The obvious set design, the lack of walls (or invisible walls, rather) and backdrops, is of a very meaningful nature. This small community has no one else but themselves. They are very tightly knit, and therefore there are no secrets (or so they think) that they hide from each other. This is illustrated through the set design. This Brechtian effect not only reminds the viewer that they are watching a constructed thing but also functions as a metaphor. Cinematically, this puts the focus on the characters’ performances and not their surroundings (see any Michael Bay film for a counter-example). When Chuck rapes Grace, the invisible walls make it seem like they are in plain sight. Metaphorically, they are. The townspeople know that they are unfairly taking advantage of Grace’s willingness to help them, but they choose to exploit it anyway. They ignore what is staring them, both metaphorically and literally through the invisible walls, in the face. An important shot showing this also occurs directly after Chuck finishes with Grace and leaves his house. He encounters Tom outside, who has been looking for Grace for the past few minutes. Tom asks if Chuck knows where Grace is, and Chuck replies that he is “finished with her” and that she is inside his house. Tom, obviously getting the message, walks up to the door and stands there without opening it. Clearly the actor in the film can see Grace, since there are no walls, but the character instead chooses to stay behind the door and not open it to go in and comfort Grace.
The film is structured into nine chapters with a prologue. The chapters also give a pretext of what is going to happen in the chapter. For example, the opening of chapter one has text below it that reads, “In which Tom hears gunfire and meets Grace.” There is also a third person omnipresent narrative that provides almost as much dialogue in the film as the characters do. Why do this in a film? For one, this provides a Brechtian break in the narrative. The audience is reminded, again, that they are watching a created object. In fact, the film “reads” like a children’s story-book. Is it coincidental that the narrator in Dogville also lends his voice to the narration of Disney’s The Tigger Movie? After the rape scene, the narrator announces that once again, Grace “miraculously escapes the police with the aid of citizens of Dogville, most notably Chuck.” This child-like rendering of the story juxtaposed with the horrible acts of rape and violence that occur sends a chilling message. People, no matter how simple or kind at first, are all capable of horrible acts if they are allowed the power to do so. Chuck alludes to this in his first meeting with Grace:
“I've found out that people are the same all over. Greedy as animals. In a small town they're just a bit less successful. Feed 'em enough, they'll eat till their bellies burst.”
Tom Edison, Jr. is arguably the most important character assisting in the delivery of von Trier’s message. The goal of Tom’s life, being that he has no reason to work, is to create the perfect illustration of what humanity and morality is. When Grace arrived, Tom realized that Grace was a gift to him, and he could use her as an example for the townspeople. Tom’s illustration was a failure, and the ending of the film justifies this. When Grace confronts Tom, moments before she orders the killings, he pleads for his life and more importantly for his illustration:
“Although using people is not very charming, I think you have to agree that this specific illustration has surpassed all expectations. It says so much about being human! It's been painful, but I think you'll also have to agree it's been edifying, wouldn't you say?”
Grace’s response? The murder of every citizen in Dogville. What does this say about von Trier? For one, it speaks of his attitudes on Hollywood illustrations (via film) of American values. Tom represents classical Hollywood. He wants to illustrate for the world a good wholesome example of people who take a woman in and assist her in any way that they can, just because they are good wholesome people. How does von Trier respond to such an illustration? By creating a scathing attack on American values, in which a “typical” American town takes in a woman and rapes and enslaves her, just because they are given the power to do so. He does this with his with his very Brechtian style of representation in Dogville. The human values shown here are those of revenge, power, and as von Trier would probably put it, “The American Way.” His illustration IS the film Dogville. Within the film, the conflict between Tom and Grace represents the conflict between classical Hollywood and foreign filmmakers over who can truly represent what America is. After all, how can one who is deeply a part of something represent it in an objective light? In Dogville, Tom has difficulty illustrating the morality in Dogville because he is just a part of the town as all the other citizens. Grace, who represents von Trier, offers her own opposing “illustration” of Dogville at the end of the film. As Tom would say, after Grace murders the entire town for their actions, “It sure beats the hell out of my illustration.”
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