Dinner and a Movie (Final)

Nature vs Nurture

This piece was inspired by the movie Fantastic Mr. Fox. Each object in the photo is representative of a theme proposed by the movie. In Fantastic Mr. Fox, the main character experiences an internal struggle between his domestic responsibilities and his wild instincts. This is represented by the main plate in the frame containing beans, rice, and leaves. The beans and rice are indicative of the domestic, home life and the leaves are indicative of nature and wilderness. The food items included in the setting are directly representative of the antagonists in the movie, as each one represents a specific food that the main character steals and brings back to feed his family. This character's struggle has a direct impact on his family, so there are more plates and glasses at the dinner setting to indicate family. The family's plates are broken to show that a broken domestic environment due to the main characters division between being a father and being a wild animal. The place setting next to the plate is included to show the main character's efforts at trying to be better, but still the other plates remain broken.  The piece is titled Nature vs Nurture because of the struggle between settling down into family life and becoming a responsible father, and being a wild animal who answers each instinct and is constantly in danger. The main character's wife wants him to settle down and be there for his children, but he cannot help but feed into his wild instincts and repeatedly put himself in harm's way. The maroon and gold background was chosen to reflect the tone and setting of the movie, as well as the means in which the movie was created. It is a stop animation using clay and fabrics set in the fall in the countryside of England. The main character and his family live in a tree, and the surrounding area is very lush and beautiful, besides the antagonists' farms that the main character can't seem to stay away from.