1. Three ways to look at Sling Blade  Freudian Lens– all that Oedipal father issue stuff  Marxist lens– how does a lack of power (financial, political, etc.) effect the story and its outcome?  Genre– what components of Southern Gothic are incorporated and to what end?  Christ Figure– (sort of a sub section of Hero’s Journey)…

2. The Christ Figure in Literature  CHRIST FIGURE --is a literary technique that authors use to draw allusions between their characters and the biblical Jesus Christ. More loosely, the Christ Figure is a spiritual or prophetic character who parallels Jesus, or other spiritual or prophetic figures. (Wikipedia).  * Does not necessarily mean the character exhibits Christian ideology, values, or dogma.

3. The Hero’s Journey  The pattern is closely followed in many of the world's spiritual narratives, in shamanism, initiation rites, mystery religions (descent to the underworld), and in the mythologies of the world's major religious or spiritual systems, including the stories of Gautama Buddha, Moses or Jesus.shamanisminitiation ritesmystery religionsdescent to the underworldGautama BuddhaMosesJesus  Wikipedia

4. Christ Figure– But Why?  From How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster:  Today’s society is a Christian culture, regardless of your religious beliefs  Culture is so influenced by its dominant religious systems that whether a writer adheres to the beliefs or not, the values and principles of those religions will inevitably inform the literary work. Often those values will not be religious in nature but may show themselves in connection with the individual's role within society (118).  Even non- Christians know why it’s called Christianity.

5. Ways to recognize a Christ figure From “How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster  Crucified, wounds in the hands feet, side and head  In agony (perhaps even great physical suffering)  Self-sacrificing (big sacrifice, preferably a life, for others)  Good with children  Good with loaves, fish, water, wine  Thirty-three years of age when last seen  Known to use humble modes of transportation, feet or donkeys preferred  Believed to have walked on water  Often portrayed with arms outstretched  Known to have had a confrontation with the devil, possibly tempted (in a wilderness--disappears to the wilderness)  Last seen in the company of thieves  Creator of many aphorisms and parables  Buried, but arose on the third day  Had disciples, twelve at first, although not all equally devoted  Very forgiving  Came to redeem an unworthy world (at the least offers hope)

6. Other considerations when looking for a Christ figure  unmarried, preferably celibate  carpenter  has a fit of anger (Christ at the temple with the moneychangers)  sermon on the mount  Brings light into a dark world

7. Christ figures are written in order for the writer to get a point across.  Foster writes, "Perhaps the parallel deepens our sense of the character's sacrifice if we see it as somehow similar to the greatest sacrifice we know of. Maybe it has to do with redemption, or hope, or miracle" (123)

9. Some traits of the Christ figure:  there may be performance of miracles, manifestation of divine qualities, healing others, display loving kindness and forgiveness, fight for justice, die and rise again  Christ figures are often martyrs, sacrificing themselves for causes larger than themselves.

10. The Green Mile

11. The character often enters the world of the story from some outside world unknown to the other characters.

12. It is common to see Christ figures displayed in a manner suggestive of crucifixion as well; this technique is more noticeable in films than in literature.

13. Cool Hand Luke

14. Cool Hand Luke– Egg eating contest (miracle)

15. Michealangelo’s Pieta

16. Hitchcock’s “pieta shot” from Topaz

17. (One of MANY of) Scorsese’s pieta shots –Raging Bull

18. There are often “disciples” that accept his philosophy and carry it on after him. In the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 12 patients go on the fishing trip (in itself, a miracle)

19. It happens in lame movies too.

20. And Kids’ movies There’s a prophecy, by Vitruvius “Piece of Resistance” (think “Holy Grail” or “Ark of the Covenant”) and “the Special” (the Only One who can use the Piece to save the world). Which is something like any religious prophesy about a savior. Emmet also sacrifices himself for his friends, plunges through a tunnel into the Light, learns an unforeseeable truth about his world and is resurrected to return to the quest. That has echoes of Jesus and Guru Nanak, the father of Sikhism.

21. In postmodern literature, the resurrection theme is often abandoned, leaving us with the image of a martyr sacrificing himself for a greater good. (But not always….see “E.T.”)

22. Sling Blade

23. What are his only possessions again?

24. From http://www.hollywoodjesus.com/SlingBlade.htm

27. There is also some oedipal stuff, but I’m tired of Freud.