Friday, May 27, 2016
Days of Heaven (again)
Answering the questions that follow will not be easy. I'm asking you to stretch here. That's right. I'm actually asking to think seriously in Term B. That in itself is a leap of faith on my part. I believe you can do it. So, here goes. Apart from the marriage ceremony (which seems to be an Eastern Orthodox liturgy), Malick has little religious imagery in the film, and the characters certainly do not demonstrate any pattern of religious behavior. But, as we discussed in class, the film does offer a number of references, both visual and verbal, that point to biblical events (a man who offers his girlfriend/wife as his sister to the local authority, the apple and serpent, the film's title, Ding Dong's talk of the apocalypse). Do such references, though, give the film a spiritual dimension? If so, what does that dimension have to do with the very secular tale of harvesting wheat and trying to scam the owner? If not, what are the references doing in the film? In short, what is this film doing in a course on faith and doubt? Does it have a coherent message about belief?
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Day of Heaven (Part 2)
ReplyDeleteJoanie Dorfman
I just be honest with you. I don't really know what it all means. However, I will share some of my speculation with you.
One thing I am crying about is Malick's love of nature. It is shown as a beautiful, pure thing. The corruption of humanity doesn't effect it, as shown by the deer running through the burned fields destroyed by men. It is always peaceful, in harmony. The humans are shown at their happiest when they coexist with nature and show gratitude for what they have. The workers playing in the fields, Abby, Linda, and the farmer enjoying themselves after Bill has left. Even Bill is shown happy right after Abby married the farmer, not yet becoming envious of the farmer and happily frolicking in the water with dogs.
The theme of coexistence with nature is clear to me. What confuses me is the religious imagery. I understand the apocalyptic images, and the comments about the devil and the "snake house" as Linda calls hell. I see the parallels between Adam, Eve, and the Garden of Eden. I just don't really understand what Malick means by it. For example, when I first saw the "apocalypse" scene, I assumed that it was a metaphor for man bringing about his own destruction through greed, but when you consider that Adam and Eve are represented by Bill and Abby, that would make the farmer God, so it is God, not man, that brings about the apocalypse through greed. Perhaps Malick is trying to say that the world will go to hell if God becomes emotionally invested in humans? But that seems a rather cynical view of God and humanity, which is contrasted by the many scenes showing them peaceful and in harmony. "God" is praised by Linda for his benevolent ways, so it seems weird to think Malick is criticizing this.
I also though that maybe Bill killing the farmer was a metaphor for Man killing God, as God is often seen as the embodiment of nature (not so much in this film as just in general) and this film constantly portrays man's relationship with nature. But then, what about the ending? I suppose Bill's death could fit in with this metaphor, as it could represent how our connection with nature is essential for us, and Bill is being punished for killing "God", but that wouldn't explain why Bill is portrayed in a sympathizer manner. And how would Linda and Abby's resolutions fit in with this?
If there is any major religious point to this movie it is very unclear. I think we can all agree on that. There is certainly a spiritual dimension in this film that is more clearly seen through nature. The elements battling it out but yet still harmonizing with each other. The direct religious imagery scattered throughout this film do not tell a cohesive story from the bible. The film could be representing atheism and how people are loosing their faith in God (even though I'm not sure there are any facts for that). I am not trying to go against religion, this is just what I see in the movie.
ReplyDeleteIf bill represents a full atheist, or someone who does not believe in the version of someone else's God, Abby represents someone who is turned over to religion, and the farmer represents God or religion. Then you can look at this conflict in a new way. Bill (the atheist) sort of plays along with Abby at first when he thinks she is faking believing in God (being in love with the farmer). But them when he realizes that she does have faith in God he doesn't like it because he wants her to have faith in him. Then when God realizes that she does not have full faith in God he gets angry and creates this hellish landscape (the fire). Playing on the idea that if you believe in God you go to heaven and if you don't you go to hell. God then "goes after" Bill (which seems very uncharacteristic for God) but ends up "dying" (which could represent Abby's faith for God being ripped away). Abby, Bill and that other girl then run away and edventually get caught up to by God's followers. They then kill Bill (which plays out in 2 movies directed by Tarantino) and Abby finds faith in someone else while the girl is still trying to find out what she believes in.
Over all that is the main religious story that I could pull out of this movie. The fight of religion.
Days of Heaven is a lesson. It shows what will happen if you are unfaithful. Bill convinces Abby to stay and scam the farmer, and as a direct result he dies. The film tells us that when you do wrong, there is a period of time when you might benefit, you will have a few days of heaven. However, ultimately you will pay for your actions. When the Farmer, who we see a lot of Godly images with, finds out what’s happening, in his wrath he sets the fields on fire. He sends them into a hell and they are cast out into the wilderness. Ultimately, Bill is killed by the police, part of the system of justice. The deep connection to nature in this movie also shows consequences. For a long time, man and nature work together, but as things fall apart, we see nature turn against man. First with the locusts and then the fire. This film isn’t about faith so much as it’s about the consequences of a lack of faith.
ReplyDeleteIn this movie, there is no obvious depiction of religion or belief throughout it so it will be very difficult to devise a paragraph explaining so. If there is any type of religion in the movie, it would have to do with the betrayal of love Abby gives towards the farmer. Since they were originally shackers and the farmer is rich, I would presume that Malick is saying that the wealthy farmer is the God of the land and Bill and Abby are his servants. When God’s servants betray him, he will find out and hurt them. Even though the farmer was killed, Bill was taken from Abby at the very end showing that dishonesty doesn’t get you good outcomes. Since this is a huge stretch, I don’t believe that this movie should be included in a faith course, unless there is something deeper underneath.
