Stranger Than Fiction Symbolism

In the movie, Stranger than Fiction, the director develops the major character in the film, which is Harold, by using different elements such as cinematography, visual design, literary concepts, and sound/music. By using these elements, the director guides the viewer to understand the point of view, psychology, and emotional dimension of the character. For instance, at the beginning of the film, sound is used to narrate and describe Harold’s personality. The narrator guides the audience as the voice gives us insight on his actions. As the narrator speaks, the screen is filled with visual designs that include numbers and diagrams. This allows us to comprehend Harold’s psychology because it indicates his obsession with organization, calculations, and time. Moments at the beginning of the scene that display this would be when the narrator says how many strokes it takes for him to brush his teeth, the number of steps he walks, and the timing of his breaks at work. The fact that his life revolves around time …show more content…
The colors in his neat apartment, which are dull, symbolize his personality because at the beginning of the film, he is boring and lonely. Karen’s setting, such as the bakery, is colorful and bright. The windows are stained glass, and the place is decorative with a variety of colors. This shows her personality because she is the opposite of Harold since she is more talkative and outgoing. The place they live and work reflect the personality of the characters. The film, Stranger than Fiction, shows the development of the major character, Harold, by using sound, visual design, cinematography, and literary concepts to give the audience insight on Harold’s psychology, emotional dimension, and point of view. The watch symbolizes Harold’s actions, the colors and locations symbolize his personality, and the composition of specific scenes indicate his