The story of “Election” begins with a girl named Tracy Flick, who is an over-achiever in school. However, she has been featured in a scandal with a teacher who was a close friend of the main character, Jim McCalister. Going on, Jim finds himself in a complex situation both in his private life and in school. In school, he tries to stop Tracey from becoming the high school president, yet at the same time, he lands himself in a struggle to maintain his morality and ethics, the social behaviour and attitude he preaches. At the same time, in his private life, he faces yet another challenge. While trying to convince himself that he has a wonderful relationship with his wife and desparately trying to bear a son, he falls in love with his friend’s ex-wife, Linda. They then had an affair to satisfy their emotional and sexual desires and needs. One day, Linda decided to end this relationship by confessing to Jim’s wife about their relationship. Jim’s life then took a turn with the end of his marriage. After which, many events occured and Jim resigned as he was found tampering with the election votes. It was a fresh start for him as he lost everything and decided to lead a new life altogether again.
The film “Election” seem like a Greek tragedy to me. This is due to the character suffering serious misfortune which demonstrated the fragility of humans. This can be seen the struggle Jim faces in the show. Although he preaches to his students and even to his buddy, Dave, about ethics and morals, as well as how Dave is committing the wrong actions by having an affair with his student Tracy, he eventually falls into the trap of adultery himself. This shows how feeble humans are as it demonstrates how vulnerable they are to troubles they already know of.
The plot is also similar to that of a Greek tragedy as it sparks off the whole issue at the beginning that goes on for the entire show, it sets the cause and effect for the entire movie. The main event of the story that went on for almost the entire show and sparked off the cause-and-effect chain would be the election. It posed as a challenge to the main character, Jim’s morality and the set of values and behavioural conduct he always trusted. On top of that, it provided the ground for argument of other problems in the show such as the conflicts within the Metzler family and the electoral competitions.*
Fufilment of 6 parts of a Greek tragedy.
1. Plot : The fufilment of the beginning (spark of cause-and-effect chain = election), middle (climax = his affair was discovered, his plot against tracey was found out), end (resolution = he began a new life and started afresh)
2. Visual adornment : None that was exceptionally impactful but overall, bright colours was used in the show. (Eg: Jim’s car)
3. Diction : How Tracey argued against Jim – When he interrogates her about the tearing of the election posters. The lines were well-written as we can see how Tracey, at a disadvantaged position, managed to rebut against Jim and even address some of the issues Jim was facing.
4. Characters : Character began as a morally upright educator who eventually led to dug his own grave as the cause (election) puts him to great test and crushes him (effect). Character supports the plot as the election tested his ethics with his motives (to make the school better place).
5. Melody : Music that created great feel of the mood of the movie in different parts. (Timing of the music/Type of music)
6. Thought : The election theme, although self-contained, sparked off many other issues in the story. This shows the thought put into the film as it provided a common ground for the issues in the show to be addressed and developed according to the characters.
Katharsis – In this show, we become more intensely intimate and close to the characters when we begin to fear that some unfortunate events might actually happen to us. As this goes on, a natural discomfort of fear and pity builds up within us. At the end of the show, where the main character is actually able to start afresh, these emotions were purged from us as we feel relieved that these problems still have their solutions, a sense of optimism so as to say. It cleanses the emotions built up within us as we feel for the main characters and experience his fears.
