The Sunshine State

The Sunshine State

The Sunshine State written and directed by John Sayles, tells a story of life in Delrona Beach and Lincoln Beach, a Florida coastal town that is in the mist of development. The film revolves around two families from different backgrounds, who are being compelled to sell their property to developers' .The film also involves a series of connections between each character living in Delrona Beach and Lincoln Beach in which most of the african-american residents reside. Sayles executes the film perfectly by incorporating Greek elements, such as catharsis, anagnorisis, and dramatic irony to apprise the complications and decisions that each character must face.

The film first acquaints the audience to the Greek element catharsis. Sayles does this by introducing the viewer to the character Desiree Perry (Angela Bassett), who returns after 25 years to confront her mother (Mary Alice).At the age of 16, Desiree is sent away by her proud parents after disgracing them by getting pregnant. While visiting Delrona, Desiree is overwhelmed by family expectations, and wrestles with decisions that could alter her family's tradition. According to the Greek philosopher Aristotle "the term catharsis is used to describe the effect on the audience of a tragedy acted out on a theater stage. This effect consists in cleansing the audience of disturbing emotions, such as fear and pity, thereby releasing tension." One may agree that when Desiree confronts her mother toward the end of the moving, about making her leave town when she was 16 is an example of catharisis, because Desiree is releasing the emotions she has had built up inside just like the character Oedipus in Oedipus Rex and Creon in Antigone.

Sayles employs anagnorisis into the film. The Greek element anagnorisis is the revelation when a character discovers his true identity. Anagnorisis is use in most greek dramas and tragedies .Sayles introduces the audience to character Marly Temple (Edie Falco), whose family has resided in Delrona for generations. Marley is force to give up her career as a water show mermaid, to run a motel and cafe owned by her ill father (Ralph Waite) and her mother (Jane Alexander). Marly's becomes romantically involved with Jack (Timothy Hutton), a landscape architect who is working with developers to buy property in Delrona, including Marly's family motel. Marly opens up to Jack about her feelings towards life and the decisions she must make for her family. For example, in one of the scene Marley talks to her father about selling the motel, which is where she realizes that change may be a good thing. The audience may also agree that this where Marly realizes that for her sanity she must start making decisions for herself. This scene plays an important role, because it illustrates how Marly discovers her identity and what she really wants to do in her life. According to Roger Herzel at John