This essay “leaving the movie theatre” has gave me a really huge or impactful insight on how I view the movie theatre experience I had before, I like going to the movie theatre instead of watching it on my home’s television because the atmosphere and the sound equipment from the theatre are way more better than my home’s setup. But when I finished reading this essay, I realized the word “hypnotize” is used very frequently, and there must be a reason for why Roland is insisting on this word, and I discovered that actually I understand the usage of word, as every time I enters the movie theatre, it is like I have entered into another space where it separates me from the outer world, and when I leave the movie theatre, it is like I have been away from the world for a long time, which it feels like I am hypnotized, but I did not really noticed it before, but now I did because of this essay written by Roland.
Angus Lam Yee Yin 3035743041
I think you did a great job in pointing out why leaving the movie theatre is important as part of the hypnotic experience Barthes described.
You may wish to unpack a little more on what constitute the “atmosphere” of the movie theatre; how it differs from that at home; what makes it so immersive and hypnotic; how it contrasts with the outer world. Barthes wrote at length about “darkness” – “the very substance of reverie (in the pre-hypnoid meaning of the term) […] also the “color” of a diffused eroticism; by its human condensation, by its absence of worldliness.” (1986, 346). It would be great to explore more on the “cinematographic cocoon” created within the movie theatre to support your response.
P.S. For written pieces, we usually address authors by their last name. In this case, “Barthes” instead of “Roland”.