Final answer:
The opening bird's eye view shot of a seemingly dis-empowered, insignificant man is a film or literary technique to convey the character's sense of vulnerability or insignificance. This technique sets the tone and provides insight into the character's emotional state or societal position, often signifying a pivotal moment in their personal narrative.
Step-by-step explanation:
An opening bird's eye view shot of a seemingly dis-empowered, insignificant man typically serves to establish a visual narrative which conveys the character's vulnerability, powerlessness or insignificance within their environment or situation.
This type of shot is frequently used in film and literature as a cinematic technique or a literary device to set the tone and provide insight into the character's emotional state or societal position. For instance, a film might begin with such a shot to show a character's smallness in comparison to the vast world around them, or a novel may describe a character from a detached perspective to emphasize isolation or emotional distance.
In each of the excerpts provided, characters experience a significant moment that is pivotal to their personal narrative; whether it is a realization of freedom and power, a sense of grandeur despite solitude, confrontation with others, or a revelation of a hidden world. Each passage evokes imagery that establishes a character's place in the world, often in a transformative or enlightening way, reflecting themes of self-perception, struggle, and identity.