The Matrix – Character and Themes Character Analysis

Neo  Anagram for One – Latin for New  Anderson – Son of Man (in ancient Greek)  Doubting Thomas – refused to believe in a resurrection

Is Neo a Jesus figure ?  Conquers death  Becomes the saviour of mankind  Choi says, “you’re my saviour man, my own personal Jesus Christ”  Has superhuman powers  Is reborn

Morpheus  Name: Greek God of Dreams  His job in mythology was to fashion and guard the dreams that the gods sent to humans  Thus, Morpheus is a reference to the eternal sleep of the humans hardwired to the dream world of The Matrix.

Morpheus – Contin…  God ?  John the Baptist - Telling of the arrival of the saviour?  The Oracle tells the prophecy, Morpheus spread it with faith.  Morpheus + Neo = Yoda + Luke (Star Wars)? Yoda + Luke (Star Wars)?

Trinity  Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost = Morpheus, Neo and Trinity? Morpheus, Neo and Trinity?  Feminine Warrior  Androgynous “Prince Charming”

Cypher  Name: Message in code “Don’t hate me Trinity, I’m just the messenger…” “Don’t hate me Trinity, I’m just the messenger…”  Judas Iscariot – Betrays Jesus, or in this case Neo.  Dresses in Red early on – perhaps a sign of Lucifer (Satan’s Angelic name)

Agent Smith  Wears plain clothes and has plain name - interchangeable  A sentient program, able to grow and learn from his environment.  Learns to experience emotions from the very humans he loathes.  Unstoppable like a Terminator?

Agent Smith – Contin…  The more he learns, the more he resents being stuck in The Matrix.  Smith has become self-aware. Irony: Agent Smith is as trapped by The Matrix as everybody else.

Oracle  The sign above her door bears the same advice as the sign over the door at the Oracle at Delphi in The Odyssey: "Know thyself."  Like an ancient Greek oracle, The Oracle can see the future clearly and is an intermediary between God and man

Oracle - contin…  Her meaning is not always clear until the events she predicts come to pass.  She never tells Neo that he is NOT the one  “It looks like you are waiting for something. Your next life, maybe…..”

Other characters:  Switch – Machine reference  Mouse – Machine reference  Dozer, Tank – Other old machines – Obsolete?

Zion – The last human city  Another name for Jerusalem, the holy city  "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion" (Psalms 48:2);  Represents hope for all mankind

Nebuchadnezzar - The Ship Taken from the king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia ( B.C.), who was haunted by bad dreams Destroyed Jerusalem and brought the Israelites back to Babylonia in captivity

Religion & Philosophy  Mainly Christian, elements of Buddhism (Spoon Child) and Gnosticism also.  “There is no spoon”  The nature of reality and collective unconsciousness – (Carl Jung)

Relationship with Alice in Wonderland  “You take the red pill and you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes.“  “Follow the white rabbit”  Think of the dream world nature of Wonderland

Choice  Boss – Be at desk on time or leave  Smith – “One of these lives has a future, Mr Anderson……”  Choose the Red Pill or the Blue Pill  Oracle – Choose if Morpheus lives or dies

Fate  Morpheus: “Do you believe in fate, Neo?”  Choices create the illusion of free will  The question of fate: are we only fulfilling destiny?