War and Peace

Max wrote and designed his play “Heaven and Hell” as an elaborate and symbolic way to call a truce with Herman and Rosemary; this is the exact point when Max admits his forfeit. The mood is set when he gives Herman and Rosemary adjacent seats to prove that he is no longer jealous about them being together. This scene is performed near the end of the play as well as the entire movie, strengthening the metaphor between Max’s real life and his play. The symbol of peace in the midst of war alludes to when Max tricked Rosemary into letting him into her house. He had bleakly commented, “War does funny things to men,” referring to his own desperation in the metaphoric war he was fighting over Rosemary’s affection. The peace sign is prominent in the frame, gestured out toward the audience, and the camera is focused only on the face and hand, visually separating this gesture from the setting of the play. In this scene, Max officially ends the fighting, breaking character and the fourth wall, but he has disguised it through cleverly manipulated plot. Max also designed the play’s set and makeup choices to carry double meaning. Max is sweaty and worn out, his face completely obscured as if in shame of how naively he has been acting, and the red, stormy backdrop and dim lighting reflect the ruthless and depressing nature of the fighting. Even the nearby dying tree adds to the destructive scene, representing how Max and Herman’s fighting has hurt the people around them, namely Max’s father and Margaret. The explosive and dangerous viewing experience is another way that Max admits how much he has hurt the people who care about him. Both Margaret and Mr. Fischer, however, forgive Max, as they are both enthusiastic supporters of the production. If I could alter this scene, I would add the "Perfect Attendance" pin to Max's costume to remind the audience of how Max's time at Rushmore has shaped his future. Max carries his time at Rushmore into his new life at public school just as clones from Hailsham, a similarly exclusive school, are reminded of their superior status through the rumor of deferrals.