Finding The Ultimate Truth: Dismantle and Deconstruct

880 Words2 Pages

Searching for the ultimate truth of oneself is difficult. In the film I Heart Huckabees, existentialism plays a major role in searching for the ultimate truth of oneself. Existentialism is a philosophical point of view that stresses the individual's unique position as a self-determining agent (Cherry). It also emphasizes the importance of free will, freedom of choice, the unique experiences of each individual, and the responsibilities of one's choices and what one make of oneself (Rooney). During the movie, the existential detective, Barnard Jaffe explains to Albert Markovski that dismantle is "to help shut down your everyday perceptions and give up your usual identity that you think separates you from everything. This room, this street, this town, this country, this economy, this history, this planet. Your body, Your senses, your job. Everything that you identify With." The characters from I Heart Huckabees attempt to dismantle themselves by understanding and realizing their problems to get to their essential identities. People have different ways of understanding their essential identities in the movie; Albert Markovski understands the interconnection between himself and the world, Brad Stand realizes his insecurity, and Dawn Campbell understands that appearance is not everything.

Albert Markovski is an environmental activist and poet. He is desperately seek for the answer of what is wrong with his life. Thus, he asks for professional help from Bernard and Vivian Jaffe, a couple who runs an existential detective agency. Bernard's blanket theory of " Everything is the same even if it's different " (IHH) seemed a little confusing to Albert in the beginning as he tries to find the answer of this theory. This theory is proven cor...

... middle of paper ...

...Psychology - Complete Guide to Psychology for Students, Educators & Enthusiasts. 2005. Web. 13 July 2011. .

Drew. "I Heart Huckabees Script - Transcript from the Screenplay And/or David O. Russell Movie." Drew's Script-O-Rama: Free Movie Scripts and Screenplays, Baby! Web. 13 July 2011. .

I Heart Huckabees dir. David O.Russel perf. Dustin Hoffman, Jason Schwartzman, Jude Law. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2004.

Rooney, David. "Variety Reviews - I Heart Huckabees - Film Reviews - Toronto - Review by David Rooney." Entertainment News, Film Reviews, Awards, Film Festivals, Box Office, Entertainment Industry Conferences - Variety. 12 Sept. 2004. Web. 13 July 2011. .

Show More
Related

  • One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest: Every Person Is Different

    1243 Words  | 3 Pages

    In this world there are millions upon millions of people that roam around the earth in there own special, little life. Every person is different than the next one and he or she has their own personality. Each person also deals with life differently than the next. If everyone was the same, then we would be like one giant colony of ants. Just following the ant in front of us, and everyone looking the same as the next. Not having any of there own ideas or thoughts of what to do and how to do it.

    Read More

  • Existential Nihilism In I Heart Huckabees

    1552 Words  | 4 Pages

    Once this happened, she accepted nihilism as the answer to existential questions. She directly opposes the idea that the universe is interconnected and believes that life is meaningless. She uses her beliefs in nihilism to explain to Albert that the reason for his questions is that he was “orphaned by indifference” (I Heart Huckabees). This causes Albert to accept nihilism and believe that things are meaningless. Albert and Tommy display the absurdity of nihilism by comparing it to hitting each other in the face with a ball. Being hit in the face allows them to understand the meaninglessness of the world and they desire to hit each other “all day every day” (I Heart Huckabees). Caterine explains to them that it is not possible to do this all day and that have you to “get drawn back into human drama” (I Heart Huckabees). This is similar to the criticism of nihilism we learned in class that if you are truly nihilistic then you should not do anything and just embrace the meaninglessness of the world. There is a scene in the movie before Albert accepts nihilism where he is eating dinner with a Christian family. He seems to reject their beliefs and ends up getting into an argument with the family. This is interesting because according to Nietzsche, Christianity and nihilism share the same metaphysic. In the end though, Albert rejects nihilism because he views it as too

    Read More

  • Morality And Beliefs In Mark Twain's The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn

    2470 Words  | 5 Pages

    Throughout his adventures, Huck slowly molds himself into a person guided by his heart rather than a person guided by his own corrupted conscience.

