Binary oppositions blog
- 1. Binary Oppositions A binary opposition (also binary system) is a pair of related terms or concepts that are opposite in meaning. Binary opposition is the system by which, in language and thought, two theoretical opposites are strictly defined and set off against one another. For example: Good VS Bad Insecurity VS Security West VS East Women VS Men In my thriller opening there isn’t really a specific binary opposition however ‘weak VS strong’ could be used to show how the group of teenagers in the woods are vulnerable and then because one character is killed by someone who is ‘unknown’ in the start, it shows the killer as the stronger character. The binary oppositions work in a narrative to establish who the good and bad characters are or in this case the weak and strong. We cannot conceive the concept of ‘weak’ without the presence of ‘strong’ with which to compare it to and therefore define it against one another. Examples Usually the typical horror film will use binary oppositions in their plots, particularly good and evil, sane and insane, rational and irrational and human and supernatural. Harry Potter – Drama/Mystery/Thriller Harry is constantly seen as the ‘good’ guy throughout the harry potter series and is wanted dead by the ‘bad’ guy, Voldemort. Pictures can be used to represent the binary oppositions in films. This photo expresses the binary opposition of good and bad clearly to the audience