Monday, February 18, 2008

The Dude

I saw this movie for the first time last semester, and this is about my third time watching it. I still think it’s a pretty “out there” movie, but I enjoy it. There are a bunch of elements in the movie that I’d want to continue to learn about, but I’ll talk about one thing that I have noticed more each time I have watched the movie.

The Dude seems to always make odd relationships with people. The first relationship noticed is between the Dude, Walter, and Donny. In some way, I feel like these characters and their personalities combine in the attempt to form one. However, being that the Dude is the main character, it would seem like Donny and Walter are part of Dude’s character, but I am not completely sure this is the case. Even when they are all together, Dude doesn’t seem to have much more of a control over himself, which to me would seem like a way to recognize that Donny and Walter are integral missing parts of Dude’s character. On the other side of that, Walter constantly refers to the situation as being “their problem.” Walter is always getting into Dude’s affairs it is like they do move as one person. Donny is the neglected of the three. At most moments, he is positioned in the middle of the three, asking questions which are usually ignored. One time that sticks out was during the “Jesus” scene, when Donny seemed to be peering through Dude’s arm as he sat behind Dude and Walter. Donny and Walter seem to be adding to the Dude, but they are not full replacements of the missing aspects of his personality.

3 comments:

Gary Cottontail said...

that's interesting. perhaps donnie represents curiosity, the curiousity of a child. he dies off in the end but that curiosity will be reborn in the dudes new child.

and walter represents rules, borders, boundaries.

two things an absurd man would have no need for

Pilgrim Chpt. 33 said...

I think the whole movie is about the nihilistic despair facing man.. The Dude Abides.. which I feel just means he goes with the flow, because he feels he can't make a difference, and no one would care if he did. Walter represents the Anger in those feeling powerless in society.. using threats and harsh language to give themselves a sense of self-importance... and Donny represents that child like hope that he can make a difference, but always getting shut down by the Walters of the world... I agree that his death symbolizes the death of hope in their lives, but the newborn represents renewed hope, and maybe some meaning to it all.

Pilgrim Chpt. 33 said...

I think the whole movie is about the nihilistic despair facing man.. The Dude Abides.. which I feel just means he goes with the flow, because he feels he can't make a difference, and no one would care if he did. Walter represents the Anger in those feeling powerless in society.. using threats and harsh language to give themselves a sense of self-importance... and Donny represents that child like hope that he can make a difference, but always getting shut down by the Walters of the world... I agree that his death symbolizes the death of hope in their lives, but the newborn represents renewed hope, and maybe some meaning to it all.