The characters in All About Eve are driven by a search for acceptance.

[janet.maylin]

Hello! I would love it if you guys could could read over this and suggest feedback (Preferably before Wednesday since that's when my SAC is.)Thank you so much!!

Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic black-and-white film, “All About Eve”, dissects the ways in which certain characters are driven on a quest for acceptance by society, their friends and their own self-acceptance. Through the eyes of Eve Harrington, Mankiewicz underscores the dangers of fully abiding by society’s standards, in wishing to be accepted, as you risk losing your identity. On the other hand, Addison is an individual who thrives on being an outsider, yearning for respect and reverence rather than acceptance. Lastly, Mankiewicz illustrates through Margo’s character development, Margo’s eventual self-acceptance as she becomes more confident of Bill’s love for her, and how her happiness derives from being freed from the shackles of society’s beauty standards for women.

Through the portrayal of Eve Harrington, Mankiewicz explores the ways in which Eve deceptively gains the theatre group’s acceptance, using it to her advantage to advance up the ladder. Indeed, when Eve recounted her ‘tragic life story’ to her attentive audience Margo, Karen and Lloyd, Eve’s only purpose was to elicit sympathy and be granted entrance into the group. The pithy voice and regulated gasping are too orchestrating, demonstrating the ruthlessness she is willing to employ to vie for their acceptance. The next step is the theatre itself. In the scene when Eve Harrington is seated at the bottom of the staircase, which indicates her social class, viewers come to witness Eve’s desire to be centre on the theatrical stage. The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting is reflected in her eyes, literally portrays her as star-struck, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience. This in contrast to Margo’s throwaway remark that applause is just ‘something to do till the aisles get less crowded’ shows Eve’s naivety, as she is unaware of how temporary applause really is. In equating genuine love to applause, Eve views applause as an indicator of society’s acceptance of her; an acceptance that she constantly yearns to achieve. In fact, so consumed she is by this that at the end of the film, Eve’s theme music bleeds into the grandeur of the ‘theatre theme’, as this deliberate music transition connotes Eve’s loss of identity. Hence, through Eve, Mankiewicz shows the intensity which one may desire for acceptance; a desire which Eve becomes victim to, as she sacrifices her identity to be enveloped in fame.

However, Mankiewicz presents Addison as an individual who is not necessarily driven by a need to be accepted, but instead, celebrates his superiority over others. In Addison and Eve’s confrontation, a low angle shot is utilized as Addison rises from his chair to accentuate his need to assert his power. He is clearly the one in control while Eve remains in a servile, kneeling position on the floor. However, Addison’s seemingly impenetrable appearance is not so. Eve’s mocking of Addison’s words when he declares she will ‘belong to me’, emphasizes his insecurity as he slaps her across the cheek. The fact that she should never ‘laugh’ at him, demonstrates his need to be respected and revered at all times. Ultimately, Addison’s possession of Eve from here on out, hints at the isolation that comes with being fixated on reverence; however, this does not largely bother him. His scurrilous attack on Margo through his review suggests that he is not necessarily single mindedly focused on the theatre group’s acceptance of him, as he is willing to evoke the wrath of Margo and distance himself from them, if it means being one step closer to manipulating Eve. As he describes himself, he is the ‘trappist monk’, devoting his life to the theatre. He revels in the fact that he remains ‘essential to the theatre’, in control of the fate of others and of his own. Hence, Mankiewicz shows Addison as an individual how is driven by his own self-assertion, and hence, conveys some form of desire for acceptance by others and society is needed to form genuine connections.

