What's Eating Glibert Grape

In the film What's Eating Glibert Grape, Misc-en-scene and diegesis played a big role in creating the tone and underlying story to complete the plot as a whole. The house itself is a symbol for the Grape family; decaying and falling apart, there are many focused shots through out the film of the creaking floorboards and the dust falling from the ceiling. The basement shots are a diegsis, from Glibert trying to fix up the basement, how Dad is always an sensitive topic, and the shot of his grave; it tells a story underneath the surface, that Gilbert's father suffered from some sort of mental illness, probably depression, and hung himself in the basement of the house. Trees are also a symbol for Ernie, it's his safe place. With the mind of a five year old, whenever he feels insecure, or just wants attention, he goes to his tree; he is afraid of water, but Becky got him to jump into the pound from the tree toward the end of the film. The entire family knows that if they cant find Arnie, hes up in the tree, yet they all still play along with him, pretending not being able to see him, a typical game played only with toddlers; showing Arnie's mental development and the family's patience with him even if they are struggling.

A major diegesis in this film is Gilbert's feeling of being trapped, trapped in the old and boring town, like "dancing with no music". The way stripes and horizontal backgrounds, boxed shots, everything gives the audience the feeling of hopelessness, of being trapped and unable to break free for his own happiness.  Through out the film, Glibert is almost always seen with Arnie; looking for him, helping him, bathing him, and caring for him. In most of the scenes with Gilbert and Arnie in the same shot, Arnie is wearing stripes; like a prison cell, Gliberts own personal cell but he can't do anythng about it because he loves Arnie. The stripes are everywhere within the shots with Gilbert; behind him in the store, the blinds in his house, and even the frames of the truck, he is trapped no matter where he goes. The misc-en-scene of the way the shots are set up, gives a suffocating feeling, almost impossible to escape. Becky however, is the opposite, she is always wearing bright colors with vibrant patterns, she is the freedom for Gilbert.