Sixth Sense

Sixth Sense

“I see dead people” (Sear). In the movie The Sixth Sense directed by M. Night Shyamalan, a boy named Cole Sear possesses a special ability to see the spirits of the dead. A psychologist named Dr. Malcolm Crowe tries to help Cole because he believes the boy is experiencing hallucinations similar to his previous client, Vincent Grey. The problem is that Dr. Crowe does not know that he’s dead after being shot by Vincent. In the film significance of symbolism, violence and the use of irony, is all shown to enhance the message from the story to the audience. Moreover, Foster’s strategies compel the audience to take a closer look at Cole’s connection with the spirits.

Directors regularly use symbolism to foreshadow the ending of a movie. “There are some symbols that work straightforwardly… some symbols do have a relatively limited range of meanings, but in general a symbol can’t be reduced to standing for only one thing” (Foster 98). Symbolism is often used in movies to help create the mood, add a different way to look at something or to create suspense. In The Sixth Sense, a variety of symbols are used to emphasize the theme such as: colors and illustration of important ideas. The symbol that is mainly used in The Sixth Sense are colors. When symbols are used, they can be as simple as “white flag means, I give up, don’t shoot” (Foster 98). For example, the color red usually defines anger and negative emotions. Whenever Cole sees a ghost, there was always the color red presented at the scene. For instance, Cole follows a red balloon up a flight of stairs at a birthday party, which lead him into the basement where a dangerous ghost was locked up.

Another example is when a girl’s spirit enters Cole’s house to ask him a favor, he, instead of facing the ghost, Cole becomes scared and tries to hide in his red tent in his room.

“When they get mad, it gets cold” (Sear). Whenever violence is presented in the movie, The Sixth Sense, the sky turns dark and...