At first, Margo’s attempt to adhere to the beauty standards of society result in her insecurities. This is particularly accentuated in the car scene, when Margo confides to Karen of her self-doubts. Justifying her previously appalling behavior to Eve due to the fact that Eve is so ‘young’ and ‘feminine’ Margo’s sadness is evident as the close-up reveals her eyes slightly downcast. It is here she realizes her desire to have Bill; she is even willing to sacrifice her career. However, the main problem is Margo does not self-accept. The fact that Margo does not know who she is, sets up the expectations that she does not expect Bill does, which is probably one reason for avoiding marriage. In the scene when Margo stands next to the large sized caricature, when Margo arrives late to the audition, the caricature, which emblemises Margo Channing as an actress, who appears young, beautiful and skinny, threatens to smother the true Margo Channing: Margo Channing cannot tell the difference between the two. However, it is in the Cub Room, that we see the genuine happiness of Margo’s face, as she says she will not play Cora. In not choosing, for now, to pursue her acting career, Margo does not need to be actress Margo Channing, allowing her room to find herself and accept herself as she explores the true Margo Channing, who will be a ‘downright, forthright married lady’. Hence, while Margo was at first, somewhat fixated on meeting society’s standards, in the end, Margo finds genuine happiness in her friends’ acceptance of her and of herself, finding herself-acceptance along life’s path instead of pursuing it.

Ultimately, Mankiewicz shows some characters who are driven by some form of need for acceptance, or in Addison’s case, reverence. Mankiewicz explores the choices made for the character to achieve their goals and the consequence (whether positive or negative) that arises from each of these. Whereas Eve loses her sense of identity, Margo gains hers partly due to the different forms of acceptance that each yearn for. Addison, on the other hand, largely does not wish for mere ‘acceptance’, resulting in isolation. Hence, through these characters, Mankiewicz shows the ways in which desiring for one’s acceptance can be beneficial or fatal, and how they overcome these. 

[FallingStar]

Hello! I would love it if you guys could could read over this and suggest feedback (Preferably before Wednesday since that's when my SAC is.)Thank you so much!!

Please give a short, contextual overview about the views and values of the time.
Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic black-and-white film, “All About Eve”, dissects the ways in which certain characters are driven on a quest for acceptance by society, their friends and their own self-acceptance. Through the eyes of Eve Harrington, (Your phrase her implies that Eve Harrington actually narrates in the film, which she doesn't.) Mankiewicz underscores the dangers of fully abiding by society’s standards, in wishing to be accepted, as you risk losing your identity. On the other hand, Addison is an individual who thrives on being an outsider, yearning for respect and reverence rather than acceptance. Lastly, Mankiewicz illustrates through Margo’s character development, Margo’s eventual self-acceptance as she becomes more confident of Bill’s love for her, and how her happiness derives from being freed from the shackles of society’s beauty standards for women.

Through the portrayal of Eve Harrington, Mankiewicz explores the ways in which Eve deceptively gains the theatre group’s acceptance, using it to her advantage to advance up the ladder. Indeed, when Eve recounted her ‘tragic life story’ to her attentive audience Margo, Karen and Lloyd, Eve’s only purpose was to elicit sympathy and be granted entrance into the group. The pithy voice and regulated gasping are too orchestrating, demonstrating the ruthlessness she is willing to employ to vie for their acceptance.  The next step is the theatre itself. In the scene when Eve Harrington is seated at the bottom of the staircase, which indicates her social class, viewers come to witness Eve’s desire to be centre on the theatrical stage. (Too many ideas in one sentence. Can be a little confusing) The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting is reflected in her eyes, literally portrays her as star-struck, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience.  This (Insert noun here) in contrast to Margo’s throwaway remark that applause is just ‘something to do till the aisles get less crowded’ shows Eve’s naivety, as she is unaware of how temporary applause really is. In equating genuine love to applause, Eve views applause as an indicator of society’s acceptance of her; an acceptance that she constantly yearns to achieve. In fact, so consumed she is by this that at the end of the film, Eve’s theme music bleeds into the grandeur of the ‘theatre theme’, as this deliberate music transition connotes Eve’s loss of identity as a consequence. Hence, through Eve, Mankiewicz shows the intensity which one may desire for acceptance; a desire which Eve becomes victim to, as she sacrifices her identity to be enveloped in fame.

