last day. This is
implied through his colourful interactions with others and with himself, as
well as his detailed preparation for his death, such as when he empties his
safety deposit box and relives one of his happiest memories, or as he sets up
his accounts and his will on his desk for when they find him. George seems
content with his decision until he reaches a point in the day where life is too
interesting and full to ignore.
Throughout the entire film George has
reoccurring dreams of drowning, being surrounded by water and not being able to
come up for air. These dreams are worked into the film periodically along with
a ticking clock sound that adds suspense whilst symbolizing his grief and the
foreshadowing of his ultimate end. When George actually has a near death
experience by almost drowning in the ocean, it seems to awaken the will to live
inside him. All the events of that day are pulled into this moment where he has
to choose between drowning or surfacing. George fights and in turn is rescued
as he realizes he still posses the will to live.
Yet, a paradox is reached by the climax of
the film when George comes to a state of peace with himself and his existence,
deciding that life is full of moments of clarity, these moments so beautiful
that they are worth living for. He feels as though he has finally surfaced from
his depression. As he reaches this stage of content, the symbolic clock that
has been ticking throughout the entire film stops, and so does George’s heart.
By Rachel A Giddens
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