Perspective or point of view is one of the most important elements in the narration of a film. It works as a foundation where the branches of the story can grow. The arguments and themes of a narrative are always tilted to the subject with the point of view. A Feminist Approach To Sound in We Need To Talk About Kevin – Is an article posted in Screen Queens that discusses how the film was created through a feminist voice and point of view, and how this is evidenced by the sound design of the film.

The article argues that the sound design of the film breaks with the patriarchal linearity of the narrative, making it have a female perspective (The author references Helen Cixous’s, L’ecriture Fémenine). The sound design does this by creating juxtaposed connotations to symbols, for example she uses the sound of a water sprinkler, that normally symbolizes the environment of an ideal suburban house, and changes its meaning to become a motif of the tragedy that is about to come and so destroying the heteropatriartical dream. Also the article explains how the sound of the film is usually contrasting with the image, it is mostly non-diegetic and it mirrors the emotions the main character is experiencing.

Sound design can be used as a great technique in narrative and to characterize a point of view. We Have To Talk About Kevin is a great example of how sound can represent an ideology and character.