This term paper analyzes the importance of death in the film "Lucky Number Slevin" (McGuigan, 2006). While an initial killing is the trigger for the story itself, the film also features a complex main character who is already dead or, more specifically, never existed. It will be argued that the trinity of Henry's systemic death, the symbolic death/nonexistence of Slevin, and Nick's literal death, who are all unified as one person in the body of Henry, affect and represent the archetype of the hero and the hero's journey. Through the non-existence of the hero himself, the story deviates from a traditional hero's journey and functions as the introduction to a tale of a hero that needs to be created and freed of his past first to be able to set out on his own journey.
The traditional hero's journey, according to Vogler, follows a relatively strict pattern. The characters met during the story can be classified as different archetypes and play a specific role in guiding the hero towards their goal. However, while the principle can be applied to almost every story, some criteria must always be fulfilled for the concept to work. One of the main aspects is that the hero of the story must be alive. Death plays a crucial role in many cultures and hence in many films and other forms of media. When death is presented in a film, it always plays a vital role in the narrative.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Lucky Number Slevin: The Journey of a Dead Hero
- State of Research: Evil Heroes and their Deaths
- On Thrillers and Gangster Films
- Method: Sociological Film and Television Analysis
- The Dead Hero - Results of the Film Analysis
- The Systemic Death of Henry
- The Non-Existence of Slevin
- The Literal Death of Nick
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This term paper examines the role of death and its impact on the traditional hero's journey in the film "Lucky Number Slevin" (McGuigan, 2006). The analysis focuses on the complex protagonist, who is presented as a dead or non-existent entity, challenging the typical hero archetype. The study investigates how the character's "death" influences the narrative and deviates from a conventional hero's journey.
- The impact of death on the hero's journey in film
- The portrayal of evil heroes and their deaths in film
- The role of violence and taboo themes in thrillers
- The symbolic and literal interpretations of death in the film
- The relationship between character death and spectator identification
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Chapter 1: Lucky Number Slevin: The Journey of a Dead Hero: This chapter introduces the concept of the hero's journey and how it deviates from the traditional structure in "Lucky Number Slevin". The protagonist's "death" is presented as a key element that redefines the hero archetype.
- Chapter 2: State of Research: Evil Heroes and their Deaths: This chapter examines existing research on the portrayal of death and violence in film, specifically within the context of thrillers and gangster films. The analysis explores the social and cultural significance of death as a taboo theme in visual media and its impact on audience engagement.
- Chapter 3: Method: Sociological Film and Television Analysis: This chapter outlines the methodological approach used in the analysis of "Lucky Number Slevin." It provides an overview of the sociological lens employed to understand the film's narrative and the role of death within it.
- Chapter 4: The Dead Hero - Results of the Film Analysis: This chapter delves into the specific instances of death within the film, analyzing the "systemic death" of Henry, the "non-existence" of Slevin, and the literal death of Nick. It explores how these three characters, unified through Henry's body, contribute to the complex portrayal of a "dead" hero.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the key themes of death, hero's journey, evil heroes, violence, thrillers, gangster films, taboo themes, sociological film analysis, and spectator identification. The research explores the relationship between death and narrative structure, its influence on the hero archetype, and its impact on audience engagement.
- Quote paper
- Sarah Weichbrodt (Author), 2021, The Journey of a Dead Hero. Death in the film "Lucky Number Slevin", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1129506
