Synthesis: Being John Malkovich, Fight Club, and Jean Jacques Rousseau

I. The Question of Freedom vs. Exploitation

a. Rousseau expostulated that our human desires, which are a corrupt product of society, lead to exploitation, domination, and the abuse of freedom.

i. In BJM, Craig Schwartz’s puny ego is desperate in its need to be recognized by society for being a puppet genius. He thus exploits John Malkovich for the advantage of being a well-established public figure, as opposed to having to start from scratch. Furthermore, one could argue that Craig exploits society as a whole by tricking them into thinking that the person of John Malkovich is the puppet genius.

1. The fact that no critic should question Malkovich's random decision to abandon acting is an indictment of the entertainment industry. No one notices the change in personality because they don’t actually see the person, but rather the fame and name. There is no freedom of will, no individual initiative to question or contradict what everyone takes for granted. Thinking back to Rousseau, one sees the concept at play of corrupt domination of society, by society.

b. In FC, the matter of exploitation is more subtle. The narrator, henceforth referred to as “Jack,” has a deep, subversive anxiety that results from his emotionally confused childhood. Early in the film, we learn that Jack had no true father figure while growing up. Even more significant to the state of his psyche is the memory of being the neglected child—not only was he generally ignored by his parents, he was alternately the vessel of two conflicting sets of expectations and disappointments. Already, Jack is set up to be the perfect host for a psychological parasite that will tear him into two identities. When Tyler Durden comes into Jack’s life, he presents the explosive combination of dependable father figure, best friend, and raw energy that Jack has subconsciously yearned for since childhood. Jack’s blind need to embrace the theoretical reality of Tyler leads him to be exploited by Tyler.

II. The Importance of Sex and Pain to Identity

a. Sex

i. In both BJM and FC, the protagonists experience flashes of truth when they are having sex (whether they realize it at the time or not).

1. The confusion of the Maxine-Lotte-Craig (BJM) relationship seems to resolve itself temporarily when Maxine and Lotte have sex through Malkovich. Their encounters in person are always restrained and retain their insecurities and doubts. However, in a more intimate interaction, the dynamic between the two takes on a degree of utmost sincerity. They enter into their true selves in the act of sex.

2. Jack (FC) does not realize until almost the end of the film that the rollercoaster nature of his life in the past few months is due to the fact that he has been possessed by the psychological energy that is Tyler Durden. However, he does unconsciously break through to reality when he has sex with Marla—despite the fact that he thinks it was a dream when he “wakes up.” Through the haze that Tyler keeps him in, the act of sex allows him to penetrate through to his “power animal”, a.k.a. his true self, via Marla.

b. Pain

a. More so in FC than in BJM, pain is the key to access the core of one’s being. There is, of course, the broad analogy of getting back to your animalistic side by fighting others for fun. However, the pain necessary to plumb the deepest part of the soul is not just the superficial pain you get from a brawl. The best way to elucidate this concept is to reference the practice of self-mortification, which has been used by many religions through the ages and around the world. In particular, the theology of the Opus Dei pertains quite closely to the dynamic between Jack and Tyler during the scene with the lye. The undertones of Christianity here are incredibly strong. To begin with, Tyler’s kiss evokes the betraying kiss that Judas gave to Jesus on the eve of his crucifixion. However, it is the minutes that pass while Jack’s hand is burning with lye that are crucial, in part because they mirror Christ’s agonies on the cross. In Opus Dei theology, pain is what brings one closer to God: in the innermost circles of excruciating pain, there is only room for the soul and God. Nothing else from the conscious world can invade that tight psychological space, and thus you may, unhindered, become one with the spirit of God. This is the control that Tyler takes over Jack, securing his mastery over Jack’s mind. Jack and Tyler symbolically become one.

III. Synthesis

a. Being John Malkovich and Fight Club both corroborate Rousseau’s theories on the nature of man and society’s corrupting influence. The authenticity of the self is jeopardized by the overwhelming impulses of the civilized masses. The individual is seen not as a person with a soul, but rather as a collective function of his/her job, image, reputation, etc. Both films cry out against this existential injustice via scenes where an individual’s name is repeated over and over again. There is an element of religious chanting; the name serves a similar purpose to modern man as the “ohm” does to a bliss-seeking mystic. It empowers the chanter to grasp some higher reality and simultaneously reinforces his place in the grand scheme of the universe.

i. BJM: when Malkovich goes down his own portal, he is surrounded by talking heads repeating “Malkovich, Malkovich, Malkovich.” Despite his reaction of fearful bewilderment, this scene—when, in the film, he has just discovered that people are paying to enter his mind—serves as the unconscious reinforcement of his individual against the onslaught of mental intruders.

ii. FC: at the death of Robert Paulsen, the members of Project Mayhem begin to chant, “His name was Robert Paulsen” unceasingly. Like in BJM, this scene of repeating a name is representative of modern man’s attempt to secure his individuality in an indifferent world. It belies angst and a desperation to cling to something that will preserve the soul in the face of its death.

b. In conclusion: BJM, FC, and Jean Jacques Rousseau come together in their struggle to save the self from oblivion.

Symbolism in Pleasantville

I. We were fascinated by the role of symbolism in Pleasantville, as well as the ultimate realities symbols construct within the movie.

a. In particular, we discussed the change of colors, the concepts of veils and rain, and the differences/similarities between the two worlds.

i. Change of colors. The characters awaken into color in Pleasantville when they experience something they were afraid to experience before.

1. Example: Jenn reading the book; Dad admitting his true feelings for wife

ii. Veils. The concept of veiling and unveiling is mirrored in the film. The first time we see the symbolic action of veiling is when “Bud” becomes his mother’s accomplice by helping her cover up the color that has crept into her face. Later, when she visits the soda shop man while he’s painting, he symbolically unveils her by taking off the make-up. Meanwhile, when David returns to his own reality, he balances his previous act of veiling by then “unveiling” his true mother, wiping smudged make-up off her face. Why is this ultimately significant in the film? The act of veiling and unveiling always revolves around the mother, regardless of which reality is in question. Traditionally, the housewife/mother is one of the most repressed figures in American lore. She is passive; she is a victim of circumstance and social convention; she is in desperate need of liberation. It therefore makes sense that Pleasantville, which deals with the issue of social awakening from stereotypical perfection, should depict this curious interaction.

iii. Rain. The presence of rain serves as a segway within the film; it signals that momentous changes are about to occur. In the beginning of the movie, a thunderstorm is what prompts the magic handyman to come and “fix” David’s TV. Shortly afterwards, David and his sister get transported into the world of Pleasantville. Meanwhile, the thunderstorm that sweeps over Pleasantville comes on the night that Jenn discovers her book, the mother abandons her house and husband for the soda shop man, and Bud goes on a date. The next morning, the town is in uproar over the painting on the soda shop’s windows, and Bud’s friends have all become colored.

iv. The two realities. In the beginning of the film, David leaves his broken home for one that he initially perceives as warm, loving, and perfect. However, we soon see that the family bond in Pleasantville is truly superficial; the mother’s love reaches to the extent of her domestic chores while the father’s love seems to consist solely in his cheery presence. They are never cruel or negligent, but there is not a true spiritual connection within the family nucleus. By the end of the film, things have changed. Everyone’s genuine feelings have been expressed, for better or worse. Even when David returns to his reality, we see him connecting with his mom, who has returned prematurely from a trip and seems to be in a mid-life crisis.