Student : Yumi TakahashiID # : 4280Instructor : Lance TilmanCourse : Novels to FilmsDate: 4 February 2011

Novel to FilmWorksheet 1: “The Quiet Man”

Novel:

Title- The Quit Man

Author- Maurice Walsh – reproduced as it appeared to in the Sturday Evening Post February 11, 1933

Author Bio

Maurice Walsh was born on April 21, 1879 in Ballydonoghue, near Listowel, County Kerry, Ireland.

He was the third child of ten and the first son born to John Walsh, a local farmer, and his wife

Elizabeth Buckley who lived in a three-roomed thatched farmhouse.

Maurice went to school in Lisselton, a mile or so up the road from Ballydonoghue, and later went to St

Michael’s College in Listowel to prepare for the Civil Service examination.

Maurice had always been interested in writing and, during his early years in Scotland, this interest

started to bear fruit. He sent off some stories and had two published in the Irish Emerald in 1908. That

year also saw his marriage, on August 8, 1908, in Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland, to Caroline Begg .

Maurice retired from government service in 1933 but his success as a writer continued. Indeed it was in

that year that he first sold a story to the Saturday Evening Post, then a well-known weekly magazine

published in the United States. That story (later to be incorporated in the collection of stories published

under the title Green Rushes) was The Quiet Man.

Maurice became President of the Irish branch of PEN in 1938 and visited the United States for an

international meeting that year as the Irish delegate. His wife Caroline was able to accompany him

although she had been in failing health for some years. She died in January 1941. Maurice himself died

on February 18, 1964 in Blackrock (a suburb of Dublin) and is buried in the Esker cemetery at Lucan,

County Dublin.1

Genre – Drama, romance

Main Characters- 1. Shawn Kelivn2. Ellen O’Gray3. Liam O’Gray

ThemesThe conflict

-Between Shawn and Liam O’Gray over personality crash and regarding dowry, -Shawn’ modern way of thinking living in American and there are Irish tradition and culture which

exist in Kerry. -Shawn himself had a conflict in him - the part that he wants to be quiet but it is hard in a reality to be and get challenged True love and the power of ‘quietly’ is showing through soft appearances, gentle embraces Scarifies for the one you love – Shwan’s respect and love toward Ellen through trying to place her value and thoughts more than his.

Analyze the plot and its various phases-“The Quiet Man” is a very good story Shawn going back to his native Kerry. He faces many conflicts and challenges in this story. The main conflict is person versus person (Shawn Kelvin versus Big Liam O'Grady). The way Maurice Walsh (the author) foreshadows the plot makes the readers read every page with anticipation.2Throughout the story Shawn faces many challenges, most of them coming from O'Grady. O'Grady has humiliated Shawn. O’Grady’s words are “Listen, Shaween! If I had a dowry to give my sister, ‘tis not a little shrimp like you would get her. Go to hell out o’that!” O’Gray also in public on a number of occasions. There was a part in the story where Shawn went over to O'Grady to collect the dowry that O'Grady had promised him but again O’Gray humiliated him in public. Shawn is not a greedy man unlike O'Grady who is selfish and self-centered. Ellen has always pressured Shawn to collect the dowry, but every time Shawn faces O'Grady, O'Grady never takes him seriously.Shawn on the other hand does not wish to face O'Grady, knowing that one day it would lead to a brawl.2A handful of people in town believe that Kelvin is a coward and he was afraid to fight Big Liam. But the truth is Shawn does not believe that violence would solve the problems between him and Big Liam. That is why I like Shawn. He believes that Big Liam's money is worth nothing compared to his beautiful wife Ellen. Moreover Shawn loves Ellen and respects her way of thinking about dowry and for her Shawn fought with Big Liam at the end.2 ___________________________________1. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_theme_in_the_quiet_man_by_Maurice_Walsh2. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_quiet_man_about

Examine how the following literary elements affect plot progression, assist in character development, and convey meaning: motif -- symbol -- foreshadowing -- echoing -- flashback -- metaphor -- irony & choice of language—etc.-“The Quiet Man” is the story about Shawn Kelvin who is an Irish- American coming back from Pittsburgh to settle into a family’s farm. He faces various conflicts such as person versus person. It is between Shawn between O’Gray. Through out the conflicts Shaw gets challenged and many of them are coming from O’Gray. Many occasions, OGray humiliated Shaw about his wife, Ellen’s dowry. Shawn also gets pressure from Ellen about him collecting the dowry. For Shawn dowry that was 200 pounds dose not mean anything but for Ellen it is a respect and tradition and a symbol for marriage. O’Gray never takes Shaw’s request seriously . On the other hand, Shawn was trying to stay away from facing O’Gray but one day he could sense it might lead to a fight. Shawn did not believe in violence and did not think it would solve the problems. At the end for Elle’s sake and his lover toward her Shawn fought with O’Gray.

