Binary Oppositions in Captain Fantastic

One use of binary opposites in Captain Fantastic is the contrast between suburbia and the wilderness but also the conflict between Ben And Jack. The film uses the surroundings of the different characters to further convey their lifestyles and ideologies. For example, the wilderness represents Ben. The vibrant, green and tranquill forest symbolises his laid back and care free approach to life: his carelessness about telling the kids certain things (e.g. telling the kids about suicide), putting them in danger (when the daughter falls off the roof) and doing reckless things (e.g. trying to get Leslie's body). Furthermore, the forest also represents his tribe-like lifestyle: the natural and isolated surroundings conveys a primal feel. Another example, is the suburban town Jack is from. The structured, familiar and mundane nature of the town represents Jack's ideology: the structured nature of the town demonstrates Jack's traditional and ordinary lifestyle, but also his stability. More specifically the stability that he wants for his family. He wants the children to have a normal life, which morally places him in a grey area, as throughout the film he is conflicting with Ben, who is the protagonist, encouraging the audience to not trust Jack.

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