However, Mankiewicz presents Addison as an individual who is not necessarily driven by a need to be accepted, but instead, celebrates his superiority over others. In Addison and Eve’s confrontation, a low angle shot is utilized as Addison rises from his chair to accentuate his need to assert his power. He is clearly the one in control while Eve remains in a servile, kneeling position on the floor. However, Addison’s seemingly impenetrable appearance is not so. Eve’s mocking of Addison’s words when he declares she will ‘belong to me’, emphasizes his insecurity as he slaps her across the cheek. The fact that she should never ‘laugh’ at him, demonstrates his need to be respected and revered at all times. Ultimately, Addison’s possession of Eve from here on out, hints at the isolation that comes with being fixated on reverence; however, this does not largely bother him. His scurrilous attack on Margo through his review suggests that he is not necessarily single mindedly focused on the theatre group’s acceptance of him, as he is willing to evoke the wrath of Margo and distance himself from them, if it means being one step closer to manipulating Eve. explain the significance of this example As he describes himself, he is the ‘trappist monk’, devoting his life to the theatre. He revels in the fact that he remains ‘essential to the theatre’, in control of the fate of others and of his own Also note that this quote highlights his view that he is better than everyone else . Hence, Mankiewicz shows Addison as an individual how is driven by his own self-assertion, and hence, conveys some form of desire for acceptance by others and society is needed to form genuine connections. imo it may be better to focus on his pursuit of his superiority. Like in the film, he just believes himself to be superior to everyone else.

At first, Margo’s attempt to adhere to the beauty standards of society result in her insecurities. This is particularly accentuated in the car scene, when Margo confides to Karen of her self-doubts. Justifying her previously appalling behaviour to Eve due to the fact that Eve is so ‘young’ and ‘feminine’ Margo’s sadness is evident as the close-up reveals her eyes slightly downcast. good It is here she realizes her desire to have Bill; she is even willing to sacrifice her career. However, the main problem is Margo does not self-accept. The fact that Margo does not know who she is, sets up the expectations that she does not expect Bill does, which is probably one reason for avoiding marriage. In the scene when Margo stands next to the large sized caricature, when Margo arrives late to the audition, the caricature, which emblemises Margo Channing as an actress, who appears young, beautiful and skinny, threatens to smother the true Margo Channing: Margo Channing cannot tell the difference between the two signifying her lack of acceptance of her true self rather than her actress self. . However, it is in the Cub Room, that we see the genuine happiness of Margo’s face, as she says she will not play Cora. In not choosing, for now, to pursue her acting career, Margo does not need to be actress Margo Channing, allowing her room to find herself and accept herself as she explores the true Margo Channing, who will be a ‘downright, forthright married lady’. Hence, while Margo was at first, somewhat fixated on meeting society’s standards, in the end, Margo finds genuine happiness in her friends’ acceptance of her and of herself, finding herself-acceptance along life’s path instead of pursuing it. Consider the scene where Margo is dejected upon hearing Addison's review and how she become happy when Bill arrives.

Ultimately, Mankiewicz shows some characters who are driven by some form of need for acceptance, or in Addison’s case, reverence. Mankiewicz explores the choices made for the character to achieve their goals and the consequence (whether positive or negative) that arises from each of these. Whereas Eve loses her sense of identity, Margo gains hers partly due to the different forms of acceptance that each yearn for. Addison, on the other hand, largely does not wish for mere ‘acceptance’, resulting in isolation. Hence, through these characters, Mankiewicz shows the ways in which desiring for one’s acceptance can be beneficial or fatal, and how they overcome these.
Nice conclusion. To take it to the next step, perhaps you can consider writing a statement about how the viewer is challenged. Eg. Viewers are challenged to consider _________

Nice essay . You should be set for your upcoming SAC. Just a few thing here and there. Watch your repetition of the words such as However and Hence. Go to A Vocabulary Bank for LA to help you. Despite that this vocab list is for language analysis, there is no reason why you couldn't use the bank of linking words. Hence is a synonym for therefore and however can mean contrastingly or yet depending on context.

