A spooky film from 2011 called “The Awakening” took place in the 1920s. The primary character exposes fraudulent organisations that make ghost communication claims. It turns out to be more startling than she anticipated when she receives a request to look into something weird at a school. Rebecca Hall, Dominic West, and Imelda Staunton play interesting characters in the film. If you want to know the storyline and resolution of the film, read on for spoilers.
The Spoiler for The Awakening’s Finale
Does Florence pass away at The Awakening’s climax?
At the conclusion of “The Awakening,” we learn that Tom is actually a ghost and that Florence had lived in the school building. Years ago, after a heated disagreement between Florence’s parents, her father unintentionally shot Tom rather than her mother. Then her father committed suicide. Maud, the housekeeper, and Florence were one other’s only company and were very close. Their son Tom was born outside of marriage, and Florence was hurt in the shoulder.
Florence was unable to comprehend what actually occurred since the trauma of this childhood incident was so great. Instead, she made up a tale in which a lion killed her parents in Africa and she was saved by people who called her Mowa-Zee. She even stated that a lion had injured her. After viewing a picture of a lion at the spot where her father had been before killing himself, she began to believe this tale.
There are a few reasons why Florence’s death is not depicted in “The Awakening’s” ending.
The actress who played Florence and the director, Nick Murphy, said in an interview that they came to the conclusion that Florence is still alive. He even made a joke about her picking up smoking and buying a car.
Florence cries out to Tom, “You’re the only friend I’ve ever had,” as the poison begins to harm her. Nevertheless, you are the reason my spirit may be pleased if I go right away with you. Tom gave Florence a shot at happiness by facilitating her meeting Robert and resulting in love. Because she is no longer lonely, she stops looking at Tom, but she can still feel his presence. Therefore, it implies that she might carry on with her life.
In the final scene of “The Awakening,” Florence is contentedly seated in Robert’s arms while they both smoke cigarettes. She is not a ghost; instead, she is joyous and alive, just like Robert.
The author Florence says, “Not seeing them… It differs from forgetting.” The film doesn’t try to offer her a happy ending where she is oblivious that she is dead, despite the fact that she meets spirits. Instead, it uses the third-person pronoun “they” to allude to spirits. In “The Awakening,” the ghosts are acutely conscious of their own death.
I recognise that Florence appears to be dead at a crucial scene, and other characters respond as though she is not present. However, this could be attributed to the views of the males of that era, who may not have taken highly educated women who investigated ghosts seriously. Even the headmaster scorns her, claiming that “girls’ minds frequently can’t cope with extra schooling.” There are enough innuendos in the film to imply that Florence is still alive, despite the fact that the filmmaker, in the interview you quoted, intended to fool the audience.
The Awakening has ghosts, but are they real or simply in Florence’s head?
Yes, there are ghosts in the movie, but Tom is the one we notice most. The underlying premise of the film is that only those who are profoundly alone can see these ghosts. Maud, Robert (who sees his dead companions during the war), Florence, and Victor are a few examples of lonely people who experience ghostly encounters. It emphasises how their ability to communicate with the supernatural is influenced by their loneliness.
The Awakening’s Story| An Overview
The opening words of the movie “The Awakening” are as follows:
Fact: Between 1914 and 1919, influenza and war claimed the lives of more than a million individuals in Britain.
In conclusion, it establishes the mood for a dark and eerie tale.
The movie The Awakening’s first lines are as follows|
Over a million individuals in Britain alone lost their lives between 1914 and 1919 due to influenza and war.
In a nutshell, this gives the film a spooky vibe.
Regarding Florence’s occupation at the start of “The Awakening”:
Florence, who was raised as an orphan, grows up to be a smart adult. Her area of expertise is exposing those who make claims to be in communication with the dead. In the movie’s first scene, Florence reveals a group of people who are deceiving a woman into believing she can see her daughter’s ghost.
Florence acts in this way not because she believes in ghosts but rather because she hopes to one day be proven wrong—that is, she aspires to come across a real ghost. Why? She misses her fiancé, and she misses Tom, her childhood pal. She hopes to run across them one day. Given that she has wiped off the majority of her memories of her family and Tom’s passing, this longing is largely veiled in her subconscious.
Her primary conscious purpose for looking into ghosts is to locate her departed fiancé, to whom she confessed her adultery in a letter and later regretted it, particularly because he died in battle. The cigarette case she retains as a reminder of him belongs to him.
