Content Analysis of a Film
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Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis *
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102
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Communications
Date
Jan 9, 2024
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M08 Analysis Project - Content Analysis of a Film
Section 1 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
You have analyzed the characteristics of a competent communicator. Which
character in this film do you think is the most competent communicator
based on the traits we discussed? Why? How did the characters'
interpersonal communication skills evolve or change over the course of the
movie?
In what ways did the characters interact via mediated communication in
the movie? How do you think that impacted their communication?
In the film The Terminal, the character, Victor Novorski, portrayed by Tom Hanks
represented the most competent communicator based on the traits discussed in the textbook.
Throughout the film, his actions displayed adaptability, an ability to perform, a high level of
empathy, cognitive complexity, and self-monitoring. At the start of the movie, Victor becomes
stranded in a New York City Airport. With nearly zero knowledge and skill in the use of the
English language, he is immediately faced with a tremendous obstacle. Through careful study
and practice, Victor slowly improves upon his English throughout the course of the movie. There
is a positive correlation between his ability to speak English, and the level to which he can
effectively communicate with those around him. Moreover, this film perfectly captures the
growth and development of Viktor's interpersonal communication skills. Initially, Victor has
struggle reading or recognizing English, and his vocabulary is limited to only a few key words
that he learned prior to his travels. However, by the end of the film, victor is able to effectively
communicate with other characters in the film. He can not only read the written language, but
also, he is able to speak in full, meaningful sentences. His realization that without a working
knowledge of the native language, he will have little chance of successfully completing his goal,
provided him with the drive and motivation to adapt and overcome the obstacles at hand.
Additionally, he displayed multiple styles of conflict with different characters during the movie.
During his journey, while being forced to live in an airport terminal in a foreign land, Victor faces
many trials and tribulations. For example, the effect of language and culture, gender bias,
institutional obstacles, societal norms and expectations all impacted his ability to communicate
effectively. In this movie, the main character communicated through mediated communication
through phone calls, his pager, and video surveillance. Mediated communication served as a
buffer between those who were observing him and directly impacted his actions. In a scene
where Victor was told by Mr. Dixon that the guards wouldn’t be watching him, Victor noticed a
surveillance camera watching him. After deciding not to exit the airport, knowing he was being
watched on camera, Victor speaks to the camera knowing that Mr. Dixon is watching his every
move on the other end of the screen.
The store manager called the payphone to inform Victor
the job opening had been filled, rather than walk 15 feet to speak to him personally, is another
form of mediated communication. It was easier for the store manager to give Victor the news
over the phone, rather than face-to-face. Mediated communication factors tend to reduce the
level of intimacy in a conversation.
Section 2 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
As you learned in this course, culture has a big impact on the way we
communicate. What are some of the culture differences that effect
interpersonal communication in the movie? Provide at least two specific
examples.
Our self-concept has a lot to do with the way we communicate with others.
What are some of the aspects of personal identity and self-concept that
you believe impacts the way one of the main characters communicates
with others? Explain your answer.
There were several cultural differences in The Terminal that effected interpersonal
communication. One shining example was the language barrier faced by Victor Navorski.
Originally from a small European country, Victor has little to no practical knowledge of the
English language, making it nearly impossible for him or others to communicate even basic
needs. Furthermore, while living in an airport terminal, Victor as force to coexist with members
of various co-cultures. The co-cultures we assign ourselves to impact how we make decisions
and feel about certain topics. Initially, Victor does not belong, but as he develops and deepens
his relationships with the other characters, he now is part of their co-culture. Cultural influences
can affect the way we perceive and interpret information. Cultural influence must be considered
when determining if his behaviors were appropriate or inappropriate. I feel Victor displayed a
high level of cultural competence during this film. His resolve may have been a result of his
cultural up bringing and past experiences, having grown up in a war-torn country, Krakozhia. The
impact of growing up in environment that is violent or aggressive can have a great impact on an
individual. Additionally, some cultures place more value on the collective group rather than the
individual. Victor's self-concept and personal identity serves to help guide and navigate him
through a sea of conflict. The way he views himself, and the situation he is in directly influences
his interactions with other characters in the movie. For example, he views himself as a man with
a purpose, providing motivation to perceiver and maintain his resilience. Also, Viktor sees
himself as a passionate man, taking pride in himself, and everything he does. He gets a job on a
construction crew, after the supervisors get a glance at his capabilities. At first glance, or after
their first impression of him, they never would have guessed he could produce such results.
