The Book of Eli
Warning! This post contains major spoilers for "The Book of Eli." I strongly recommend that you see the movie before reading this.
The Book of Eli is, for lack of a better term, prophetic. I hedge my bets a little because this interview leads me to believe that perhaps I'm drawing more meaning from the movie than perhaps the filmmakers are themselves. Still, I believe that God can speak through people despite their intentions. Even if you can't go there with me, I think you'll agree that there are "lessons" to be found in the ordinary.
Depending on your viewpoint, the message of TBoE is either really good or really terrible news. This wasn't evident to me immediately, but upon further reflection I have come to this conclusion. I believe this is true for other works in the same genre. Perhaps the most famous entry in the Apocalyptic tradition, Revelation, contains an extensive passage that explicitly backs up this claim. In Chapter 18, Babylon, the symbol of excess wealth (among many other things) falls, and the people who have built their lives on the sandy ground of materialism weep for it. In the very next chapter, the multitude who have been calling for its destruction celebrate the one who destroyed it. Two groups of people witnessed the crumbling of an empire and had completely different reactions to it.
So it is in TBoE. When asked about the difference between the world they live in versus the one before "The Flash," the titular character observes: "People had more than they needed...we threw away things people kill each other for now." This is the thought of a man who is not invested in the culture of STUFF. In fact, this is the thought of a man who is truly on a mission from God. Contrast his attitude with that of Carnegie. The entire infrastructure of the world has collapsed. Roads and bridges are no more, cannibalism and "hijacking" is commonplace, and even the currency system has been replaced by bartering. Yet Carnegie is a man who is so in love with capitalizing on capitalism that he hoards what is probably the most precious resource in the world (water) and uses his coercive power to gain more power. He exploits the weaknesses of others. Optimistically, we would call him an opportunist. Either way, you have to admit that he is smart. And because he is smart, he knows that one surefire way to control people is through religion.
We Christians don't like to admit that this is true. We're not under anybody's control but our own, we say. (Church of Christ-ers have a particular independent spirit due, in no small part, to the autonomy of our congregations.) But if we're honest with ourselves, how often do we use religion as a means of control over others, both within and without the Church?
There's so much more I want to talk about in regards to this movie - the symbolism of the blind man being the one that "sees" the best and the weak shaming the strong, the fact that Eli's ultimate destination is nicknamed "The Rock," the moral ambiguity of Eli ignoring the women getting raped so he can complete his mission, the subtle and not-so-subtle references the director makes to other post-apocalyptic and dystopic works, and so on. This post was originally a lot longer and rambled more, if that's possible. But ultimately, I cut it down because I want to discuss this question with you. Whose side are we on? When our infrastructure crumbles, are we going to be rejoicing because we have been faithful to the Word of God, or are we going to be devastated because we've used the Word of God as a false pretense to wield power over others?
4 comments:
I'm continually intrigued by this film, and look forward to seeing it this weekend!
Thanks for your thoughts...
I've always thought that if the revolution comes I'll be one of the folks that is able to survive the aftermath. But, I've never wondered how I might feel about the situation. I can say that I will certainly not be rejoicing, but I can also say that I won't be the one weeping for all that I've lost. I suppose I'll simply go on with pretty much the same attitude I've always had.
I get what you're asking but I think the question may be a bit too black and white. Lunch is over so I have to cut short, I'll finish up later.
I think you've hit on one of the key components to appreciating any prophetic work - the message is contextual to the hearer. Throughout Scripture the "Day of the Lord" is simultaneously good and bad news. The interesting part is that we get glimpses that Israel (and/or Judah) often assumed that it was good news for them - being the chosen ones - but the prophet was clear that because they had become part of the dominant system of oppression that the message for them was destruction.
And I think this is a prophetic work - whether the writers/producers intended it as such or not (aren't we currently reading about how God delivered prophetic messages through the life of Cyrus King of Persia?)
You are right, we must choose a side - and yet, we must be clear as to which side we're choosing. We can't afford to make the mistakes of those who wrongly assumed the Day of the Lord was good for them.
One other thing that really stood out was Carnegie's conviction that just having the book would give him the power. True, on one level (perhaps the primary level) he's realizes the power of religion to control the masses - we can ignore that all we want, but its been well understood for all of human history.
However, I also see more subtle critique here. There are many religious people who believe that control of the Scripture is an assurance of power -whether you live the way of this Scripture or not. Eli's own confession that he'd been so consumed with protecting the book that he'd forgotten to live what it teaches is an emphasis of this point.
At first I thought this was a good movie. I enjoyed it, I was anxious throughout the movie, caring about what happened to the characters. Since then I've seen several critiques against the storyline and other aspects. But here is what has led me to conclude it was a good movie. I've seen another blockbuster since seeing Eli (Avatar) and even watched a really messed up movie at my house (Gamer)...and I and STILL thinking about TBoE. That is the mark of a good movie.
Hi guys, thanks for commenting. Sometimes I ask for feedback and then completely forget to check back, so forgive the lateness of the response.
dps,
Hope you enjoyed it and that I didn't ruin anything for you!
rkw,
I guess I would prefer asking a question that's too "black and white" to asking one that's too vague. For the record, I'm more than okay with "gray" answers.
Bret,
I like your observation about the possessor of Scripture professing to have power. Isn't that at the root of Jesus' critique of the Pharisees? They knew the Scriptures, but they didn't live them. In a way, I saw Eli as the man who prayed in his closet, while Carnegie stood on a corner and prayed (Okay, maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but you see the point).
On your last point: The more I thought about it, the more I realized that the film contained homages and references to established post-apocalyptic works. I think it will definitely be worth a second viewing once it comes out on DVD.
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