Humanities & Classics 1003
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Revolutions Forum
Humanities & Classics 1003 |
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The story Apocalypse Now isn’t supposed to be an accurate portrayal of the Vietnam war, other then to show how events like it can change a person life. You’d be correct in saying these events have negatively changed peoples lives forever, and that many young men and women died for reasons that they really couldn’t justify. However, this story is not about the unnecessary blood shed of young human lives. It’s about how things like sex, apathy, ignorance, greed and other such human tendency lead us to stray from our true aspirations in life. Becoming the CEO of a large a executive firm, owning and driving a fast European sports car, having a big yacht and beautiful home and wife, these are not the things that will make our lives more enjoyable or complete and life does not always just happen to turn out the way we want it to. The truth is. that in order to be truly happy about the things in ours lives we have to identify first what those things are. They need to feel right, good and make us feel like we are making a contribution to this world. Secondly we need to keep doing those thing without letting anything come between us and our goal. Every one of us knows what it is we truly want to be. Most of us however, feel that we need to do what’s expected of us by our boss our parents our teachers and friends. There are only a few who can honestly say, "this is what I’ve always wanted to do".
Lieutenant Willard comes to the realization that the battle he is involved in has no meaning and that his life has truly gone astray. He has no choices at this point in his life other to complete the task he has been asked to perform. The river he is on is symbolic of the paths we choose in life. A path full of those human tendencies that distract us from reaching our destination. His research of Kurtz while on the river awakens his realizations and presents him with a man who truly deserves admiration.
Clean, The young man portrayed by Lawrence Fishburn is a 17 year old Black American, who up until this time in his life has probably never experienced anything else except the financial prejudice burdened by intercity families. The openness of the war stricken country side has mostly confused and disoriented the young man. His only desire is to finish his term and return home to a place more familiar.
Lance is the definition of apathy itself. He has no desires out side of surfing and is truly only along for the ride. He does at points in the story realize this tragic destination but has no passion nor motivation to change his condition.
Chef the saucier, he knows what he truly loves to do, the war however has redirected his path and he is pulled into a battle that only feeds his anger and despair of continuing his life’s passions. Throughout his journey his anger grows to the point where the desperation of completing their task maybe the only way he will get home.
Their captain’s only concern to is make sure his boys get out of the god forsaken hell hole they’ve come through so that they may receive a second chance.
Kurts truly is a man to be admired. Intelligent, educated, powerful, and continuously driven to self improvement. He has succeeded several times to the top of only the best schools and his multiple career choices through his awareness of what makes individuals complete their goals. He despises all those that are tricked foolishly into the tendencies that paralyze ones aspirations. Kurtz recognizes early that Lieutenant Willard is also made from the threads, although possibly not as educated, or powerful he is of great intelligence, he is young and successful in his objectives.
The ending of this story really provides no other meaning to me other than that Kurtz knows his peers have destroyed his reputation and that his term during the war also led him astray. His pride that is possibly his downfall leads to no other redemption other to concede to a predecessor.
This movie is truly worth the recognition it has received. It should be viewed as a reminder of how often we are tempted into positions that really serve no other purpose in our lives other than to postpone those early born aspirations. It truly shows how easy it is, when we completely miss the point this tale tries to convey when all we see is a movie that makes an attempt at entertaining us for an couple of hours.