Leon Petrulio

Ms. Miskinis
CP American Literature
11 May 2016
Reaching Out
Reaching Out is a painting of a small character in the moonlight reaching out for a heart
while hanging off of a tree branch, painted by artist Mackenzie Thorpe. Thorpe painted
Reaching Out as a reflection of his own childhood, as he does with the majority of his paintings.
The audience of this painting is really anyone who is captured or moved by it. Although, his
paintings are commonly found amongst child linked locations. In almost all of his paintings, he
includes a heart within the scene and this one isnt any exception. This is to reflect the
importance of love and happiness to Thorpe as a child. He shows a small character, in almost all
of his paintings, that seems lifeless and empty and is always trying to chase this recurring heart.
The purpose is to show how much this means to children and the importance of making someone
feel loved and happy. Although, depending on how one looks at it, the purpose of the picture
also could be to show Thorpes struggle as a child or adult, to find happiness and love.
The artist, Mackenzie Thorpe, was born in the industrial city of the UK, Middlesbrough.
The city in which Thorpe grew up in heavily influences his work and it shows. In many of his
paintings, the character featured in wandering about in a very dark and depressing landscape that
is representative of his hometown of Middlesbrough. His paintings again, are a reflection of his
childhood, which makes him completely credible to create them, as they are about his own
experiences. The pathos of Reaching Out is quite interesting. The first emotion that may come
about in ones head while looking at the picture is a feeling of hope. Although the scene is

generally dark and the character seems empty, the moonlight brights up the scene and the
character is very close to reaching the heart he is trying to get ahold of. Its a piece of art that is
quite peaceful, with the ocean and the moonlight shining on it, as well as the tall grass in the
front of the scene, its quite pleasant. So, as shown, this painting arises many emotions within
the viewer. As far as the facts within the painting goes, there arent many to be seen. As there is
a fictional character and a generic setting, there arent really any facts. Although, the setting of
the picture may be a place in his hometown of Middlesbrough, UK, as many of his paintings may
be placed in this city.
Reaching Out has an intriguing connection with my position statement. On one hand, the
character within the painting, seems to be chasing or trying to catch a heart, which may represent
love and or happiness. This of course goes against my position statement, in that, it states that
happiness cannot be chased, which seems to be the opposite of whats occurring in the painting.
However, it completely depends on how you interpret the painting. One could argue that this
painting is more figurative than literal, in that, the character shown is struggling to find
happiness within itself and is on a constant search to find it, not within the outside world, but
internally. So, depending on how one interprets the painting, it could be used to either support or
challenge my position statement.