Post by generationmishima on Dec 13, 2003 18:21:07 GMT -5
Here’s one interpretation of many, I’ll try to set it out as simply as possible in some kind of chronological order:
Roberta Sparrow, whilst working in the convent came upon the revelation that Donnie Darko would make – God’s providence pre-determines all that has and will occur (hence the blobs coming out of Donnie when he finds the gun). Yet while this may seem to suggest that free will is a fantasy, the two can be reconciled. If we acknowledge that a God has a plan and therefore everything that is, was and will be exists as a matter of certainty, every state that the universe has existed and will exist in, exist as moments suspended in time. Therefore, we are already time travelling creatures as we move across this plane of time as each second passes. So if we already move across time in a linear faction and if all states of existence occur simultaneousness, it should be possible to jump between points in time or at least become aware of what will occur. After doing either of these, breaking from God’s plan and leaving the convent, Roberta became an exile from God; her alienation drove her to a life of solitude and uncertainty (leading her to conclude that every living thing dies alone).
Donnie, someone who felt utterly alone an insufficient, also came to similar conclusions about the philosophy of time travel. Significantly though, he did not arrive at these answers until he had time travelled or saw a potential future. His desire not to die alone delayed Donnie’s death, leading to the tangent universe or alternate future. Frank is a manifestation of God’s guidance, it exists in the form of Frank because of the Alice In Wonderland and religious connotations and because it symbolises the road Donnie will embark upon i.e. death. God allowed the temporary creation of this alternative reality for Donnie’s sake, to show him that he is not alone. This is why, through Frank’s presence and the tragic figure of Roberta Sparrow, Donnie accepted that he should follow Frank, in other words, follow God’s plan so as not to die alone. In the process, a timeline is created that is based around his existence. The teacher’s reference to the cellar door, the ‘punk’s’ suggestion about showing ghoulish images instead of nice ones to kids (highlighting the dangers consequences of not accepting the uncertainty of darkness/death) all aid the future he has determined. Donnie creates endless destruction in the process but also finds love in the form of Gretchen, though ultimately she suffers a brutal death.
So, the ending: I have never believed that when Frank said the universe would end in 28 days, he meant it literally but instead as the discontinuation of the tangent universe, real or predicted, and Donnie’s life. In those 4 weeks he consciously chooses to sacrifice himself due to the numerous revelations he becomes aware of. In following Frank’s instructions, Donnie decides to end his universe. It is also through this sacrifice that he reconciles his existence with the world, he is no longer alone. There is no 3rd dimension, say a universe in 2003 where Donnie comes back as the man in the grassy knoll. Yet much like in Alice and Wonderland Donnie takes a souvenir back through the rabbit hole, the engine. He realises that to live, he will create chaos and destruction in the future. The laugh at the end has no one meaning. In fact, it is due to the ridiculousness of the situation that Donnie does laugh. Firstly, he has discovered that he is not alone: he dies in the tangent universe with Gretchen, he has discovered the love of his family and importantly he has a role in the universe. Secondly, he has sacrificed himself and the reconciliations he does make for the sake of others. Yet thirdly, while those around him suddenly become aware of profound truths and illusive sacrifices (shown through their responses during ‘Mad World’), Donnie has created and destroyed a universe, travelled through time and sacrificed so much but none of that exists anymore. His laugh is a mix of absurdity and joy.
Roberta Sparrow, whilst working in the convent came upon the revelation that Donnie Darko would make – God’s providence pre-determines all that has and will occur (hence the blobs coming out of Donnie when he finds the gun). Yet while this may seem to suggest that free will is a fantasy, the two can be reconciled. If we acknowledge that a God has a plan and therefore everything that is, was and will be exists as a matter of certainty, every state that the universe has existed and will exist in, exist as moments suspended in time. Therefore, we are already time travelling creatures as we move across this plane of time as each second passes. So if we already move across time in a linear faction and if all states of existence occur simultaneousness, it should be possible to jump between points in time or at least become aware of what will occur. After doing either of these, breaking from God’s plan and leaving the convent, Roberta became an exile from God; her alienation drove her to a life of solitude and uncertainty (leading her to conclude that every living thing dies alone).
Donnie, someone who felt utterly alone an insufficient, also came to similar conclusions about the philosophy of time travel. Significantly though, he did not arrive at these answers until he had time travelled or saw a potential future. His desire not to die alone delayed Donnie’s death, leading to the tangent universe or alternate future. Frank is a manifestation of God’s guidance, it exists in the form of Frank because of the Alice In Wonderland and religious connotations and because it symbolises the road Donnie will embark upon i.e. death. God allowed the temporary creation of this alternative reality for Donnie’s sake, to show him that he is not alone. This is why, through Frank’s presence and the tragic figure of Roberta Sparrow, Donnie accepted that he should follow Frank, in other words, follow God’s plan so as not to die alone. In the process, a timeline is created that is based around his existence. The teacher’s reference to the cellar door, the ‘punk’s’ suggestion about showing ghoulish images instead of nice ones to kids (highlighting the dangers consequences of not accepting the uncertainty of darkness/death) all aid the future he has determined. Donnie creates endless destruction in the process but also finds love in the form of Gretchen, though ultimately she suffers a brutal death.
So, the ending: I have never believed that when Frank said the universe would end in 28 days, he meant it literally but instead as the discontinuation of the tangent universe, real or predicted, and Donnie’s life. In those 4 weeks he consciously chooses to sacrifice himself due to the numerous revelations he becomes aware of. In following Frank’s instructions, Donnie decides to end his universe. It is also through this sacrifice that he reconciles his existence with the world, he is no longer alone. There is no 3rd dimension, say a universe in 2003 where Donnie comes back as the man in the grassy knoll. Yet much like in Alice and Wonderland Donnie takes a souvenir back through the rabbit hole, the engine. He realises that to live, he will create chaos and destruction in the future. The laugh at the end has no one meaning. In fact, it is due to the ridiculousness of the situation that Donnie does laugh. Firstly, he has discovered that he is not alone: he dies in the tangent universe with Gretchen, he has discovered the love of his family and importantly he has a role in the universe. Secondly, he has sacrificed himself and the reconciliations he does make for the sake of others. Yet thirdly, while those around him suddenly become aware of profound truths and illusive sacrifices (shown through their responses during ‘Mad World’), Donnie has created and destroyed a universe, travelled through time and sacrificed so much but none of that exists anymore. His laugh is a mix of absurdity and joy.
. Roberta was never actually a Living Receiver, hence the fact that in her philosophy of time travel book she wrote something like 'I hope that this is a work of fiction', which was later repeated by Donnie. She had become aware of the events that she spoke of in her book. Consequently, in Donnie's tangent universe she became one of the Manipulated Living because she could help Donnie understand what was happening. Also, she kept returning to her mailbox in anticipation of a message from the Living Receiver because it would be vital to assist him, it was eventually became necessary for Gretchen's death as well. Roberta though perhaps failed to see God's role in the process and therefore could only see the powers of man in the universe, leading her to believe that everyone dies alone.