My Understanding of the End

[godlysparrow]

In the End, I think that it comes at least to all of us to some kind of Moral, Spiritual, or Philosophical Lesson, though made as so the Lesson is totally different for everyone, ranging from Christianity to Nihilism, to Insanity to Scientific Truth, or a hybrid of such things. I think though that the movie makes the most sense when I think of it like this:

Donnie proves Jim Cunningham wrong, and realized that Fear stems from Love, and we'd have no Fear without Love but that we need Love, that: "Darkness is important in developent", like the Science Teacher insinuates. He realizes also that he doesn't have a reason to fear, he knows now that the people around him Love him and he Loves them, and decides to stop being a snotty teenager like at the beginning(he calls his Mom a Bitch) and appreciate what's given to him. He knows now that Life is a Gift, and that he wants to use his Free Will to Die,so that he can save everyone. He has a choice to let the Primary Universe and Tangent Universe Collape, but he wants to save the ones he Loves.

He does everything to disprove Grandma Death, and to go through the motions that set the Universe straight. He decides that that things other than Love and Fear also, possibly Divine, that External Factors are important to, and that he must act out of Fear of Losing those he Loves, and with this Fear-Love Synthesis loses his fear of Dying alone. He decides to believe in something, something that sounds Crazy, something that Terrifies him, and realizes it is HIS decision for the Big Question, and Experience is the Highest form of Knowledge for him, because he never experiences a Contradiction.

The most important thing I think we can gain from Donnie Darko is that WE decide what we want to do, and what we want to believe. Donnie Darko decides he wasn't crazy and that a 6 Foot Bunny Rabbit from the Future did tell him that the World was gonna end, and that he could end it with his decision even if it meant Reversing Time(or Traveling Back from a Parellel Universe if you want to believe that) and commiting a Happy Suicide, and our choices change the entire History of Time no matter how small. He does this because "The Dreams in Which he's dying are the Best he's Ever Had".

Admittingly there are more Fatalist Interpretations, but these seems to make the most sense to me.

[j1dext988]

I agree with exactly what you say. A lot seem to see a god / religious theme to this film. Maybe there is.

I am not of the catholic faith but isn't there something where if you die or even kill yourself to save someone you get a free ticket to heaven? Maybe that is what happened to Donnie.

But since David Lynch is my favorite director I can't help but approach this film with that sort of weirdness.

Have you seen Mulholland Drive? The whole movie can be seen as a dream sequence. IN the begining of that film we see a blurry image of a bed and pillow. Your face / the camera falls into the pillow and the film begins. Later you find ot that Rit / Betty shot herself and what you saw was her dying visions of what she wished had happened.

That's why I always thought Donnie was dead the whole time. He wakes from the dream and laughs and sighs relief because that horrible dream was just a dream. I've had dreams where I am glad to be awake.

I know that we have the book on time travel and what not but maybe that is all red herring?

[artistguy77]

reading the "Philosophy of Time Travel" pretty much will explain the entire thing to you.

First of all, the Universe becomes unstable, that is when Donnie begins to be warned of the end of the world. From the book by Sparrow it says:

"If a Tangent Universe occurs, it will be highly unstable, sustaining itself for no longer than several weeks." In Donnies world, this is the 28 days to the end of the world.

Next you have WATER and METAL. The book states:

"Water is the barrier element for the construction of Time Portals used as gateways between Universes at the Tangent Vortex.

Metal is the transitional element for the construction of Artifact Vessels."

Okay, so that is why the bunny appears in what appears to be a water vortex/barrier element. Metal is the ARTIFACT that traveled through the time portal.

Next is the meaning of the engine falling into Donnie's room. Note the following, also from the book: "When a Tangent Universe occurs, those living nearest to the Vortex will find themselves at the epicenter of a dangerous new world. Artifacts provide the first sign that a Tangent Universe has occured."

The engine is the sign that the tangent universe began. It is a metal artifact. Book says, "their appearance on Earth seems to defy logical explanation."

Next is the receiver...which is DONNIE. The book says all of the following: "The Living Receiver is chosen to guide the Artifact into position for its journey back to the Primary Universe.

No one knows how or why a Receiver will be chosen.

The Living Receiver is often blessed with Fourth Dimensional Powers. These include increased strength, telekinesis, mind control, and the ability to conjure fire and water."

Donnie floods the school and burns down a house...conjuring fire and water. Heh heh...following so far?

Book goes on to say, "The Living Receiver is often tormented by terrifying dreams, visions and auditory hallucinations during his time within the Tangent Universe."

And what about the Bunny Rabbit Frank? Is he GOD? Read the book you guys. The book says:

"The Manipulated Dead are more powerful than the Living Receiver. If a person dies within the Tangent Dimension, they are able to contact the Living Receiver through the Fourth Dimensional Construct.

The Fourth Dimensional Construct is made of Water."

Hello? Anybody home? Frank the rabbit is the manipulated dead. He died within the fourth dimension and has contacted Donnie to make things right.

Lastly, is Donnie the first person to die or commit suicide for the good of his people? Nope. The book finishes with this:

"Ancient myth tells us the Mayan Warrior killed by an Arrowhead that had fallen from a cliff, where there was no Army, no enemy to be found.

We are told of the Medieval Knight mysteriously impaled by the sword he had not yet built.

We are told that these things occur for a reason."

Now, thank you and quit asking about Donnie Darko without reading the (FAKE) book which is conveniently online..."The Philosophy of Time Travel."

[godlysparrow]

Well, I thought your post was very rude, and I think you understand little about the film artistguy77. I've read the Philosophy of Time Travel. Guess what? The chapters we have read(there is nothing that suggests there isn't more to the book) doesn't answer all the Philosophical, Moral, and Spiritual questions. If most the users left are as close minded as you, then this forum has gone to the dogs. The films is more than just Time Travel Theory, it is a coming of age film, and a Gnostic Journey through Heaven and Hell(speaking in metaphor of course).