Describe Mowa-Zee. What is the premise of the African lion story?
Florence’s erroneous recollection is very different from what actually transpired. In truth, her father suffered from mental instability, tragically killed her mother, made an attempt to harm her, unintentionally killed a child who wasn’t his own, and then killed himself.
A painting of a lion tumbling to the ground catches Florence’s attention, and she uses it to conjure up an entirely different recollection in which she and her parents were attacked by lions in Africa. She claimed that she merely suffered a scratch while her parents died. She further asserts that the name “Mowa-zee,” which was bestowed upon her in appreciation for saving her, refers to a “white doll.”
There is no such word as “Mowa-zee” in any African language. In essence, it’s an incorrectly accented variant of the term “mousie” with an African dialect. Because of the unsettling way her father used to scream out to her, Florence recalls that dad used to call her “Mousie,” and this is a major and disturbing memory for her.
Robert Mallory| Who is he? What is it that he desires of Florence?
The narrative starts when Florence’s neighbour, Robert, a teacher, visits her home and breaks some upsetting news. She learns from him that a student at his school committed suicide because they were terrified of running into a ghost. Robert claims that the kids are truly afraid and that they are orphans like Florence who have no one else to turn to. At first, Florence thinks these are just things the kids are making up. Florence is sceptical and doesn’t take it seriously, despite the fact that he even provides her photographic proof of the bizarre incidents.
After initially declining the case, Florence ultimately makes up her mind to accept it and joins Robert at the school. Why? She wants to know the truth because she honestly thinks there could be a real ghost involved. She has no idea that a trap has been prepared for her.
Robert, a combat veteran who lost a lot of comrades in the war, suffers with survivor’s guilt. As a form of self-punishment for living when others perished, he frequently causes harm on himself. He is a lonely man who also sees the spirits of his fallen friends; this fact is only disclosed in the epilogue of “The Awakening.”
And who is Maud? What part does she play in The Awakening?
The carer, Maud, nurtured Florence as a child when she was younger. It’s interesting to note that Maud also happens to be the mother of Tom, Florence’s father’s extramarital child. Sadly, Maud loses her baby Tom as a result of Florence’s father’s rage, which was stoked by the ongoing arguments Florence’s parents were having about the affair.
Maud is left alone, and as a result of her loneliness, she starts talking to and seeing Tom’s spirit. Maud later accepts a position at the residence, which eventually develops into an orphanage school. She eventually learns that Florence has turned into a ghost hunter. Tom misses Florence a lot because they used to be great friends.
Florence is forced to comply with a request to go to Rookford, a boarding school in the countryside where a lad has just been discovered dead. Both pupils and parents have experienced anxiety and terror as a result of rumours that a ghostly boy is haunting the school.
Maud persuades Robert to ask Florence to assist in resolving the haunting situation after learning that the kids have been seeing Tom’s spirit. When Florence comes, she recognises Tom right once but is unaware that he is a ghost. Florence doesn’t remember Maud either, despite the fact that she calls the school “home.”
In order for them to be reunited with Tom in the afterlife, Maud’s deepest wish is for Florence to retrieve all of her memories. However, Maud’s sinister intentions aren’t made clear until the very end. She plans to hurt herself and Florence so that their spirits might unite with Tom’s. Only at the story’s finale is this evil scheme revealed.
What did the children in The Awakening get up to? Victor Parry is who?
Victor Parry is another little youngster who has had a ghostly experience with Tom. However, other children at school bully him as a result of this assertion. Victor agrees to dress up as a ghost and attempt to frighten Florence in return for their generosity. Victor, the kid behind the late-night tricks, is eventually apprehended by Florence. Sadly, the substances Victor had on his legs made him easy prey.
Florence is unaware that Tom’s ghost was the second child she saw in the middle of the night. Malcolm McNair intervenes to correct the other children who had promoted this behaviour and to learn the identity of the second youngster, but Florence prevents him. Eventually, Victor exposes the identities of the other children who exposed him to the fright.
Malcolm McNair| Who is he? How did he act?
Malcolm, a teacher at the school, appears to have a military experience and may have served with Robert. He thinks that youngsters must learn to face their fears if they are to develop into powerful people. Although he may have noble intentions, his techniques are not always accurate.