Also it is very important to make your contention clearer. Like examiner only look over your essay for five minutes. And if they can't find the contention here, then you're basically screwed.

Overall, very good. Just a few stuff ups here and there. And good luck in your SAC

[janet.maylin]

Nice essay . You should be set for your upcoming SAC. Just a few thing here and there. Watch your repetition of the words such as However and Hence. Go to A Vocabulary Bank for LA to help you. Despite that this vocab list is for language analysis, there is no reason why you couldn't use the bank of linking words. Hence is a synonym for therefore and however can mean contrastingly or yet depending on context.

Also it is very important to make your contention clearer. Like examiner only look over your essay for five minutes. And if they can't find the contention here, then you're basically screwed.

Overall, very good. Just a few stuff ups here and there. And good luck in your SAC

Hi FallingStar,
Thank you so much for your feedback!

[AngeRay]

Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic black-and-white film, “All About Eve”, dissects the ways in which certain characters are driven on a quest for acceptance by society, their friends and their own self-acceptanceThis needs to be another word because you just used "acceptance", maybe "their own conscience/psyche/sense of morality/purpose"?. Through the eyes of Eve Harrington, Mankiewicz underscores the dangers of fully abiding by society’s standards, in wishing to be accepted, as you risk losing your identity I would advise against ever using "me", "my", "you", "your", "our", always stick to impersonal pronouns. Such as "in wishing to be accepted, individuals risk losing their identity". On the other hand, Addison is an individual who thrives on being an outsider, yearning for respect and reverence rather than acceptance. Lastly Similarly, Mankiewicz illustrates through Margo’s character development, Margo’s eventual self-acceptance as she becomes more confident of Bill’s love for her, and how her happiness derives from being freed from the shackles of society’s beauty standards for women. I try not to use characters in either the topic sentences or the introduction as it limits your analysis. Its like giving away the punchline of a joke before saying it and stops you from further expanding your analysis. If your point is about Margo's self acceptance, even if there is a linking theme or evidence, you now cannot add in that evidence. These statement must be arguments, not examples.

Through the portrayal of Eve Harrington, Mankiewicz explores the ways in which Eve deceptively gains the theatre group’s acceptance, using it to her advantage to advance up the ladder. Indeed, When Eve recounts Third person, present tense always her ‘tragic life story’ to her attentive audience Margo, Karen and Lloyd, Eve’s only purpose was is to elicit sympathy and grant entrance into the group. The pithy voice and regulated gasping are too similarly orchestrating, demonstrating the ruthlessness she is willing to employ to vie for their acceptance. The next step is the theatre itself. In the scene when Eve Harrington is seated at the bottom of the staircase, which indicates her social class, viewers come to witness Eve’s desire to be centre on the theatrical stage. The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting is reflected in her eyes, literally portrays her as star-struck, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience. This in contrast to Margo’s throwaway remark that applause is just ‘something to do till the aisles get less crowded’ shows Eve’s naivety, as she is unaware of how temporary applause really is. In equating genuine love to applause, Eve views applause as an indicator of society’s acceptance of her; an acceptance that she constantly yearns to achieve. In fact, so consumed she is by this that at the end of the film, Eve’s theme music bleeds into the grandeur of the ‘theatre theme’, as this deliberate music transition connotes Eve’s loss of identity. Hence, through Eve, Mankiewicz shows the intensity which one may desire for acceptance; a desire which Eve becomes victim to, as she sacrifices her identity to be enveloped in fame.

This sounds like a summary of some of the events of the film and some analysis of film techniques. Then some evidence and a remembering of the link at the end.

There are some things I disagree with here, maybe that's my personal opinion or the fact that I haven't seen the movie. I felt like you weren't really addressing and arguing the prompt, but there is some quite in-depth analysis of film techniques. I stopped marking in the first body paragraph as it became apparent to me that I was not going to much help doing that.

