by Martin Reftorr

Created on: June 15, 2008   Last Updated: June 16, 2008

Pleasantville: The Human Condition

In Pleasantville, much like in other literary works or films, Gary Ross employs the nature of contrasting settings to achieve a conclusion, in this case specifically a commentary on the human condition. Through the inclusion of the contrasts inherent in color vs. black-and-white, Ross defines aspects of the human condition.

Notably, Ross primarily associates color illustrations with the present and black-and-white depictions with the past. This obvious tendency is established early on by the televising of the television show "Pleasantville" in black-and-white. The main character in the movie lives in a present day society and thus all of these portrayals are in full color. When the main character and his twin are "transported" into the actual town of Pleasantville by the magic remote control, they also become black-and-white along with assuming character qualities and visual aspects of typical people in that older setting.

As the plot progresses, certain traits of Pleasantville begin to gain color and cease to be depicted in black-and-white or grey. This "evolution" of a color illustration obviously mirrors the development of the human condition toward a life of increasing freedom and individuality. The traditional, restrictive values of Pleasantville-era society reflect the nature of all objects having no color. As the citizens become enlightened toward the greatness of free thought and liberation of the soul, as in the diner owner's embrace of color painting, they themselves begin to attain color. Likewise, the mother of the family into which the main character ("Bud" in Pleasantville) was transported into via the remote control gained a skin-color hue once she refused to blindly subordinate herself to the demands of her husband, as was customary in those "dark", black-and-white days. Eventually, the youth of the town gain color because of their acceptance of the newer, less restrictive values. The people who stubbornly resist the changes remain in grey and white and black. However, after the court case, the entire city embraces the soul liberation movement and all the objects and people in the town gain colorful illustrations because they begin to express their individual desires and freedoms.

By associating black-and-white with a traditional, uniform society and color with a modern era emphasizing individual liberty, Ross reveals the concept that the human condition must contain individuality and freedom at the heart of its subsistence.

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