Semiotics & Symbolism in The Shape of Water

[@fishschtick8985]

I think the man with the cake is symbolism for loneliness. He has balloons and there’s one slice missing from the cake. It was his birthday and no one came to his party. I think this theme of loneliness can also be seen throughout the film with Giles being gay, Zelda’s husband being an ungrateful bum, Strickland forcing himself into the cookie-cut lifestyle, and the Amphibian Man, of course, being take from his home. It’s like everyone is lonely in some way, but everyone is only allowed to not be lonely a specific way, the way Strickland is. A wife with kids in a nice neighborhood with Sunday afternoon grill outs. As soon as someone finds love that doesn’t fit the norm that’s expected, authority tries to shut it down. A beautiful message on accepting love no matter its shape.

[@dominiquespies1754]

“Um... give him her OTHER eggs” Oh you sweet little innocent cinnamon roll

[@Tangobutton]

My interpretation: The color green is used a lot, which symbolizes calmness, and nature. Red symbolizes aggression/fight and is gradually introduced first with blood then with her headband, new shoes (red shoes are almost always a metaphor for rebellion or a new attitude, which she was to have to rescue the 'monster') and the water drops on the window. The 'monster' glows blue to symbolize true life in harmony/water/source of energy. The "monster" represents earth and nature, which cannot be owned or kept (it is potentially dangerous/ example: it could eat your cat) but with compassion and understanding, has the ability to heal (it restores her friend's hair). The government, the scientists and the big bad guys (the Russians) all want to harness, destroy and/or study, torture or otherwise contain the 'monster.' The girl represents average, everyday people who understand nature and live in harmony with it and, of course, find it within themselves and be a part of it/live with it. The people whom the government view as meek with no real voice (mute/female/underclass/'toilet cleaners') but do, after all, have the power and cleverness to save nature and the earth itself and finally, live with nature, even if that means death/being reborn/redemption.

[@flormedina3880]

Mary Dixon thats exactly what i thought and the cut fingers of the bad guy as the bad smell and the putrefaction of our sistem that keeps destroying the nature.

[@adrianhdragon718]

An excellent, profound and discerning analysis. Will only add that there is a mystik component which you hinted. The Green For NATURE or GODDESS and the RED for G*D The SUN RED in Setting and Rising. Know of THELEMA ???

[@pennylola123]

I interpreted Green as antiquated ideas of success and prosperity in America - corporate mundane life - economic success in a white world, nuclear family, 1960s dated aspirations rather than nature? And red is passion, lust, love, which empowers her (red headband shoes etc) to save the creature and be different, and blue as nature, spiritualism and healing

[@YelanC6R1]

I love the pause after the egg joke

[@thiccboss4780]

why are all essays about The Shape of Water *so good?*

[@teresaescobedo220]

The movie is excellent. Enough souce for good material.

[@Perkele231]

Life and fretility is very attached to egss, especially in slavic culture. When Easter comes, people from middle and east Europe , painting eggs in very symbolic way, and their meaning is life.

[@rhythmoriented]

The teal and green are hybrid forms of yellow and blue: primary colors which mix in a manner that tells the story.... 1. Yellow represents the present reality, specifically Strickland’s indoor home living space - including his wife’s clothing. 2. Blue in art has been used to represent narcissism. Specifically, on the lead up to 2016’s The Neon Demon, director/writer Nicolas Winding Refn, pointed out Caravaggio’s Blue Narcissus, the classic painting in which the subject is wearing blue and staring at his reflection to the point of starvation. 3. The green in The Shape of Water, therefore, likely represents the false and narcissistic (and perhaps ethnocentric to a fault) mixture of the present and a supposed future. 4. Strickland spends the entire film in denial, as shown through his persistence with those green candies, the incorporation of other greenish items (including the teal car). He also shows rejection of "reality" in other ways - taking pain meds in the face of an obviously festering hand infection. I also believe there is a reason why it is the ring and pinky fingers of the left hand that fell off, but there that's another discussion of symbolism outside of the color analysis. (oh, and "World's Finest Grain" - thanks for posting this video analysis)

[@cosmicbeth518]

Could you possibly give me your theory on why it is the ring and pinky fingers that got bitten off? I imagine the ring finger is because he is no longer satisfied with his marriage, or something along those lines... But I'd like to hear your ideas :)

[@rhythmoriented]

@@cosmicbeth518 you are correct on the ring finger. As for the pinky, it is the “pinky swear” finger. Strickland broke his promise to his boss.