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Death Of Shooting An Elephant And On Dumpster Diving

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    People’s perceptions of themselves and how they think others perceive them influence their actions. This theme is evident in The Death of Benny Paret, Shooting an Elephant, and On Dumpster Diving, but in different ways in each piece. Once people know who they are and are comfortable with themselves, they have reached self-actualization.

    Read More

  • Huck Finn Character Analysis

    2415 Words  | 5 Pages

    ...uck’s struggles are revealed through his conflicts with his morals and beliefs. This is shown through the conflicts with himself, other characters and society. Huck struggles with himself when he is trying to send a letter to the Widow Douglas about Jim where being. Huck contemplates but can only think of reason to tear the letter up. Also, Huck struggles with others because many characters influence Huck’s morals and beliefs. Jim has a big effect on Huck’s life because he changes Huck’s belief of Africans. Lastly, Huck struggles with the expectations that society has put on him. As Huck begins to have a change of heart, he gradually begins to decide between his morals and beliefs. Therefore, Huck faces moral dilemmas of being between the world's prejudice that he learned growing up, and the lessons Jim has taught him throughout the story about the evils of racism.

    Read More

  • The Man Who Mistook His Wife For A Hat Report

    1586 Words  | 4 Pages

    Although the book has many stories to tell, all with something in common but yet with a different feature, the point of the book was to not only educate the world about these situations but to also give us real scenarios that we all can relate to in some sort of fashion. This book is about the human mind and the abstractness of our visions and memories. Everything affects us physically and mentally. We all share a common feature; we are all simply human with simple human minds.

    Read More

  • Aldous Huxley's Brave New World

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    How valuable is the protection of individuality? In a society dominated by falsified, scientifically manufactured happiness, individuality proves a rarity. Aldous Huxley’s speculative novel, Brave New World, demonstrates the consequences of this type of impassive society. Bernard, Helmholtz, and John are all unique from their peers, and they think individually as a result. Because of their individuality, the group is ultimately banned from civilization and sent to a remote location. Being segregated because of appearance or mental capacity and not subject to society’s influences stimulates individuality; however, the knowledge and truth correlating with individuality comes at a price, in this case, happiness.

    Read More

  • The Role of External Forces on Personal Development

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    Everyone forms their own identity in life. Of course there are external environmental factors like, community and family that affect development of values, but beyond the external factors that only shape us a little, there are even more important factors. Looking at the development of Huck throughout the novel, I see that everything that truly molds us is already inside. The changes that my adopted siblings made show me that our identities are up to us as individuals to form. Our external environments do impact our beliefs and values as we start out in life, but everyone is capable of forming an identity that is all their own, with little to no help from external forces.

    Read More

  • Exposing the Falseness of Truth in On the Nature of the Universe

    1219 Words  | 3 Pages

    Truth is in the eye of the beholder. Or is it? Questions regarding the nature of truth have always been central to not only philosophers, but all men (and women, of course) who possess any desire for knowledge. For while truth itself is an elusive concept, it is also the underlying theme of all science -- which is the basis of knowledge -- and so the seeker of learning must first discover his own truth about the world; without a strong belief, the slippery nature of truth will only serve to confuse and mislead the student of life. A person who is lacking a basic understanding of truth can never fully grasp the fine distinction between appearance and reality, yet the ability to separate the two is essential to anyone interested in knowledge at a higher level, where appearances lead only to dead ends. Or do they? And who says appearance is not reality? At the heart of this matter is the conflict between truth as an absolute and the truth of the senses; while this may seem like a trivial matter (truth is true, isn't it?), it is anything but.

