The presence of mirrors is highlighted in this episode. Prior to this episode there had not been an emphasis on mirrors, even though they appear in other episodes. I feel like the use of this prop is important to understanding the episode. Each time a mirror appears, there is a different circumstance the character is dealing with. The first mirror appears at Quinn's house. She's trying on the dress for the chastity dance with her mom and the dress doesn't zip up all the way. Quinn is shown in the mirror while her mother measures her belly. In this case, the mirror could signify a desire to hide the truth, despite the fact that the truth is there for all to see. The second time a mirror is used is in Finn's basement. He and Kurt are discussing his father's bravery in the war, while trying on his father's old jacket. This scene is open on an emotional level and the mirror works to illustrate that Finn is more like his father than he realizes. It acts as a spotlight for the characteristics that Finn will demonstrate later in the episode and in the series. Finally, a mirror is used on Rachel when another student tells her she has no chance with Will. In this scene Rachel is applying makeup in the mirror. The presence of a mirror, and its active use, could indicate that Rachel is hiding the truth from herself. Rachel's character rarely wears much makeup, which emphasizes the use of the mirror. Instead of being honest with herself, Rachel denies the truth she knows exists. The camerawork in the show is very well done because it helps the audience understand the relationships between the characters, as well as drawing the audience's attention to important aspects. actio...... middle of paper...... silence fills the air. Not even the sound of Quinn crying can be heard during these pauses, although through reaction shots the audience can see that she is crying. This creates a suffocating atmosphere for the audience and the characters. It helps illustrate Quinn's home life, which helps explain her character's actions in previous episodes. In addition to silence, there is also sound manipulation in this scene. Most of the scene involves calm dialogue from the father, and sometimes Quinn, but it suddenly changes to the father yelling. The change in volume is very striking and is almost overbearing. There is no escape from the volume and shouting for the audience; and just as suddenly the volume drops and Quinn speaks softly. The effect is powerful. Overall, it's one of the most uncomfortable sequences in the entire first season.