"_" means a quote, '_' means a reference to an idea, place or theme of the text.

An introduction must include: your contention, your arguments, the world of the text, the prompt and something about the film.

A conclusion must never summarise your arguments, why bother restating stuff you've already said? You don't end a convo with a friend with "let me just go over the main points of our talk again", do you? You need to say a few statements about the novel, the topic and a wider meaning of the issue.

Now you or Fallingstar may not like what I'm going to write, so take it as a guideline that you are free to reject or use. I would never use any pronoun besides third person ones in an analytical essay since it needs to be written in third person, present tense. Try not to repeat words in the same sentences as it shows the examiners that you didn't have anything else to say about the topic.

If I were an examiner, this is more the type of thing I would be wanting to see. Less analysis of film technique, more evidence to argue the prompt.

The characters in All About Eve are driven by a search for acceptance.

Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic monochromatic film “All About Eve”, examines the ways in which individuals are driven to seek acceptance from society, friends and ultimately themselves. Through the ambitious eyes of Eve Harrington, the protagonist, Mankiewicz highlights the dangers of abiding to society’s unachievable standards and the risk that in doing so, one will lose their individuality. He also presents another side where individuals are shown to thrive off of non-conformity, instead aiming for respect, fear and reverence rather than belonging. He furthermore elaborates how character development can occur through the escaping of societal conforms and true freedom can be achieved.

The director explores the ingenious ways in which individuals can attempt to find belonging with others. Eve uses deception of her ‘tragic life story’ to gain the sympathy of the theatre group, advantageously using her story to find an entrance to the group. Her tone of voice and dramatic breathing demonstrates the lengths she is willing to employ to vie for the group’s favour. In a similar scene, Eve is seated at the bottom of the staircase, indicating her social class, where viewers come to witness her desire to be on centre stage. The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting reflects in her eyes, portrays her as star-struck both metaphorically and literally, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience. This is in direct contrast with Margo’s opinion that applause is just “something to do ‘til the aisles get less crowded” which highlights Eve’s naivety about the permeability of applause. Eve views applause as indicator of society’s acceptance of her; an acceptance that she constantly yearns to achieve. She is so consumed by her ambition that her theme eventually bleeds into the encompassing ‘theatre theme’ to signify he loss of identity. Through her loss of individual music, Mankiewicz shows the negative effect that intense desire to fit in can have as individuals sacrifice themselves for the fame.

Through the example of an individual who is not driven by their need to be accepted, instead celebrates their superiority over others, Mankiewicz places the two types of people in direct conflict. Addison is someone who endeavours for respect and reverence, confronting with Eve where the film accentuates his need for assertiveness. He is clearly the one in control while Eve remains in a servile, kneeling position on the floor. However, Addison’s seemingly impenetrable appearance is not as it appears. Due to her mocking of Addison’s words when he makes his declarations emphasizes his insecurity as he slaps her across the cheek. The fact that she should never ‘laugh’ at him, demonstrates his need to be respected and revered at all times. His possessive attitude of Eve from this point hints at the destruction that being fixated on admiration has on him. However, he is not too perturbed by this, his attack on Margo suggests that he does not focus on the group’s acceptance of him and he is willing to divorce himself from them. His aim is to manipulate Eve, describing himself as a “Trappist monk” who devotes his life to the theatre. Mankiewicz depicts Addison as a man driven by his own desire and in his search for power, who searches for worship which requires him to be accepted by society despite his protests otherwise.


