Close reading: Ree

I was most intrigued by Ree because I really felt like I related to her a lot. Many of the things she does or says I can see myself doing those same things. I think she is just a very strong, and determined character with a big heart. (Me to a T)

I think she's an introvert just like I am. I think her creativeness and concentration really help her to acquire knowledge. I also think her willingness to do anything for her family really helps her thought process and a way of grasping things because her family is definitely one thing that's always on her mind and keeps her going.

The scene that really stuck out to me was the squirrel scene. The first thing that I noticed was she was sort of teaching her siblings about hunting. She told them to be quiet and immediately her brother sneezed. I noticed this because I was expecting her to get really upset with him for doing that. The fact that she wasn't upset and even said "Bless you" tells me that she's an understanding person and realized her brother cannot control when he sneezes.

The set of words that I really noticed is her saying "You should know that Her brother asks when it's time dear and she tells him when they come out and that he should already know that. I noticed that because that makes me see that she has a certain expectation of her family. If she tells them something they better hear it, because she isn't telling just for the fun of it. She really wants them to know certain things that she thinks will help them, in the long run.

I felt that her tone was really normal she's not happy, she's not sad, she's  just doing what she's got to do. Basically, what I'm saying is I could sense comfort. She was comfortable with hunting. She was comfortable with her siblings being there. She was comfortable with a gun and being in the woods. She also sounds a bit strict but again I want to emphasize that I still think that's a normal tone for her. It just goes back to what I said about her having certain expectations. She definitely has a tough love attitude. You can tell she loves her family but she also to keep that strict tone in order show she's real serious in what she's saying and that she wants them to know and learn what she's talking about or doing. You can definitely see that side of her come out when she's making her brother help cut the squirrel. He doesn't want to gut the squirrel, but she makes him help anyway because she wants him to know that and know that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do.

Overall I thought this was a really good movie. Ree just really stuck out to me. I admired her drive and how she would do anything for her family and to keep  their home. She stepped up and took care of the family because neither of her parents could. She had to grow up really fast and it was overall just inspiring to watch what this character went through to get what she needed for her family's survival.

A Calculated Kind of Crazy

     Police lights are flashing in the review mirror.  Ree nervously suggests that Teardrop pull over to "see what he wants".  Teardrop, looking a little forlorn and small in the front seat of his pickup, now is slightly more alert as he pulls to the side of the road.  There is a transition in Teardrop's demeanor as the Sheriff approaches the pickup and peers inside the bed of the truck.  Teardrop is ridged in his seat.  His arm moves for his riffle as the Sheriff asks him to step out of his vehicle.  With an unblinking, maniacal calm, Teardrop colorfully declines as he stares down the Sheriff in the side view mirror.  This close-up shot of Teardrop in the side mirror strongly suggests this is the closest thing to direct eye contact he wants with this man, the Sheriff.  It speaks volumes of the anger and unwavering stand he is taking against this man.  He knows the Sheriff is the reason his brother is dead and now the Sheriff knows that he knows.

     Teardrop's approach to gathering information or acquiring knowledge is as apparent in this scene with the Sheriff as it has been with every character throughout the film--Intimidating.  He is an angry man with what appears to be a calculated kind of crazy.  He knows he intimidates people and therefore, uses it to his advantage; it's his personality.  It's not for show, it's who he is.  In this particular scene he is undaunted by the legal authority that has pulled him over.  He slowly pulls his gun across his chest, in full view of the Sheriff and asks in a cold voice, "Is this going to be our time"?  The dark chill of this scene is felt with this one perfectly intense question.  It is the Sheriff that backs away, not Teardrop.  The Sheriff now knows that he is on the wrong side of this wildly unpredictable man.

Ree Dolly

The character that I thought stuck out to me in Winter's Bone was Ree Dolly. Ree started out in the movie as been a very quiet person that kept to herself. But as the movie went on, Sherriff Baskin came to the house and told her if her dad did not show up on his court date then they were taking the bond he had out. Which the bond was part of the house, so they were going to sell the house so they could get the bond of her fathers. So she did not want to lose the house because she took care of her mother and two siblings. Ree had to bring to self to talk to people when she went a searched for her father. When she went to houses to ask people if they have seen her father most of the places dealt with drugs and had violence in the houses. She got beat by two girls when she wanted to know where her father was and the people had something to do with drugs. She finally found out that her dad was dead and had to find him in a pond and get his hands to take into the sheriffs. When Sherriff Baskin found out he was dead he brought the money back to Ree's house and gave the bond money to her. I think her personality helped her knowledge by her having to come out of her comfort zone to talk to people and find out where her dad was. She never gave up until she found him, she had to talk to the meanest people in town but she talked to them, until she found an answer.