ReplyDeleteI think it shows us the different aspects of faith within our lives. With Abby we see how we can struggle with what to have faith in. In the beginning she shows her faith to Bill and trusts him because she loves him. At first when she begins her relationship with the farmer it is just to gain money from the experience. But as they develop she loses her faith and Bill and falls in love with the farmer. She then shifts back to Bill. So the overall message of Abby is how our faith can switch and change often.
ReplyDeleteWith Bill he shows us how we shouldn't lose faith even though things don't go our way. After Abby falls in love with the farmer he leaves for Chicago with the flying circuse. He left because he realized her had no reason to stay here after he had just lost his girlfriend. Once he returns Abby falls back in love with him. I think while he was gone he still believed the Abby loved him other wise he wouldn't have had a reason to return.
Finally the farmer shows us that sometimes faith does fail us. Throughout the movie he believes that Abby loves him, but he does still have doubts regarding her relationship with Bill. He does continue to believe in her though, but ultimately she lets her down which causes him to go mad.
I would say that there are some reiligous aspects that this movie alludes to. To start, what each character represents. We have already discussed how each character relates to a certain element, such as fire, water, etc. However, I would say that the farmer represents an authoratarin figure and is similar to God in some ways. He is accociated with wind, which connects to the sky and Gods home is heaven. He is also the "lord" of the land and appears to be kind, especially to Abby. Later when he finds out about Abby and Bill, he becomes enraged and creates a fire, waste to the land (even if it was accidental) This alludes to when God was angry with mankind and flooded the world, but in this movie it shows the exact opposite, he burns the place. When Bill kills the farmer, this shows his rejection of religion and he is punished for it amd gets killed, just as God punished the humans with the flood.
ReplyDeleteHowever, just because Bill kills the farmer doesn't mean he doesn't have faith. Bill amd Abby has been on the move constantly and in order for him to move, that must mean he some type of faith that somehow, things will be better in next place that they visit. This also presents doubt because as the movie shows, this cycle of moving never ends and even after Bill dies, Abby is still on the move. This constant movement also connects to the element of fire that Bill represents. The constant flame and passion to explore and to do things.
Finally, there is development in the perspective of the narrator. In the beginning, she vpbrings up the story of the apocalypse that she hears form Ding Dong. In order for her to bring that story up, there must have been some doubt in her mind about the safety of humanity. But as the movie progresses, she becomes in touch with nature and connects with nature in a way that makes it seem like nature is a living thing. She says she wants to "become a mud Doctor" and this shows, along with the swarm of locusts, the living spirit of nature. She then has faith in the future of people's lives when she says, "I hope everything will work out for her."
In this film, religion is a constant theme that is intertwined in many parts of the story, but there isn't just one clear message that Malick is trying to portray.
ReplyDeleteHeaven and hell, or at least the characters perceptions of the, reoccur throughout the film. In the beginning, Bill is forced to run from his job in the city because he gets in a fight with his boss. The workplace was supply need by fire and quite literally looked like hell. The wheat fields are supposed to be Eden, and, for the most part, Bill, Abby, and Linda are happy there. The narrator even refers to it as heaven. However, Bill gives into temptation, which is foreshadowed by the image of the apple and snake. Out of greed, he pushes Abby to marry the farmer and pretends to be her brother. Once the farmer finds out, he sets the field on fire, which is another image of hell.
Maybe one of the reasons the religious symbolism is so hard to decipher in this film is because Malick is trying to say something about the natural coexistence of good and evil. Linda says at one point that we all have "half devil and half angel" in us. Abby, although we want to think of her as a "good" character does often hurt those around her: she agrees to go along with bills scheme then turns in him, and at the end she leaves Linda at boarding school alone. Bill is an impulsive character and does many bad things, but he doesn't hurt those close to him (Linda and Abby.) Linda is the only character whose bad side isn't very apparent. This could be because of her innocence or because of her role as the "earth." Malick could be trying to show that good and bad need to coexist and places and people can not be all good or all bad.
There are clearly several metaphors of religion in this film. I think the biggest and most recurring biblical reference is the story of Abraham pretending like Sarah is his sister and gives her to the Pharaoh. Abraham does this to gain a higher status and not be killed by the Pharaoh. Bill also does this with Abby. He tells her to go ahead and accompany the Farmer, allowing her, Linda, and Bill to stay with The Farmer and live a prosperous life, which is very similar to what Abraham and Sarah did. Relative to Faith and Doubt, I think this biblical reference has to do with lack of faith. Throughout her time with The Farmer, Abby has moments where she seems lost and in a daze, like when The Farmer is talking to her deeply and she walks away. I think she is doubting what her and Bill are doing, and she realizes it's wrong. Bill is the same way. He stares at The Farmer and Abby in anger many times. He nearly kills The Farmer out of anger at one point. I believe Bill is also losing faith in their plan. Overall, the religious references don't seem to fit in with the harvesting. But I do think there is doubt, or lack of faith, in what they're doing to The Farmer.
ReplyDeleteAlso, this was a bit tricky to do since I missed the discussion.
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