When considering his self-concept, I feel his view of himself is what helped him survive. He was
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a man on a mission. Family was a driving force and provided him the strength and courage to
complete the task at hand.
Section 3 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
You As you also now know. perception influences every aspect of
communication. How do you think one of the main characters was
perceived by others, and how did that impact their interpersonal
interactions? How did your own perception influence the way you view the
movie.
How does listening impact the way the characters in the movie relate to
one another? Give at least two examples.
Victor was perceived differently by several characters in the movie. The head of
homeland security viewed Victor as a threat to his own job security, and as in individual of little
importance. Mr. Dixon, a man in a position of power, didn’t see victor as a fellow person, but
more or a number on his spreadsheet. It was only through their multiple interactions and the
development of their relationship that he began to view Victor as more of an equal.
The
contractors that worked at the airport viewed Viktor as a threat, thinking he worked in a
different crew. However, the flight attendant and a majority of the airport staff viewed victor as
an equal. To them, Victor was just another traveler, a man on a voyage. When interacting with
the head of Homeland Security at the airport, Victor was often belittled, treated disrespectfully,
and lied to. He was seen as a nuisance rather that a person. Having lived post 9/11, I understand
the need for such stringent airport protocol, having been in situations where I've felt alienated
and alone, I understand Victor's perspective. Victor displayed relational listening when
interacting with the janitor, and the customs officer. Relational listening aims to understand the
feelings of theirs and increases awareness of the emotions of others. One of Victor’s great
qualities was his ability to listen. He allowed the Janitor to express his concerns, and also was
able to empathize with him. During his interactions with the customs officer, Ms. Torres, he
asked questions from her “secret admirer”, he also engages in relational listening. He provides
positive feedback via nonverbal and verbal communication, to show the speaker he is actively
engaged and interested in what they have to say. He displayed task-oriented listening with the
Head of Homeland Security, keeping the primary task of returning home, at hand. Even in his
developing relationship with the flight attendant, Mr. Navorski demonstrates his ability to listen
to the emotions and feelings of others.
Section 4 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
As we know, language is a big factor in interpersonal communication. Give
at least 3 examples of language use in the movie between some of the
main characters.
While language is important, we also know that nonverbal communication
plays a major role in how we communicate (content vs. relational
message). There are likely many facial expressions in the movie, among
other nonverbal expressions, that say a lot more than words. Give at least
3 examples of nonverbal communication in the movie.
Language in communication is perhaps one of the largest themes in communication
present in this film. Victor's interactions with Amelia the flight attendant, Officer Torres, and
Frank Dixon the acting field commissioner for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection are three
examples of language use. Amelia believes Victor is forced to travel frequent due to work, later
causing conflict because she feels he lied to her. During interactions early in the film, Victor is
unable to communicate his current situation to her. Due to her misunderstanding, she feels that
Victor has misled her. This is also a display of her stigma and prejudice towards men. Due to her
past experiences, she has a mistrust for male in general. As Victor’s knowledge of English
increase, so does his ability to communicate verbally how he feels, or the predicament he finds
himself in. In one scene, Victor does not understand the instructions given to him by officer
Torres because he knows very little English, causing him to waste an entire day in line. He
wastes much of his time throughout the movie, due to miscommunications or
misunderstandings. Luckily, time is the one thing on his side.
In another scene, Mr. Dixon has
difficulty explaining to Victor that if he claims to be "afraid of returning home", Mr. Dixon will be
forced to let him enter New York City. This scene is a perfect display of how language barriers
can interfere with communication. A key focus of the movie was the growth and development
of the many new relationships Victor formed. Without his efforts to learn English, he would
never have been able to reach the same level of depth in his relationships. The day-to-day
struggles of living in a foreign world melted away as he integrated himself into American
culture.