[@cosmicbeth518]

@@rhythmoriented Ohhh that makes sense. That's really interesting, thanks :)

[@blameitoncapitalism]

As a linguist I'm so happy someone is citing Sausurre in a video essay about a film that I adore! Great job!

[@Known-unknowns]

Worlds finest grain. The ability to go to KZbin and watch the meaning of the film I’ve seen is really useful. I’m always shocked at the amount I missed. It strikes me that the vast majority of people watch a film once , and say “I’ve seen it”. Now, I’m either particularly dumb or they are kidding themselves. I’ve stopped going to the museums because I realised I hadn’t a clue what I was looking at. I recall seeing a painting of a man standing by a window with a dog. I thought “ Painted well, nice dog” and moved on. Later I saw a lady called Sister Wendy Beckett explain the painting. As I listened I realised I’d missed 90% of the artists intentions.

[@photoholohan]

Worlds Finest Grain. “She gives him her OTHER eggs” really made me laugh... (probably more than it should have). Great video James. Thanks for sharing and posting.

[@Savocaatx]

Great analysis, beautiful film

[@JamesHayes1]

Thank you, very much appreciated.

[@Divineshot]

World's finest grain. Awesome video man.

[@colinkeenabell9301]

Good explination

[@kathryndick4936]

A wonderful resource for my classroom. Please do some more on this film. These kind of analyses are the world's finest grain!

[@BruceWayne-wh4of]

I've been a big fan of Guillermo del Toro, since his debut-feature "Cronos", and followed his creative work ever since. Even back than, colours had an important role in his tales. Movies like "the Devil's Backbone" had that kind of yellow-golden colour-palette to it. In this case the colour represented amber stones, particularly inclusions of the stone. The movie's thematic is circling around the topic of ghosts, mostly because ghostly beeings share similarities with these dead animals - kept in the same souroundings for all eternity. Similar themes were also incorporated into "Crimson Peak". So your breakdown of "Shape of Water" is really fascinating to me. Guillermo del Toro surely puts much thought into these details. Great work. Keep it up.

[@Denver0054]

Worlds Finest Grain I love this film. Easily one of my favorites of 2017.

[@garethglover5732]

It is the greatest film for many many years

[@jakobrogers625]

You made me appreciate this film even more, so thank you. Also, worlds finest grain.

[@susanna9158]

Great analysis. I never saw it from this perspective. People like you make filmmakers very happy.

[@Schmee303]

World's Finest Grain. Very much enjoy analysis's on great films. Thank you.

[@lieslheiter6793]

One of the best films ever made imo, so beautifully made, tons of symbolism. Great video!

[@Joe-mf1sz]

6:04 kinda looks like there's symbolism in the background (?) left side has colors of green (the lights, the balloons) while on Eliza's side (right) is showing TV's with war pictures

[@Young-dy2zc]

This video is so pleasant to watch and now I’m gonna watch the movie. Like right now. The world is a startling place with the finest things and your video complements the movie like water and sand

[@jamesosullivan6055]

Regarding your theory about green representing traditional values - Strickland also eats green candy, fully acknowledging that he likes it because it's simple and it's what he's always eaten. Also, Giles pretends to like key lime pie at the beginning - GREEN. Mind=blown.

[@deborahstabelfeldt-brooks2519]

Watched the movie twice, really loved it!!

[@milcab653]

I can't stop thinking about this movie, it has been some months scinse it was released and i just can't forget the beauty of this movie.

[@krisynthiagomez5883]

It’s not just Shape of Water several of De Torro’s popular works have a red and green palate scheme, Crimson Peak being a perfect example.

[@drkillee3236]

world's finest grain :) I got to see the film last week, and I also loved Guillermo del Toro's use of color in storytelling and in character descriptions.

[@JonChampaigne]

Thank you for the phenomenal work --and, the "Worlds Finest Grain".

[@P_Belle]

World's Finest Grain! What a great synopsis, thank you. I didn't catch the meaning of the man with the unboxed cut cake at the bus stop. Did his weight or disheveled look have meaning to anyone? 2) I read that green= "lie" and red=" truth". Thoughts? 3) There was also Goldenrod/ mustard yellow, especially in Strickland's home. Is there meaning there?

[@trevorpacelli8056]

I love this movie so much, and hearing commentaries such as this one makes me just love it even more! Thank you so much for putting this together!

