Sunday, November 13, 2011

Dr. Augustine

In my opinion, one of the most character-defining points in Avatar is within the first few minutes of the movie, when the character Dr. Grace Augustine comes out of her link unit. Here is her first quote of the movie:

“Who’s got my goddamned cigarette? Guys! What’s wrong with this picture?”

The quote kind of throws the watcher on his heels, since the quote contains such rough language compared with what you’d expect from a stereotypical female doctor. But this quote is significant because it sets the stage for what the viewer feels about Dr. Augustine. I instantly felt as though the place she was in was a difficult, strenuous place, and she was a no-nonsense pragmatist. I discovered over the next few scenes that I was correct in my initial assessment, but that assessment was based off of that first link unit scene. Initial scenes and quotes of characters will greatly affect the viewer's feelings towards and about that person. The audience is already being argued into a position of what Pandora is like before they have even seen it!  

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