The Sixth Sense: Perceptive Analysis

The Sixth Sense: Perceptive Analysis

Introduction

Hollywood's inclination toward paranormal and psychological thrillers is evident from the sheer number of movies that have been made for the genre. The Sixth Sense, by M. Night Shyamalan, is a stroke of genius in terms that it does not leave the audience wondering or perplexed by the climax (metacritic, 2003).

The movie is not just a ghost story; it shows the innocence of a child's mind.

Shymalan has masterfully managed to draw the audience by drawing out a stunning performance from Haley Joel Osment (Cole Sear) and represents the rather complex manner in which a child perceives supernatural phenomenon. As is the case with virtually all supernatural thrillers, people often fail to a certain element that is present which is the underlying message of the film. Watching The Sixth Sense, it is easy to overlook the premise of the innocence of a child's tender mind. For years, there has been a mystery as to why spirits choose to seek a child host.

The underlying message that the audience does not seem to grasp is that children, with their unrestricted imagination and purity of thought, can relay messages without making any changes. Children have often believed to be able to narrate matters, messages as they were meant. Cole Sear was chosen for the very reason that the character was innocent and sensitive to the pain and feelings of the people around him. This is indicative of the notion that when a child feels an act or incident of injustice he/she tends to sympathize with the affected individual. The premise of Cole Sear being a messenger of the spirits has also lead to a number of studies being conducted on the purity of a child's mind. Some psychologists have gone as far as commenting that ...