[@vitorlebre4162]

Wow, nice James, what a great film! And a great analisis by you, you are one of the finest men in youtube to show us those details that makes films greater and makes us love more the 7th art! thx

[@alihalitdiker]

I'm glad that I stumbled across your channel while researching about Dan Harmon's Story Circle. World's finest grain ;)

[@jlgirlxox]

World's finest grain. I think you've gained a new subscriber!

[@charlescaprice3339]

World's Finest Grain... Thank you for the analysis on this film! It was so insightful

[@bedowrailhana3312]

loved your work ..

[@Rajaks666]

Good Narration ..Nice work

[@kyungcolor]

Worlds Finest Grain... Meaning, Kodak Ektar? Anyway, I loved The Shape of Water! Beautifully stylized cinematography that is characteristic of Del Toro.

[@JamesHayes1]

It's an amazing film, so unique and the characters were incredibly portrayed! You're exactly right about the Kodak Ektar I had a box right in front of me right as I was recording!

[@Thefallenangelqueen]

world's finest grain. Interesting dive into the symbolism.

[@kilimanjaro1494]

Hi, I just rewatched The Shape of Water after seeing your analysis. I have something to discuss. If green is the representative of conformity, like the color of laboratory and those women's uniform, and red represents something that against conformity, like the color of Giles' room and Elisa's coat, what does red/orange in Strickland's home means?

[@blueratgrmln]

Maybe the red/orange of Strickland's home could symbolize his hidden dissatisfaction and apathy toward conformity, towards the charade of the big-and-successful presentation that he pushes himself to uphold. Notice how whenever he is shown inside his home, he looks distant and unresponsive to his family. This could be a clue to his true thoughts about his life choices and expectations, that he is questioning things. Questioning why he's there, questioning what he's doing, or simply not interested in what is happening there. Like how orange is subtler and a step away from red, questioning conformity is a step away from passionately taking action and practicing nonconformity (red). Red/orange is a close neighbor to red. That's my take on the orange/red symbolism, that it's a nonverbal characterization detail hinting at Strickland's unspoken dissatisfaction. Another aspect to note is that his family emodies the typical expectations of home life, a beautiful wife, a dashing husband, and some cute kids. The deliberate choice to make his home orangey and not teal/green shows a disconnect to conformity, that something isn't right. His home should be green. Everywhere else that teal/green is incorporated, the people closely associated with those colors value conformity (such as most of the regular workers at the lab not objecting to cruelty and following orders, the racist and homophobic pie shop guy with his green pie, etc..). His home should be colored green because he actively tries to conform, but something is amiss that doesn't completely align with expectations: his internal condition, hence the orange.

[@UberFuller7]

Great video sir, always interesting to hear someone else's analysis on a film that clearly is more than face level. Keep it up!

[@israellopez6989]

Wonderful work, James!

[@DarlingMissDarling]

World's finest grains! Haha love it 😊

[@janamaata2161]

This is so great! I respect your art man, truly

[@neppiesworld9432]

I loved this vid!

[@garyking1986]

World's finest grain. I don't have any clever comment, I just enjoyed the video.

[@honeymonster135]

loved this video James, you get better with every video. we all know the world's finest grain is sand. or cocaine.

[@JamesHayes1]

Cheers buddy!

[@dalla8315]

hey, i really really loved the background music you used in this (v awesome, btw) video. do you perhaps still have its name? i searched in the site linked in the description but couldn't find unfortunately. ty!

[@SKC977]

How does one pick up on those subtexts? Like the red and green thing, now that youve mentioned it, it's clear as day that it was done by the filmmaker deliberately. But i never see them the first time i watch a movie and watching analysis videos like this always makes me feel like a dumbass lol

[@tommykevans3]

Is it just me, or did anyone else think Giles’ hair grew back because the amphibian man put his magic palm across his bald head? Kind of like how he cured the cuts on his arm.

[@TheDarKnignt]

OHHHHH that's very interesting ! Thank you so much for this analysis.

[@mariaclaramoraes3074]

Glad I found this channel, good vid

[@adrianhdragon718]

Interesting. My Dancing Goddess and Dragon Empire both have respectively as official colors Green and Red. For me the Goddess and the G*D. It can also be Symbolized that The Aggressive, Violent and Forceful Masculine, Warlike and Beastly Energies Must Be Channeled, not repressed but sublimated Via LOVE & UNDERSTANDING into CONSTRUCTIVE PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES OR INITIATIVES such as Art, Sports, Love, Dancing, Working, Volunteering, Cleaning, Cooking, Massaging, etc.etc.etc.