The Breaking Point of Ree

The scene starts with Ree opening her eyes after she has been beat up by the women for not listening.  She's surrounded by the women who just beat her and the men standing around her in a circle deciding her fate. Ree is in a vulnerable position but she finally gets to speak her mind and they are trying to decide what to do with her when someone pulls up outside the garage door. The camera shifts from Ree to the garage door that's about to open in anticipation of the person who just pulled up.  There is a clear shift of emotion and power.  There are two men close to the door one immediately moves as far away as he can and the other says, "I ain't going to stand here naked when that motherfucker gets here." When the garage door opens you just see Teardrop with a relatively calm look on his face. At this point the people in the barn are ready to go on their defense because they know they've done something that will make Teardrop mad and from past experiences with him he must scare them.  Teardrop gets things done and questions answered by making others fear him.  When teardrop was able to see Ree and the condition she was in they immediately tried to justify their actions.  The only person who was immune to Teardrop's effect was Thump Milton. The scene turned to Thump and Teardrop completely, they hold the most power within the area. Throughout the movie Thump never did anything that wasn't on his terms but he took Teardrop seriously enough to talk to him then and there and settle the matter.  The repetition of fear every time that Teardrop is present is not on accident.  The family and the area that this movie takes place within calls for tough skin and the ability to put fear in the eyes of anyone who crosses you, it is very important to not go against the "rules" within the family or there will be consequences. 

Ree

       The character that I want to talk about is Ree. At first you would say that Ree is an introvert. She didn't like to talk to people, didn't really like doing much of anything. As the reading went Rees personality had changed to a person that would/will do anything to protect her family. The part that interests me the most was when , Rees personality had shifted  from an Introvert to an extrovert, because Sheriff Baskin told Ree that if her dad doesn't  appear in curt that they will lose their house. This is because part of his bond is on the house and if he doesn't show up to court then the court is going to collect money by selling the house. Ree could have just stayed home and been the introvert, but instead she took a stand and set out to find her father. She went places where meth use is common. In these same areas violence ran wild and people were bound by codes and secrecy as most drug dealers are. Taking all this into consideration, it didn't slow her down. She showed determination, thus leading her to travel to all the local crime bosses that her father may have had contact with. She didn't care who she talked to, all she cared about was finding her father, so she could save the family's house from being sold. It seemed at first Ree was shy, but over time she did what she had to. Her determination helped her acquire knowledge because she wouldn't take no for an answer until she got down to the bare truth. She stood up to the most powerful people in town. She knew more about the town and where her dad was than the Sheriff did. 

Behind My Mother's Eyes

Her eyes were glimmering from the sunshine's glare. Her face, less aged and tinted with a faint smile. That smile, oh how that smile hasn't been shown in such a long while. In the last thirty minutes of Winter's Bone, Ree's mother shows a slight change in expression. This expression emphasized a turn around in the climax of the film. Her smile, lost and unspoken, made an inclination to the viewers that the struggles the family faced were getting better. In my opinion, this is a crucial part in the film because the mother's smile represents affection towards another individual. She is proud. She is proud of Ree fighting. She is proud of Ree for finding the truth about her "run away" father. I believe the mother's personality helps her to acquire knowledge because she has an illness herself that blocks her from helping those she cares about the most. This mental illness (depression) makes one feel weak, dependent, and unfocused. These physical traits of a severe illness are opposite of those traits we believe our mothers possess. Mothers are supposed to be strong, independent, loving, and forever-giving.  Due to this illness, the mother becomes lost and unspoken. This is shown throughout the film. The personality of Ree's mother acquires knowledge because she is never forgotten; she's always there. The smile informs the viewers that the mother hasn't been lost in society. The smile indicates that Ree's mother is trying to overcome her biggest obstacle. Because of Ree finding the remains of her father, the family ends up staying together. The smile appeared when the good news was revealed. The smile appeared because she had won the battle. That smile, just like the Mona Lisa, has secrets that have never been told. That smile unique and kind will forever be mysterious to those who know what hides behind the eyes that look beyond the smile.

Hard and Dark

Full of meaning. There are so many opportunities to describe meaning in Winter's Bone. I noticed that the beginning and the end of the film showed pictures of the trees. The trees were tall and strong but they were also dark. I believe this represents Ree. She is tall and strong in the movie. Unfortunately she is also dark and hardened. The trees and land are the only stable thing that Ree has. They define her.  We don't know how old Ree actually is until she meets with the army recruiter later in the movie. As a viewer you feel sorry for Ree but when we learn her age of 17 it becomes even more disheartening. There isn't a 17 year old in this world that deserves to live the life that Ree has to live. Ree stands up to whatever she needs to in order to survive. Just like the trees.... despite the cold winter they survive. Ree survives and doesn't give up despite the beating she gets. I also notices that Ree goes to her father’s closet more than once in the movie. She stares at his boots. I believe she is thinking about how she does not want any part in following in her fathers' footsteps or "filling his shoes". This is obvious when her uncle offers her cocaine and asks her if she has a taste for it yet. She is disgusted. Ree understands the need to hold her dead father’s arms while the woman uses the chainsaw to cut them off. She needs to do this to survive; just like she taught her brother to gut the squirrel in order to survive. She tells her siblings that they shouldn't ask for help (with the deer meat, taking care of the horse) but accept help if it given. This pays off for Ree in the end because she gets to keep the bond money that an unknown person fronted for her dad. At the end of the movie Ree's uncle brings over 2 chicks and this symbolizes a new beginning for Ree and her family. Ree tries to her uncle Jessep's banjo as a sign of her appreciation but he does not take it because he is going to take care of the person who murdered Jessep. He knows that he may go to jail or die defending his brother's death and may not be back. Ree's little sister plays the banjo like Jessep did. As much as Ree had to go through because of her father's lifestyle of chronic drug abuse she finds comfort in hearing her sister play the banjo.