Chopin And AthenaiseIn the story “Athenaise,” Chopin portrayal of the character Cazeau isalmost a direct reflection of the character Karol Karol from the film”White.” Both men love their respective wives deeply, but they alsorealize that their wives do not feel the same. These men have to struggle withthe inner turmoil of letting go of the women they love. In the film”White,” the director portrayed the change in Karol Karol through theuse of flashbacks. Kieslowski uses flashbacks to show us Karol’s past. This isdone many times throughout the film; the audience saw Karol Karol reflect backto his wedding day as he walked up the steps of the court house on his way tohis divorce hearing. This flashback was interrupted when a bird relieved himselfon Karol Karol; the author used the bird as a subtle kickback to reality.
Kieslowski uses this method many more times in the duration of the film, and asa result he shows the importance of Karol Karol letting go of his wife. Chopinalso used flashbacks to show us the change in Cazeau. The character Cazeau is inlove with Athenaise, but she like Karol’s wife Dominique does not feel the sameabout Cazeau. Athenaise ran away to her parents house, and Cazeau followed herdetermined to take her home with him. The flashback occurred on their trip home.
Cazeau and Athenaise passed an oak tree on their journey, and this treetriggered the flashback. Cazeau upon seeing this tree recalled a memory of whenhe and his father were returning a runaway slave to their home. This memorycaused Cazeau to feel as if he were treating Athenaise as a slave. The authorused the flashback of Cazeau’s youth to make the character realize theimportance of freeing his wife. Both, Chopin and Kieslowski used flashback as atool to bring about a change in both Karol Karol and Cazeau. In both stories thehusbands loved their wives, but upon remembering a event of their past thehusbands both felt that for all to be happy it would be best for them to let goof their love. There is a strong similarity between the way both characters wentthrough their change, and also in the change that occurred.
English Essays