[@kazzu94]

Love your vids, beautifull analysis ❤️ fyi: I wrote jurnal about semiotic colors in film as storytelling and using Toro's films as data

[@Lathaeus]

Guillermo del Toro explained the symbolism of the colors at a coference when he went to México.

[@LorrieWhittington]

Worlds finest grain. Thank you.

[@majorn00b49]

World's finest grain! Great job 👍

[@songsmith_jenni]

Worlds finest grain Loved this analysis!

[@mandabexy]

I’ve actually been wondering what the green color meant in the movie...

[@scandonalbain]

Beautiful stuff. Thank you. world's finest grain.

[@jillforbesforbes2873]

😅 when you're talking about Eliza you said something that in my honest opinion would make a really great book or really great movie title and a great story in general" THE PRINCESS WITHOUT A VOICE" that just sounds like it would make a great movie or book title and just a great story in general kind of like this movie😍💞😅 and I also hope it's a romantic book or movie because I love romance

[@cramerfloro5936]

World's finest grain

[@WhenAManCries]

thanks for the info mate , great video. i live in a religious country that values teachings of Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Judaism and Islam ) from the religious stand point the red color is the color of evil in this world ( i mean Satan and his acolytes ) and green color is the color of good in this world ( prophets of god like Moses, Jesus and Muhammad) the history and hadith tells us that prophet of Islam ( Muhammad ) always had a green turban on his head. the shape of water is another movie from the Hollywood that tries to change the definition of good and evil just like how it tries to make the color red looks good and the color green looks bad, the red is for the good guys in the future and the green were the colors of bad guys in the past in this movie. they always try to hide the true nature of the evil in this world, you know one of the devils tricks is to change the looks of act of good and bad with each other . Guillermo del toro movies are always have these kind of hidden agendas.

[@seabass_thorn]

worlds finest grain ;) cheers for helping me with my essay

[@screenflavours8714]

World’s finest grain. Awesome ✌️

[@dollparts4918]

Wonderful video.

[@pamelamartinez8115]

Worlds finest grain❤️

[@suciangen05]

May I know who's theory you using?

[@Synfaxed]

This is a great film analysis!

[@birbiebirdie]

worlds finest grain

[@tellaarm5748]

WORLDS FINEST GRAIN!

[@chimericmacandcheese]

world’s finest grain my dude

[@mariaalejanadraperezbas2533]

World fines grain, I enjoyed it

[@FatalJapan]

Shape of water and pans Labyrinth are 2 of my favorites from Guillermo. Not including hellboy and the first pacific rim.

[@snaketooth0943]

World's finest grain.

[@nicoleso8228]

World s finest grain :)

[@steph.li3]

love this, so accurate

[@Jamakaya1]

Elisa is not deaf. She is mute. How could you get that wrong?

[@lorenawilliams84]

Salt!

[@hakzolot]

finest grain

[@yannickrecanatini8582]

5:40

[@snaketooth0943]

How is the shape of water like cinderella? Because it's about a girl who goes from almost nothing to a princess (sorta)?

[@lillianmeng5974]

Worlds finest grain

[@CharlesGabrielleVidanes-xt3ww]

What about the shoes

[@georgeshafer5154]

worlds finest grains

[@MacacoMalandro]

W F G a Great analysis. The movie is fine, expected more. GDT is a filmmaker that his taste for films is far superior than his own work on the screen .Fauno is his only great movie.

[@OleandyrTheGreatDragonGod]

*W O R L D ' S F I N E S T G R A I N*

[@BeanyBabe420]

World's finest grain!

[@elizabethkinder250]

World’s finest grain!!!

[@officertopheavy3232]

Do you have any references for semiotic theory? I'm doing an analysis of this film myself (for academic purposes).

[@kriskooly2524]

ODES finest grain

[@elizayoung3362]

worlds finest grain :-)

[@xenabellarosepoolreedzilla4405]

Oats finest grain

[@Anthony_Francisco_Art]

Worlds Finest Grain. I enjoyed your videos a lot! :) great analysis ... is Rice the worlds finest grain jk :P

[@marieclark9138]

World's finest grain :)

[@javacup4178]

Worlds finest grain lol

[@LydiLa222]

world's finest grain ☺

[@rubi6903]

World's Finest Grain

[@theenormouscrocodile7498]

always wear a helmet

[@tsarstepan]

What does World's Finest Grain mean?

[@imagez11]

Stephen Atwood watch the video till the end :D

[@lorenawilliams84]

World's finest grain! 😁

[@KongFuzii]

worlds finest grain