Outline for First Term Paper

Introduction

Film: Sylvain Chomet’s Triplets of Belleville

Thesis: The rules of physics are inconsistent throughout the film, adding humor to its otherwise dark themes and aiding the protagonists in times of peril.

Body Paragraphs

Hypothesis 1: Madame Souza has superhuman strength

• She is able to keep up with her grandson’s bicycle training effortlessly, all while blowing on her whistle without missing a beat.
• She is able to cross the entire Atlantic ocean on a pedal boat

Hypothesis 2: Indestructibility

• Bruno the dog is used as a spare tire yet remains unharmed.
• One of the Triplets is able to change the direction of the pedaling machine with just their arms
• Madame Souza is able to stop a speeding vehicle with just her foot

Hypothesis 3: Inconsistent explosions

• One of the  triplets throws a grenade into a pond to gather frogs for dinner. Explosion is only a few feet away yet does little damage to her.
• In a gangsters’ theater, the same grenade is used yet does considerably more damage than before.

Conclusion: While the inconsistent physics in the Triplets of Belleville may turn some viewers away, it actually adds a creative twist that benefits the storytelling.