Good And Evil In The Film Pan's Labyrinth

The controversy between those who believe humans are inherently good versus inherently evil has been debated for ages. However, the idea that humans are neither good nor evil, and instead shape their values along with their character through experience seems to be the winning argument. While the majority of people land up somewhere in the center rather than either of the extreme ends, some become humanitarians and philanthropists whereas others become monsters. Stephen T. Asma defines a monster as “human beings who have, by their own horrific actions, abdicated their humanity.” In their search for power, humans abandon their empathy in favor of commiting monstrous acts. In the film Pan’s Labyrinth, the character of Captain Vidal symbolizes

Vidal’s belief is that the war must be won at any cost no matter the consequences, throwing out all ethics and empathy in favor of gaining power in the war. When coming across medicine left behind by enemy soldiers he realizes that one must be injured. In order to force them out of hiding he seizes the opportunity and tells his soldiers “to block their access to medicine and supplies.” In doing so Vidal then ensures his own people receiving specified rations as well, which only amplifies the hold he has on everyone around him. Trusting no one but himself, Vidal keeps the solitary key to the supply room, and it is due to that very lack of trust and human consideration that he slowly becomes increasingly

Initially, he forces his wife to make the journey to his base so that the child would be born with him present, then tells the doctor to save his child without care as to what happens to his wife. Throughout the film he is attentive to her simply to ensure the child is born healthy. Nevertheless, he constantly tells her that she’s being foolish and tells others to “forgive [his] wife” for her “silly stories” as “she hasn’t been exposed to the world.” Although the majority of the movie portrays Vidal as a monstrous and greed-driven human, however, with any issue regarding his son he acts as a caring father. Most likely, however, this is due to the fact that he wants to protect and pass on his, as well as his father’s, legacy through his bloodborne heir. It is thus then due to the fact that Ofelia is female, isn’t related by blood, and continuously resists his plays for authority over her, that Vidal shoots her without