Mankiewicz exemplifies a society driven by restrictive beauty standards and the conformity of women to adhere to societal rules. Margo’s attempts to follow the strict rules ultimately result in the escalation of her insecurities. This is particularly accentuated in the car scene, when Margo confides to Karen her worries and anxiety. The justifies her appalling behaviour towards Eve as a result of her “young” and “feminine” characteristics. Close-ups reveal eyes downcast and showing sorrow for her inability to have Bill; she is willing to sacrifice anything for a chance with him. Her problems stem from her low self-esteem and personal identity which is in conflict with itself. As she does not know who is really is, she cannot expect Bill to understand her and is one of her reasons for avoiding marriage. Her caricature of a young, beautiful and skinny Margo threatens to overwhelm the true Margo hidden inside until the she cannot know which is which. It is only in the Cub Room that viewers are witness to genuine happiness on her face as she declares she will not act as Cora, her choice to pursue herself instead of her career makes sure she will be a “downright, forthright married lady”. Despite the fixation to meet societal standards, in the end, Margo is able to find genuine happiness and belonging.

Mankiewicz elaborates to readers that everyone is driven by a sense of belonging to feel accepted somewhere. Through Eve, he can highlight the fickleness of fame and the emptiness of the applause. The identity of those caught on centre stage can be conflicting, requiring hours of searching to discover an individual’s true nature. Mankiewicz explains to readers that the desire for fame and fortune can be overridden by individuals, ambition can also be fatal, but it is how one copes with their identity crisis reveals their true self.


I know your sac is tomorrow so I hope you have time to see it before then! Good luck

[FallingStar]

There are some things I disagree with here, maybe that's my personal opinion or the fact that I haven't seen the movie. I felt like you weren't really addressing and arguing the prompt, but there is some quite in-depth analysis of film techniques. I stopped marking in the first body paragraph as it became apparent to me that I was not going to much help doing that.

I think that it is not addressing the prompt that's the issue here, but it is about making the contention clearer. The essay writer does talk about appearances and about search for acceptance, but does not make the contention of the essay very clear, which is why it appears that she is not addressing the prompt. (If you get what I mean and in other words, make your contention clear or else it can seem as though you are not addressing the prompt)

About the summary in conclusions, it really depends what that teacher actually want (as this is a SAC not the actual end of year exam). I actually would agree with you in terms of summarising in the conclusions, however, I told the person to take it to the next step meaning taking her conclusion to be more advanced than a mere summary (perhaps I wasn't clear enough) to one which goes beyond this. Janet.maylin, If you are listening, then this is something to consider and has not make clear enough admittedly and as AngeRay has pointed out. Here are the actual steps:
1. Restate you view of the question. Like just do what AngeRay did in the conclusion (first half)
2. Say a statement which shows how the viewers have been challenged or what they have learnt (a sentence structure for that is written in my original reply)
3. Finish off clean, and with an interesting statement.

Again, as this is a SAC, if you teacher prefers something other than what I'd written, then adhere to your teacher's preference as they are the ones marking you SAC after all. Sorry, there I see there were aa few things I need to make clearer.

[AngeRay]

To be fair, I didn't read your original correction. I tend to write my own to provide an additional opinion to the correction and base it wholly on my interpretation rather than extending off someone else's answer.

It is important that your essay adheres to what the examiner wants to see and what your teacher prefers, its possible to change your style after all the sacs are done to complement the examiner opinion rather than a teacher.

[janet.maylin]

There are some things I disagree with here, maybe that's my personal opinion or the fact that I haven't seen the movie. I felt like you weren't really addressing and arguing the prompt, but there is some quite in-depth analysis of film techniques. I stopped marking in the first body paragraph as it became apparent to me that I was not going to much help doing that.

"_" means a quote, '_' means a reference to an idea, place or theme of the text.

An introduction must include: your contention, your arguments, the world of the text, the prompt and something about the film.

A conclusion must never summarise your arguments, why bother restating stuff you've already said? You don't end a convo with a friend with "let me just go over the main points of our talk again", do you? You need to say a few statements about the novel, the topic and a wider meaning of the issue.

Now you or Fallingstar may not like what I'm going to write, so take it as a guideline that you are free to reject or use. I would never use any pronoun besides third person ones in an analytical essay since it needs to be written in third person, present tense. Try not to repeat words in the same sentences as it shows the examiners that you didn't have anything else to say about the topic.