When thinking of nonverbal communication, I think back to a scene where Victor is
shaking a bottle of pills at man who was also detained at the airport. Victor repeatedly shakes
the bottle of pills, reminding the other individual what he needed to focus on. This is also the
first and only time in the movie that Victor’s native language helped him to resolve a conflict
and at the same time benefit one of his only other relationships. Another example would be
Amelia crying in the airport because her boyfriend left her. Victor saw her physical expression of
emotion and showed empathy for her situation. Furthermore, interactions between Victor and
janitor demonstrate the use of body movements and gestures in nonverbal communication. In
early scenes, before their relationship had time to develop, the janitor would shake his mop,
run, and make angry faces. These examples of nonverbal communication display his initial anger
and distrust for Victor.
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Section 5 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
How do the main characters portray their emotions? Give three examples.
As we know, conflict is a big part of our interaction with others. Give two
examples of how conflict was displayed in the movie.
Every individual finds a way to portray their emotions in their own unique way and the
characters in The Terminal are no different. We portray ourselves, or show our emotions,
through our relationships and reaction to conflict. Amelia often portrays her emotions verbally
with Victor in her discussions about her relationship with a married man, and non-verbally
when she is excited to see her boyfriend at the airport. Viktor portrays his emotions nonverbally
with his calm demeanor, as well as his verbally by treating others with kindness and respect.
The way Mr. Dixon dresses, his serious facial expressions, and his stern demeanor are nonverbal
communications reflect his attitude throughout the movie. Communication based conflict arise
throughout the movie. In a heated scene, there was a conflict between Mr. Dixon and a
detained passenger who had his medication confiscated. The central conflict of the movie was
between Mr. Dixon and Victor. Mr. Dixon tried to lure victor into illegally leaving the airport, he
tried to trick victor into claiming he was afraid of his home country and hiring someone to
prevent Victor from collecting the luggage carts in the airport. Furthermore, conflicts arise
between Amelia and Victor when she finds out he is living in the airport, thinking he lied to her.
Section 6 (1-2 paragraphs, or 1-2 Slides, or 1-2 minute video segment):
Explain why you believe two of the main characters formed a relationship,
from the beginning of chapter 10. What was at least one aspect of their
interpersonal attraction? Or explain how Knapp’s Relational Stages are
portrayed.
Were the main characters friends, family or in a romantic relationship?
Explain at least one relationship type and what characteristics made you
determine the relationship type. How does the communication between
the characters affect the story and the relationships portrayed in the
movie?
I think it’s important to highlight several relationships that were formed during this
movie. Viktor develops a close relationship with Amelia the flight attendant. The experimenting
stage was most evident to me, as they got to know each other a little bit more each time they
ran into each other. Eventually, they sat down and ate dinner together, on a date. A relationship
developed between officer Torres and the Enrique. Using Victor as a middleman Enrique
initiates the relationship. Every day when Victor speaks to officer Torres, he finds out more
about her for Enrique. By the end of the movie their relationship reached the bonding stage
because they got married. A final example would be the relationship between Victor and the
Janitor. Initially the janitor views Victor as a threat, but as the movie they become friends. Victor
agrees to fly back home, sacrificing his dream, to protect the Janitor from Mr. Dixon's threats.
The main characters in this movie formed and developed friendships. Everyone accepted one
another, despite differing cultures and race, they practiced empathetic communication, listening
to each other’s problems and offering support, supported each other’s goals, and did favors for
one another.
Reference:
Adler, Ronald, B. et al.
Adler: Interplay
. Available from: Yuzu Reader, (15th Edition). Oxford
University Press Academic US, 2020.
Middlebury Language Schools.
Language learning: Why is intercultural communication
important?
. Middlebury Language Schools. (2023, November 28).
https://www.middlebury.edu/language-schools/blog/language-learning-why-intercultural-
communication-important#:~:text=The%20capacity%20to%20communicate%20with,%2C
%20social%20norms%2C%20and%20habits.
University of Minnesota. (2016, September 29).
6.3 emotions and Interpersonal Communication
.
Communication in the Real World. https://open.lib.umn.edu/communication/chapter/6-3-
emotions-and-interpersonal-communication/
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