Big Fish Documentary

Shannon McGee
Shanon Lawson
Hum 115
11 December, 2014
Big Myths Throughout human history there has always been significance behind the ritual of storytelling. Parents tell their children stories, leaders tell their followers stories, and it has always just been accepted as a part of life. The question I often ask myself is why are these story’s told, why not just tell the truth? The (2003) movie Big Fish directed by Tim Burton, helped me put reason behind the mythological story telling that has always been. In my eyes the film takes a different approach to myth than most would consider; which is the significance of myth to the individual. Too often myth is viewed as simply a cultural asset, however when viewed more closely myth has a way of
playing a significant role in the memory, the “elixir” of the person in which the myth is about. Storytelling has played a huge role in society as well as the legacy of the individuals in which the story itself is about; making storytelling an important part of the lives of those who hear or even those who tell the story. It gives hope for survival through hardships, for strength when facing our own “monsters”, hope that even against unspeakable odds there is a chance to prevail. Although myths are not verifiable or even explainable at times, I feel there is some truth behind every story; the truths behind the myths are the parts that we as people hold so dear, the reason why the myth is even important at all. The film depicts Edwards’s self-image as heroic.
Through his stories Edward facilitates his own hero’s journey; from the tale of his birth, through his labors, all the way to the seemingly impossible monsters he battles; similar to the Greek hero myth of Herakles. Herakles story is told in the book Myths of the ancient Greeks by Richard P. Martin. When Herakles turns 18 a cattle rancher in another town needs someone to come and protect his cows, along that journey Herakles becomes enraged and sparks up a war, later “volunteering his self into exile” after losing his mind, in order to protect the village from his strength. While in exile he is sent on a 12 year journey through treacherous terrain and 12 dangerous beasts to try and obtain immorality (Martin 153). At the end of his journey Herakles dies a hero due to his labors and self-sacrifice. Just as Herakles, Edwards’s hero’s journey begins with leaving home on a mission and along the way finding his self while creating an unforgettable reputation. Through the film he helps a lot of people along the way, much like a hero he fought hard battles and danced with death. If we were to really sit back and analyze Edwards’s journey vs Herakles’s journey there is not much of a difference in the meaning of the stories. The only major difference between the two is that their journeys did not entail the exact same things as they were unique to the individual. The myth of Herakles is a very familiar, well known myth meaning that whoever Herakles actually was is still talked about today. I feel as though a good heroic story is always appreciated by anyone, including Edward in this case. He uses his heroes journey in an attempt to help his son to never lose sight of his
memory. Throughout the movie Edward makes many moves that strike me as vague illustrations of a trickster. In Edwards’s stories I noticed that he did and said a lot of things to people in order to obtain what he was ultimately after. Such as with the giant he offered to join him if he left and the circus master whom he offered to work for to find his one true love. Similar displays of these traits are depicted by the ancient Norse God Loki. His story, just as anyone else’s is much different from Edwards, however their use of trickery and wise word play makes them both tricksters in their own ways. In the Book The Norse Myths by Kevin Crossley Holland, is the story of The Theft of Idunns Apples. In this story Loki falls into battle with a giant cleverly disguised as an eagle and because of his own selfish greed he lands himself in position to have to decide between his own life, or fulfilling the giants wish for him to capture Idunn and her apples. “mercy implored Loki, I promise you. I swear it” (Holland 40). After he captures Idunn and brings her to the Giant Odin grows angry and forces to retrieve Idunn or to lose his life. Loki complies and retrieves Idunn. These two stories are very different however through the tellings it becomes evident that both men will do anything to retrieve their own satisfaction. In this sense they are both heroes and selfish tricky fools. I feel like the reason Edward used the small references of trickery throughout his story was to make it clear to his son William that in order to get what you want you sometimes have to do something you don’t. He may have tricked them in the sense he made a promise in order to get what he wanted, but just as Loki he held true to his word and fulfilled his duties. Through his stories in this film there are a lot of “monsters” that Edward must face along his journey. These monsters include a witch, a giant, and even a werewolf. The question I asked myself through the movie is what were these monsters an actual representation of. I mean after all the stories he tells are outstretched truths of his actual life. When one actually takes into account the meaning behind the monsters it becomes clear that each monster is a representation of something within himself. For example the scene where the “witch” tells William Edwards’s story, it becomes apparent that the witch was a representation of his inner guilt, The scene where he first approaches the giant’s cave prepared for battle is a representation of his fear of uncertainty, and the scene where he “tames” the werewolf is a representation of his own loneliness and anger. In a way these “monsters” he faces are similar to the modern day “monsters” we face. They may not be actual witches or werewolves, but sometimes our problems can seem that big. In the ancient tellings of the Ramayana, people who stand outside of social norm, or are defiant in any way are depicted as large and often life sucking elements aka “Monsters”. Since the first death, people have tried to justify exactly what it is that happens when you cross over through a variation of, beliefs, rituals, and of course story telling. In Ancient Egyptian times when a person passed over into the afterlife they were mummified. It was believed that the mummy was “not just a preserved corpse, it was the transformed image of the person it had once been” (Pinch 112). The Egyptians believed that putting a golden mask over the mummy’s face or coating it in sweet resin would transform it into a supernatural being (Pinch 113). On the contrary the Native Americans believed in preserving the soul of the departed. According to Native American belief “a warrior must purify himself, fast, and abstain from sex in order to propitiate the ghost of an enemy he has killed”… it was believed that a soul stuck around for four days and you had a limited time to essentially right your wrong and please the soul (Erodoes & Ortiz 429). In the Film Edward is in the hospital on his death bed, and asks his son Will to tell him the story of how he dies. William says “I don't know that story, Dad. You never told me that one… I can try... If you help, Just tell me how it starts” Edward responds “like this.” The movie continues as William tells his father the story of his passing which essentially ends where Edwards stories began, the river. I feel that even in today’s culture myth plays an important role in the explanation of death whether it be by means of religion or just a story about what happens in the afterlife it is all just a way to explain the unknown. Without myth there would be uncertainty, and accompanied by uncertainty is chaos. In any culture the myths and stories told, immortalize the cultural morals and values that we as people hold so dear. They explain death in ways we could not otherwise do. For some its religion, for some it’s experience, and for others it’s myth. Based off of my understanding these stories keep “the man behind the myth” alive by making people wonder who that man was, but the truth is, in a way we already kind of know. There is an unspoken connection between the man and the myth. In ways the person in the myth has somehow become the myth. They are always present because they will forever be a part of that story. These stories and myths give the readers hope and courage to face the unknown. They are essential to people because they tell tales of strength, endurance, and survival of hardships; so that in a sense the story teller lives on. Every time that story is told that person is thought of and remembered. In the case of Edward Bloom, I feel like he up-plays his stories in order to match the intensity of the emotions he felt through his life. With that being said, all the stories he told were a way to tell of his life while masking his fears with courage and bravery. In a particular aspect, the stories are Edwards’s elixir; he chooses to tell his life through mythos as opposed to logos because it helps his story live on. The outstretched truths are far more interesting to tell and hear, and without realizing it he helped his son to always remember his memory. “A man tells his stories so many times that he becomes the stories, they live on after him and in that way he becomes immortal.” Based on that statement as well as my own understanding, myth plays an important role in not only the life of the storyteller but also the lives of the readers. The myth gives the reader something to believe in; something to hold on to. It is in that way that the story teller becomes immortal, their legend lives on far beyond their years; their memory lasts for ages.