Hey all,
Just found this forum and am loving reading on the insight you guys have on the film (and the book as well). Anyway, I'm in college and for school, I'm writing a short paper on why people think Niki stays at the end of the film and book. Got theories? Are you sure you know why? I'd love to hear your responses.
Has anyone else here thought that what's going on might be Stockholm Syndrome?
shareI agree with most of the people here except those who say he stays behind because the woman is pregnant with his child. They clearly stated it was a ectopic (probably spelling that wrong) pregnancy. I didnt look this up so i could be wrong, im in a bit of a hurry but i seen this film last night but i think a ectopic pregnancy is where the baby is growing where its not suppose to, not the uterus i think, therefore causing death to the baby and most likely sometimes even death to the mother, its extremely risky.
shareThe Stockholm syndrome is definitely a large factor, but I think that he chose to stay also because when he thought about it, his life in the dunes made just as much sense as his life in the city.
His opinions on unfullfilment of city life are apparent in the beginning of the film, where he talks about how in the city the only things that make you a person are certificates, documents, social conventions, papers and more papers. It was evident that nobody in the city cared for him because no one came to search for him later on when he was stuck in the village. Once a prisoner, there were people who acknowledged him, be it the sand woman, or, to a whole different extent, the villagers. Yes, shoveling up sand for days and days only to help his captors is pointless, but the life he left behind gave him even less fullfilment.
The entire movie is pretty much filled with symbolism (most of which I didn't notice myself ). Throughout the film, Jumpei's figure is shown behind slats and staves, thus symbolizing his captivity. Later when he sees his reflection in the bucket of water, it shakes and is shown behind a rippling surface, because his identity has been turned upside down and lost itself in the process. Notice how the opening credits feature various stamps, grotesque drawings of urban images in midst of sporadically spread lines, resembling a dune swallowing up a city, much like the dune life swallows up a city man.
Found on IMDb Trivia page:
At one point, the entomologist collects an antlion. This insect is from the family Myrmeleontidae. The larval stage is often called a "doodlebug" in the United States. The insect ensnares its prey by digging out a pit in loose sand. When the prey falls into the pit, it is unable to get out and becomes food for the antlion. This is symbolic of the situation the entomologist himself encounters when he is trapped in the sand pit.