Literary Devices in Non–Western Films: The City of God

LITERARY DEVICES IN NON–WESTERN FILMS
By (Name)
Name of the Class (Course)
Professor (Tutor)
Name of the School (University)
City and State
Date
Literary Devices in Non–Western Films
Introduction
Literal and stylistic devices enable the authors to convey information conveniently and accurately to the target audience. Stougaard-Nielsen (2019) defines literary devices as tools an author incorporates to infer a more profound meaning or theme. They also enhance the quality of content and enabling an author to achieve his main objectives (Gabrielsen, Blikstad-Balas, and Tengberg 2019). In addition to using various stylistic devices, The City of God and No Man's Land differ from traditional Hollywood films in their film approach by incorporating notions of the third cinema movement. For instance, The City of God aspires to portray the social realities of poverty, gang violence, and drugs in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. Similarly, No Man's Land represents the human cost of war without glorifying either of the two sides or even the UN, which tries to remain impartial despite the suffering caused by the Bosnian War. Both films deviate from the commercial genre of Hollywood filmmaking by focusing on the social and political realities of the communities and nations they represent.
Stylistic and Literary Devices in The City of God
Cinematography
Cinematography is incorporated to enhance the film quality and infer key and deep meanings regarding the themes in The City of God. Cinematography constitutes the art of camerawork and photography in filmmaking. Competent authors effectively use cinematography to evoke an emotional reaction from the audience (Totawad 2019). The effective use of cinematography is depicted in how the slum transforms throughout the film while presenting the favela. At the film's beginning, the slum is portrayed as an open field where characters can play football. However, as the author offers insight into the inner setting of the slums, the audience can ascertain a transformation in critical features. First, the open spaces become cramped with narrow streets, tin-roofed shacks, graffiti-spattered walls, and apartment blocks (Mqtthxw 2019). The transition enables the audience to associate with the progressively dangerous nature of the favelas. Furthermore, it is in these cramped spaces that a majority of the characters are imprisoned and murdered. Overall, the director creates an illusion where characters are hemmed and must tolerate gruesome conditions. Therefore, the cinematography approach is reparable and informative to prepare the audience for a deeper insight into the critical issues in the favelas. 
In the scene "The Story of the Apartment," the director effectively uses arrangements and lighting to create an illusion of tableaux. While the film is primarily mobile, this scene first prevents the audience from seeing the character's view in the apartment. However, when an idea is permitted, the characters are offered a wide-angle lens of the apartment's interior. This style creates an exaggerated misappropriation of the characters' appearances. Put into perspective, they appear prominently in the foreground and more minor in the backgr...