Film:

Title: The Quiet Man

Studio: Rio GrandeDirector - John Ford

Release Date – 1953 Jul (UK), Aug(US)

Music by - Victor Young

Time line – 129 minutes

Analyze main characters-Shawn Thornton – A quiet man, middle size, with strong shoulders and deep-set blue eyes below brows darker than his dark hair Mary Kate – She was Red’s sister and his housekeeper and maid of all work. Tomboy type"Red" Will Danahe – A great, raw-boned, sandy-haired man, with the strength of an ox and a heart bigger than a sour apple. An Overbearing man given to berserk rages.

Analyze the setting- Set in 1930s Ireland, Sean Thornton (John Wayne), an Irish-born American from Pittsburgh, returns to Ireland to reclaim his family's farm in Innisfree. He meets and falls in love with the fiery Mary Kate Danaher (Maureen O'Hara), the spinster sister of the bullying, loud-mouthed landowner "Red" Will Danaher (Victor McLaglen). Danaher, angry that Sean outbid him for the Thornton land adjacent to his property, initially refuses to sanction the marriage until several town locals, including the parish priest, conspire to trick him into believing that the wealthy Widow Tillane (Mildred Natwick) wants to marry him, but only if Mary Kate is no longer living in the house. After learning the truth on Sean and Mary Kate's wedding day, an enraged Will refuses to give his sister her full dowry.3Sean, unschooled in Irish customs, cares nothing about the dowry, but Mary Kate is obsessed with obtaining it, the dowry representing her independence, identity, and pride. Angered and shamed by Sean's refusal to confront her brother and demand what is legally hers, she brands him a coward, and, despite living together, they are estranged as husband and wife.3Sean is a former boxer in the United States, a heavyweight challenger known as "Trooper Thorn." After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, Sean hung up his gloves, vowing never to fight again. The truth about Sean, however, is known only to one other person in the village, the Church of Ireland minister Rev. Playfair (Arthur Shields).3Later, in an attempt to force Sean to confront Will Danaher, Mary Kate leaves him and boards a train departing Castletown and headed to Dublin. Infuriated, Sean arrives and drags her off the train, and, followed by the townspeople, forces her to walk the five miles to Inisfree from Castletown to Will Danaher's farm. Sean demands that Will hand over her dowry and threatens to return Mary Kate to his household if Will refuses. Will finally relents and gives him the cash. Mary Kate and Sean throw it into a furnace, showing that Mary Kate never cared about the money, but only that Sean stand up for his wife. Sean and Will slug it out through the village, stop for a drink, brawl again, then become best friends. Sean regains Mary Kate's love and respect. Will Danaher and the Tillane begin courting, and peace is returned to Inisfree.

___________________________________3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Quiet_Man

Analyze the plot of the film compared to the novel-

The plot of the film has changed toward the end of the story. In the novel, after the fighting Shawn says to Ellen “Mother of my son, will you come home with me?” and after a short conversation they stared to head to their house. Verses in the film, Later, in an attempt to force Sean to confront Will Danaher, Mary Kate leaves him and boards a train departing Castletown and headed to Dublin. Infuriated, Sean arrives and drags her off the train, and, followed by the townspeople, forces her to walk the five miles to Inisfree from Castletown to Will Danaher's farm. Sean demands that Will hand over her dowry and threatens to return Mary Kate to his household if Will refuses. Will finally relents and gives him the cash. Mary Kate and Sean throw it into a furnace, showing that Mary Kate never cared about the money, but only that Sean stand up for his wife. Sean and Will slug it out through the village, stop for a drink, brawl again, then become best friends. Sean regains Mary Kate's love and respect. Will Danaher and the Widow Tillane begin courting, and peace is returned to Inisfree.

Explain how the film affected the viewer-I see a huge conflict in Shawn – “The Quiet Man”. He appeared to be very mild and gentle quiet man. Through the conflict that he faced time to time. I could see it is very hard to be quiet. Sometimes you have to face the conflict for your love ones or for yourself.

How did the film use angle of shot—timing—light—colour—shapes—cut aways—fade ins—etc. to redefine the plot-Music – Irish tunes

Scene including buildings, trains, bars and houses present Irish stylesTiming - In “hook” the timing was perfect when the carriage, which Shawn was riding and the train, was passing through.

Light – I do not have a lot of knowledge about the concept of lighting effect. I cannot say much.

Color – color of the clothes are carefully selected by the situation and events. Church, Racing, Wedding and so on.

The theme was “Conflict”. It was clearly shown in the beginning of the film. At the train station Shawn first arrived local people are talking and more like arguing over little things. When Shawn was riding on the carriage going the field the carriage was coming from far, yet there was a big tree standing decades never changing to the place.

Zoomed cross gravestone was showing on the right from to the left for a while as if it represents as his family gravestone and his return to his home as a symbol.