Pleasantville Biblical Refrences
The movie “Pleasantville” (Produced and directed by Gary Ross in 1988) is more than just your ordinary film. Pleasantville sends a message within a message. Not only is it a great film, (made popular by New Line Cinema) it contains numerous biblical references. Some of the biblical references in this film may be easier to see and understand than others. But when asked to analyze this film and critique the biblical references you will understand just how many there are.
To me the most obvious relation to the bible is in a scene where the main character David (Tobey Maguire) is the first to see a fire that breaks out in a tree in his front yard. Ironically enough, the tree is on fire, but is not consumed by the flames, it’s burning but not disintegrating. David then ran to the fire and distinguished it while commanding the fire fighters on what to do.
How does that relate to the bible? In Exodus 3: 1-15 is the story of the burning bush. The burning bush was also on fire and not consumed by the flames, this was when God appointed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Much like how David was then appointed a leader of Pleasantville. The only real difference is that the biblical story says that the burning bush talks to David. (The burning bush being God).
Another obvious biblical relation in the film goes along with the story of Adam and Eve. The biblical version of the Adam and Eve (Genesis 2 and 3). story says that God created man (Adam) and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work and watch over it. God allows Adam to eat from all trees except from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. God tells Adam “ for on the day you eat from it, you will surely die”.
Later on in Genesis 2, Adam needs a help mate to look over the garden, but none of the animals in the garden are to Adam’s satisfaction, so God then makes a woman (Eve) out of Adam’s rib while he is asleep. On a side note, Adam and Eve are both naked and neither one of them are ashamed
To me the most obvious relation to the bible is in a scene where the main character David (Tobey Maguire) is the first to see a fire that breaks out in a tree in his front yard. Ironically enough, the tree is on fire, but is not consumed by the flames, it’s burning but not disintegrating. David then ran to the fire and distinguished it while commanding the fire fighters on what to do.
How does that relate to the bible? In Exodus 3: 1-15 is the story of the burning bush. The burning bush was also on fire and not consumed by the flames, this was when God appointed Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Much like how David was then appointed a leader of Pleasantville. The only real difference is that the biblical story says that the burning bush talks to David. (The burning bush being God).
Another obvious biblical relation in the film goes along with the story of Adam and Eve. The biblical version of the Adam and Eve (Genesis 2 and 3). story says that God created man (Adam) and placed him in the Garden of Eden to work and watch over it. God allows Adam to eat from all trees except from the “tree of knowledge of good and evil”. God tells Adam “ for on the day you eat from it, you will surely die”.
Later on in Genesis 2, Adam needs a help mate to look over the garden, but none of the animals in the garden are to Adam’s satisfaction, so God then makes a woman (Eve) out of Adam’s rib while he is asleep. On a side note, Adam and Eve are both naked and neither one of them are ashamed