If I were an examiner, this is more the type of thing I would be wanting to see. Less analysis of film technique, more evidence to argue the prompt.

The characters in All About Eve are driven by a search for acceptance.

Joseph Mankiewicz’s classic monochromatic film “All About Eve”, examines the ways in which individuals are driven to seek acceptance from society, friends and ultimately themselves. Through the ambitious eyes of Eve Harrington, the protagonist, Mankiewicz highlights the dangers of abiding to society’s unachievable standards and the risk that in doing so, one will lose their individuality. He also presents another side where individuals are shown to thrive off of non-conformity, instead aiming for respect, fear and reverence rather than belonging. He furthermore elaborates how character development can occur through the escaping of societal conforms and true freedom can be achieved.

The director explores the ingenious ways in which individuals can attempt to find belonging with others. Eve uses deception of her ‘tragic life story’ to gain the sympathy of the theatre group, advantageously using her story to find an entrance to the group. Her tone of voice and dramatic breathing demonstrates the lengths she is willing to employ to vie for the group’s favour. In a similar scene, Eve is seated at the bottom of the staircase, indicating her social class, where viewers come to witness her desire to be on centre stage. The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting reflects in her eyes, portrays her as star-struck both metaphorically and literally, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience. This is in direct contrast with Margo’s opinion that applause is just “something to do ‘til the aisles get less crowded” which highlights Eve’s naivety about the permeability of applause. Eve views applause as indicator of society’s acceptance of her; an acceptance that she constantly yearns to achieve. She is so consumed by her ambition that her theme eventually bleeds into the encompassing ‘theatre theme’ to signify he loss of identity. Through her loss of individual music, Mankiewicz shows the negative effect that intense desire to fit in can have as individuals sacrifice themselves for the fame.

Through the example of an individual who is not driven by their need to be accepted, instead celebrates their superiority over others, Mankiewicz places the two types of people in direct conflict. Addison is someone who endeavours for respect and reverence, confronting with Eve where the film accentuates his need for assertiveness. He is clearly the one in control while Eve remains in a servile, kneeling position on the floor. However, Addison’s seemingly impenetrable appearance is not as it appears. Due to her mocking of Addison’s words when he makes his declarations emphasizes his insecurity as he slaps her across the cheek. The fact that she should never ‘laugh’ at him, demonstrates his need to be respected and revered at all times. His possessive attitude of Eve from this point hints at the destruction that being fixated on admiration has on him. However, he is not too perturbed by this, his attack on Margo suggests that he does not focus on the group’s acceptance of him and he is willing to divorce himself from them. His aim is to manipulate Eve, describing himself as a “Trappist monk” who devotes his life to the theatre. Mankiewicz depicts Addison as a man driven by his own desire and in his search for power, who searches for worship which requires him to be accepted by society despite his protests otherwise.


Mankiewicz exemplifies a society driven by restrictive beauty standards and the conformity of women to adhere to societal rules. Margo’s attempts to follow the strict rules ultimately result in the escalation of her insecurities. This is particularly accentuated in the car scene, when Margo confides to Karen her worries and anxiety. The justifies her appalling behaviour towards Eve as a result of her “young” and “feminine” characteristics. Close-ups reveal eyes downcast and showing sorrow for her inability to have Bill; she is willing to sacrifice anything for a chance with him. Her problems stem from her low self-esteem and personal identity which is in conflict with itself. As she does not know who is really is, she cannot expect Bill to understand her and is one of her reasons for avoiding marriage. Her caricature of a young, beautiful and skinny Margo threatens to overwhelm the true Margo hidden inside until the she cannot know which is which. It is only in the Cub Room that viewers are witness to genuine happiness on her face as she declares she will not act as Cora, her choice to pursue herself instead of her career makes sure she will be a “downright, forthright married lady”. Despite the fixation to meet societal standards, in the end, Margo is able to find genuine happiness and belonging.

