Sling Blade Character Analysis

Success In a Hero
This semester we have watched many films from different points of view. Out of all the movies I found Sling Blade to be the most successful. Both the play and screenplay of Sling Blade were directed by Billy Bob Thornton in 1996. Sling Blade was mostly shot in omniscient point of view which allowed the audience to know all the thoughts and feelings of the characters most of the time. The protagonist or main character is Karl Childers. Karl who has a raspy voice,overshot jaw, and is mentally disabled was put into a state facility or mental hospital where he stayed for several years after killing his mother and a character named Jesse Dixon with a sling blade. In the beginning of the movie we are introduced to Karl listening to another patient at the hospital, we then are presented with information that Karl's sentence is almost up and that he might get released for what he did. Karl has an interview where we learn why he killed his mother and Jesse Dixon. Karl explains that he saw Jesse raping his mother and killed him, after he was done his mother denied what had happened and Karl was so angry that he then killed her too. During the interview we as an audience

This film to me was the most successful because it showed the struggles that the protagonist had to go through, Karl first found out that everything was going to change during his departure when he left the institution. He then had to go through a road of trials and tests to get to his return. The film used many different techniques to help pull the audience in. The lighting when Karl is getting interviewed, the music played until he starts talking about him killing his mother and Jesse, the framing, and the deep focus are all some of these techniques. This film had an impact on me because it caused me to symphosize over Karl and want to help him because it allowed me to know all his thought and