    Read More

  • Who Is Man By Abraham J. Heschel

    1217 Words  | 3 Pages

    The quality of uniqueness and the singularity of each human being is a fundamental characteristic of humanity. In describing uniqueness, Heschel explains how man occupies a unique position of being both a natural and a human being. Though as a natural being, man is “determined by natural laws”, he, as a human, has the freedom of choice and the ability to make decisions (37). Ultimately influenced by decision-making, the course of a man’s life is subject to change and cannot be predicted. Human existence is comprised of an unlimited number of events that cannot be replicated, making it inherently unique (37). While people may come from similar circumstances, each man is an original. Every man has a distinct face and name, beliefs and experienced events that are completely singular. Uniqueness is the most constitutive trait of human existence as it reflects the fundamental nature of humanity -- that no two people are the same and that no two people will be shaped by experiences in the same way. All other attributes of humanity flow

    Read More

  • The Existential Hero: Hamlet

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    Ross, Kelly L. "Existentialism." The Proceedings of the Friesian School, Fourth Series. Kelly L. Ross, Ph.D., 2013. Web. 25 Nov. 2013.

    Read More

  • Soma In Brave New World Persuasive Essay

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    Bernard often struggles throughout the book, although he tries to be accepting of how this society is he is often looking for freedom. Bernard then looks for freedom in john and uses it for his own advantage. Bernard desires consistent happiness but his current society outlaws it.With bernard feeling a sense of control, he then starts to criticize how the BNW is functioning. He then leaves with Helmholtz to an island to escape the BNW society and gain individual freedom. There is so many things wrong with how the BNW is, each individual has the ability to realize it and try to make a change .This untouchable status and distinction permits Bernard both to perceive and scrutinize the defects of the World

    Read More

  • Existential Therapy And Gestalt Therapy

    1492 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Existential Approach stands for respect for the person, for exploring new aspects of human behavior, and for divergent methods of understanding people (Corey, 2013). Existentialists do not focus on instinctive drives or internalized others but on the person's unavoidable confrontation with the givens of the human condition. Yalom (1980) described those givens as death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness. (Bauman, & Waldo, 1998).

    Read More

  • The Forbidden Fruit of Knowledge

    1433 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Romantic Era followed the Age of Enlightenment, a time of scientific discovery, political changes, and philosophical advancement. Romanticism challenged the rationality of the Enlightenment (Britannica). Romantic artists placed emotions above reason. In keeping with the Romantic tradition, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley challenges the benefits of science, education, and knowledge. In Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein, his creature, and Robert Walton are all ambitious; they have a desire for knowledge. However, this quest for knowledge brings about destruction to Dr. Frankenstein, misery to the monster, and danger to Walton. Shelley draws parallels to the Biblical story of the Fall; a catastrophe which befell mankind because of a desire for knowledge.

    Read More

  • Existentialism in Unknown Places

    1404 Words  | 3 Pages

    Existentialism is the epitome of the unknown. There is no straightforward explanation of what exactly it is, there is only certain characteristics and behaviors that describe existentialist views. Throughout today’s world, there are examples of it everywhere, it’s found in movies, books, songs, and just people in general. Existentialists are known to think and do for themselves only. They believe that to understand what it means to be human requires understanding of themselves first. Some very well known pieces of entertainment existentialism is found in are: Hamlet by William Shakespeare, The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and The Breakfast Club by John Hughes. The Stranger is a book written about a young man whose mother dies, which soon leads him to becoming acquainted with the feeling of not caring about what his actions do to others or himself. The main character Meursault starts helping his friend Raymond, carry out ways to torment his mistress. Out of nowhere while at the beach, Meursault shoots Raymond’s mistress’s brother. He is thrown into jail and tried, but he seems to not be affected as much as he should about his actions. He first finds it hard to live without cigarettes, women, and nature, but he soon finds out he doesn’t need any of those. After being sentenced to death, he is suggested to turn away from his atheism but later realizes that human existence has no greater meaning. This realization and acceptance is what truly makes him happy (Camus). Next, The Breakfast Club is a very relatable movie about high school students suffering the consequences of their actions in detention. The kids are all of ...

    Read More

More about Finding The Ultimate Truth: Dismantle and Deconstruct

Open Document