The messages and values in The Wicker Man are displayed trough the main character, Sergeant Neil Howie and the inhabitants of Summerisle. As Neil attempts to search for missing girl Rowan Morrison, these values clash and cause great problems for Neil as his beliefs contradict those of the people he is trying to gain information and co-operation from.

It is clear from the opening scene that Neil's opinions and practices will not fit in with that of the islander's. Traditional folk music plays as the soundtrack as Neil flies over the remote Scottish highlands to arrive on the island. A wide shot is used here to show the binary opposites of a plane and the natural beauty of the island. It is made clear to the audience that Neil's modern beliefs will ensure that he is outcaste and made to feel uncomfortable on the island. This is emphasised...