“People only see what they are prepared to see” is a well-known quote by Ralph Waldo, highlighting how the purpose of a text can frequently go unnoticed and be misconstrued by the observer. Individuals often have a restricted worldview, but it is the Distinctly Visual element of a text that enables the viewer to develop a more comprehensive comprehension.
Distinctly Visual texts utilize various techniques to create and mold the audience’s perspective or interpretation. To visualize a text, the responder must interpret all the presented images. John Misto’s Shoe-Horn Sonata appears initially as a play depicting two friends reconnecting after five decades of separation. However, it realistically implies the futility and horror of war. The combination of techniques employed in Shoe-Horn Sonata enables the viewer to grasp the multiple facets of the text.
John Misto employs conventional theatrical techniques, including dialogue, lighting, and a minimalistic set design, to construct a comprehensive image for the viewers and convey meaning. These techniques are juxtaposed with a multimedia screen and sound effects, which play a crucial role in enabling the audience to interpret the visual representation. Metallica’s supplementary text, “One,” can also be interpreted in multiple ways. “One” similarly emphasizes the pointlessness and horror of war by utilizing unsettling dialogue and shocking visuals that explore the depths of human cruelty. By examining the themes and methods of representation, audiences can identify similarities between these texts.
Metallica incorporates a live band format in their video and uses excerpts from ‘Johnny Got His Gun’ to bring attention to the dehumanizing nature of war and to provide a deeper understanding of life during times of conflict. Both John Misto and Metallica, as composers, allow for various interpretations and multiple perspectives of their works. Despite the saying that “people only see what they are prepared to see,” both Misto and Metallica ensure that a common theme is evident and understood by viewers. The Shoe-Horn Sonata is a text that is particularly visual.
The staging of the Shoe-Horn Sonata is relatively simple, with only two sets required. One set represents a television studio, with an “On Air” sign and a microphone, while the other represents a hotel room, complete with a bed and mini bar. Minimal props are used, including a suitcase, the Shoe-Horn, some photographs, and embroidery. Typically, there are only two actors on stage at a time. In the background, a multimedia screen displays images that are important to the play, accompanied by specific music that helps to conclude certain scenes.
The use of images in the play is emphasized by Misto through a combination of music, visuals, lighting, and sound to enhance the meaning conveyed in the dialogue. These visual images effectively represent the topics discussed by the women and contribute to shaping the audience’s interpretations. Misto also highlights the importance of suggested sounds and music, which are connected to the actions and memories of the play’s two main characters. The songs featured in each scene serve as a reflection of the underlying theme and complement the dialogue. Through these various techniques, Misto successfully influences the audience’s perspective by controlling their visual experience.
The use of modern dramatic techniques by Misto, such as the multimedia screen, presents the audience with images of emaciated and hungry men prisoners in a war camp. These images are consistently displayed throughout the play, serving to depict the hardships and appalling conditions of prisoners of war. Misto’s intention was to ensure that everyone understands the suffering endured by these individuals. Thus, the inclusion of disturbing images on the multimedia screen compels viewers to contemplate the futility of war and the senseless loss of life experienced by both sides involved in the conflict.
Throughout the play, Misto utilizes lighting in various ways. In the TV studio setting, the lighting creates an environment reminiscent of an interview, with a sterile atmosphere. However, in the hotel room setting, the lighting is bright and depicts an optimistic and welcoming atmosphere. Misto skillfully uses lighting to convey different emotions to the viewers, depending on the brightness and direction of the light. In the TV Studio setting, the themes explored are the harsh treatment of prisoners of war in the camps and the senselessness of war. On the other hand, in the hotel setting, the themes focus on camaraderie, trust, and regret.
Misto creates a contrast in order to show the viewer both perspectives. The opening scene begins in darkness, and the voice of Bridie, one of the main characters, breaks the silence. The spotlight highlights Bridie as she recalls a memory of the past, specifically how the Japanese used to torture them by forcing them to kowtow for extended periods of time. Bridie even reenacts the kowtow, immersing the audience in the story immediately.
John Misto uses specific lighting to capture the audience’s attention and direct it towards Bridie, who stands alone in a spotlight. This lighting choice gives us a glimpse of the focus of the upcoming text, as Bridie discusses her experiences during the war. Through this positioning, Misto conveys to the audience that this play will delve into the brutality of war and its impact on the lives of its protagonists. Additionally, the audience can notice the presence of an “On-Air” sign in the background, signaling that Bridie is being interviewed. Throughout the interview, Rick, the interviewer, poses questions while music and war images are projected on the screen behind Bridie.
The audience is aware they are watching a television documentary as Bridie is asked to remember the events from fifty years ago. Misto uses lighting to create a dark and gloomy atmosphere, directed at the viewer. Bridie, as a young girl, leaves Chatswood to follow her father’s path and seek adventure. The shoehorn, a recurring image, is mentioned in this scene. In the initial screening, Bridie appears as a determined and powerful woman recalling painful memories.
This scene serves to introduce Bridie and establish her identity, while also giving the audience a glimpse into the past and the memories of her years of imprisonment. In doing so, it fulfills the purpose of providing exposition. Bridie conveys the immense danger faced by prisoners, including overcrowded ships journeying towards enemy fleets and the constant fear of rape for women. This serves to establish some of the conflicts that arise later in the play between Bridie, the Australian protagonist, and Sheila, a former English schoolgirl.
The introduction of Sheila in Scene Two initiates the primary conflict in the play, depicted through Misto’s minimalistic setting. The utilization of various settings throughout the play additionally aids in expressing diverse themes. Similarly, Metallica’s song “One,” adapted from Dalton Trumbo’s novel ‘Johnny Got His Gun,’ serves as another prime instance of a distinctly visual text. This composition narrates the tale of a soldier gravely wounded during World War One, resulting in total paralysis and loss of bodily function except for his brain.
The combination of techniques in the film clip and lyrics creates a profound impression on the viewer, similar to the Shoe-Horn Sonata. “One” reflects on the pointlessness of war and its terrifying ordeals, effectively conveyed through visuals and dialogue from Johnny Got His Gun merged with emotive music and lyrics. The unsettling conversations and startling imagery from the Johnny Got His Gun film clip are crucial to the film’s impact. Additionally, colors and sepia tones used in the clip effectively reinforce war’s somberness.