Mankiewicz elaborates to readers that everyone is driven by a sense of belonging to feel accepted somewhere. Through Eve, he can highlight the fickleness of fame and the emptiness of the applause. The identity of those caught on centre stage can be conflicting, requiring hours of searching to discover an individual’s true nature. Mankiewicz explains to readers that the desire for fame and fortune can be overridden by individuals, ambition can also be fatal, but it is how one copes with their identity crisis reveals their true self.


I know your sac is tomorrow so I hope you have time to see it before then! Good luck

Hi AngeRay,
Thank you for your feedback! I'll keep these in mind for next time

[janet.maylin]

I think that it is not addressing the prompt that's the issue here, but it is about making the contention clearer. The essay writer does talk about appearances and about search for acceptance, but does not make the contention of the essay very clear, which is why it appears that she is not addressing the prompt. (If you get what I mean and in other words, make your contention clear or else it can seem as though you are not addressing the prompt)

About the summary in conclusions, it really depends what that teacher actually want (as this is a SAC not the actual end of year exam). I actually would agree with you in terms of summarising in the conclusions, however, I told the person to take it to the next step meaning taking her conclusion to be more advanced than a mere summary (perhaps I wasn't clear enough) to one which goes beyond this. Janet.maylin, If you are listening, then this is something to consider and has not make clear enough admittedly and as AngeRay has pointed out. Here are the actual steps:
1. Restate you view of the question. Like just do what AngeRay did in the conclusion (first half)
2. Say a statement which shows how the viewers have been challenged or what they have learnt (a sentence structure for that is written in my original reply)
3. Finish off clean, and with an interesting statement.

Again, as this is a SAC, if you teacher prefers something other than what I'd written, then adhere to your teacher's preference as they are the ones marking you SAC after all. Sorry, there I see there were aa few things I need to make clearer.

Ahh ok, I actually am still trying to figure out introductions and conclusions XD so thanks for clarifying

[HopefulLawStudent]

Disclaimer: What I'm about to say is legitimately me trying to understand. I'm not attacking you, I'm not criticising you and I'm definitely not trying to say "you're wrong, I'm right *evil cackle*". Felt the need to add that disclaimer because I defs don't wanna be misinterpreted.

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If I were an examiner, this is more the type of thing I would be wanting to see. Less analysis of film technique, more evidence to argue the prompt.

Er wot? How does one provide "more evidence to argue the prompt" without too much "analysis of film technique"? At the end of the day, AAE's a film, right? So shouldn't we be getting evidence from the film and from our analysis of the film? 

[AngeRay]

I haven't watched or studied the film, so do remember that. But I meant the camera angles and lighting used, in my opinion do not necessitate evidence. They can be used, but symbolism, themes, backgrounds, locations, quotes and emotions are (in my opinion) far better evidence to use to argue the point.

If the point you're trying to make is that "Eve loses herself in her search for fame", then summarising scenes where she feels lost as your whole paragraph doesn't cut it for me. You would need how she loses herself (the blending of her theme into the movie theme) instead of camera angles.

Its useful to have filmic techniques for sure, but they can't be the basis of your evidence, you know? If it were a book, I couldn't only use quotes as evidence, I would have to weave in themes, motifs and literary devices to prove my point.

[TheLlama]

Given it's a discussion of film, the way in which the film has been constructed (say camera angles and how shots are framed) works in many ways as a version of how a novel is constructed. A writer uses different tools in order to characterise than a director does, so you're able to discuss film techniques as a way of illustrating characterisation.

The extreme close-up of her face, as the lighting is reflected in her eyes, literally portrays her as star-struck, as she recounts the ‘waves of love’ she felt emanating from the audience

With this, for example, the essay is honing in on at least one piece of evidence, linking it to a metaphor from the film (Eve being star-struck) and matching it to a quote from the film (then the piece moves to contrasting Eve with Margo, and using how they're filmed is one way of analysing that).

Basically, there are many forms of evidence: what counts, really, is the analysis you offer of that evidence