The Significance of Sound in Andrea Arnold’s Fish Tank Sound techniques used in cinema can alter how one perceives what they are viewing. Throughout Andrea Arnold’s film, Fish Tank, she uses sound to draw the audience into Mia’s journey through self-development in lower class Britain. During the opening scene, the background noises are given emphasis, creating an ambiance of realism as it feels like we have been thrown into Mia’s world. Furthermore, these consistent white noises engulf Mia and accentuate her isolation and vulnerability through the lack of privacy she sustains. Additionally, without a soundtrack, how to feel is not provided, instead, we must decipher these emotions for ourselves. The sound devices used throughout Fish Tank develop an impression of realism while heightening Mia’s well-being within her estate.…show more content… As Mia breathes in and out there is no soundtrack played to notion how to interpret or what to feel about her exhausted state. Additionally, being able to so clearly hear Mia, the audience can predict how close they will interact with her in the film. Furthermore, this interaction is shown while she attempts a phone call and receives the answering machine, creating the feeling of a real life documentary instead of a cinematic feature. When Mia walks outside, we hear the sounds of a man yelling, children playing, and traffic from the interstate. Effectively, these sounds symbolize the insecurity of Mia’s estate and portray the lack of privacy she possesses. Although the world around her is open, Mia finds herself alone, which is demonstrated through her lack of interaction with the sounds around her. Accordingly, she hears past the sounds of her estate, further portraying how vulnerable she is in her surroundings. The sound devices used in this scene create a realistic effect, making it comparable to being right there with