One of the students at the school, Walter, starts claiming that he has seen a ghost. Walter is isolated by Malcolm in an effort to toughen him up. Sadly, during this seclusion, Walter suffers an asthma attack and dies. Malcolm hides this information from others because he is motivated by fear and guilt.
Prior to this, Florence had picked up scents of Malcolm’s and Walter’s balsam on the doorknobs. She then provides proof that Malcolm had taken Walter’s bear away and left him alone, which ultimately caused an asthma attack. Malcolm is asked to leave the school by Robert before Walter’s parents show up.
Florence is upset to learn that the entire encounter was a joke and that there was no real ghost there. Robert observes her response and is perplexed by it.
What transpires to Florence at the lake in The Awakening?
Florence frequently smokes along the water. A phantom hand reaches out to grasp her as she tries to pull her dropped cigarette case out of the water. Florence begins to calm down before purposefully plunging into the water.
The cigarette case she is clutching serves as a metaphor for her inner shame and regret about how she treated her fiance. He believed this until his death since she told him that she didn’t love him. Because of this, Florence believes she should be punished.
Standing beside the lake and allowing herself to fall in, she laments the fact that this haunting was also a practical joke. She’s worn out from carrying her emotional burden and from waiting for a real ghost to materialise. She is also interested in what occurs after death.
Robert intervenes in this situation to save Gilbert.
The Actual Ghost Search
Returning to the house, Florence is unable to ignore the creepy atmosphere or the widely held notion that a boy is capable of traversing barriers. Florence keeps getting her tools ready and is still determined to find the ghost.
She eventually encounters the ghost of her father, a shotgun-wielding guy, in his direct line of sight. In the course of this interaction, her equipment begins to fail. She also discovers a variety of dollhouses that depict various incidents during her time spent at the property. Tom is suspected of being responsible for this, wanting Florence to let her guard down, feel scared, and recall her long-forgotten memories of her family and Tom.
It is unusual for the main characters in horror films to experience excitement and emotional connection upon discovering a ghost. In Florence and Robert’s instance, finding the ghostly boy in the picture turns out to be a special and important occasion for them. This occasion is significant to Florence in two ways:
First of all, it shows that she has the ability to get over her shame and find her capacity for love. She shares it with the person she loves, and it also serves as the climax of her lifetime quest to see ghosts. It is a wonderful and intensely emotional experience for both of them due to the confluence of these two significant occurrences.
Edward Judd: who is he? What was his goal?
Edward, a member of the faculty at the school, develops jealousy over Robert and Florence’s developing romance. His resentment turns into stalking behaviour. When Robert is confined in a small area, Edward strikes Florence at a difficult time.
When Tom steps in to save Florence, she strikes Edward in self-defense, unintentionally killing him.
Tom may have been motivated by his desire to be the one to save Florence in his actions, such as keeping Robert inside the home. He wants to connect with her in the hopes that by doing so, she will remember him and they may get back together.
Florence must, however, accede to a request to go to rural boarding school Rookford. There, a boy was recently discovered dead, and pupils and parents are experiencing terror and panic due to rumours that the school is being haunted by the ghost of the boy.
Robert later inters Edward’s body at a remote location.
Climax of The Awakening: Maud’s actual motives
Florence eventually meets Tom and regains her memories in the dramatic climax of “The Awakening,” following a suspenseful game of cat and mouse. Using the insulting term “Mowa-Zee” (a misspelling of “mousie”) and his dollhouse strategies, Tom is successful. Florence learns that Tom is the horrifically deformed ghost who has been residing in the estate and that he is powerless to change his appearance. Since his father accidentally killed him, Tom has existed as a lonely ghost who has long craved for Florence’s company.
As she serves the poisoned celebrating wine, Maud continues her plan to poison Florence and herself so that they would be reunited as ghosts. After drinking it, Florence starts to fall victim to the poison. Robert hurries to find anything that will make her puke after hearing her calls for assistance.
Florence thanks Tom in her fragile state for making it possible for her to meet Robert. She also expresses her belief that after death, she will manifest as an evil spirit. Tom notices what is occurring, though, and gets some medication to induce vomiting for her. The poison is removed from Florence.
Florence and Robert are excited to begin their new relationship as a result of their newly discovered connection. The audience is left wondering if Florence was actually gone at the conclusion of “The Awakening,” but she is not.
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