Recently in class, we have been examining the structure of narrative and how plot is an essential element of narrative. I wanted to examine the effect of multiple narratives because there are examples of this in several recent films.
Amores Perros: The fateful car accident.
21 Grams: The heart transplant
Pulp Fiction: The diner robbery
All these instances thread together multiple narratives. I want to concentrate on the plot of Alejandro Inarritu's Amores Perros because of the violent impact of the unifying action. Octavio is involved in the crash since he's being chased, Valeria is a victim in the accident, and El Chivo is a passerby that collects Octavio's dog after he witnesses the crash.
These three stories are connected at this central point and to further emphasize it's power, it is the first shot seen in the film. The plot later returns to this violent crash at the end of Octavio's dog career. It then begins again with Valeria and her perspective leading up to the crash and then on to El Chivo's version of the story. The structure positions the crash as the central point which is surrounded by the following story lines. It gives the film a very unique structure in without it there would be no character familiarity, dramatic irony, or interweaving of stories to create a multifaceted picture of love. Inarritu is a talented auteur and his use of plot connectivity by a physical and painful event is truly wondrous.
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