Streets of Fire is One Man's Battle With his Shadow Self

On the surface, Streets of Fire is a classic tale of good vs. evil in a highly stylized world. Symbolically, however, there's much more going on than its straightforward plot might suggest. On a deeper, subconscious level, SOF represents one man's battle with his inner, shadow self. The struggle centers upon whether he should stay with the woman he loves or let her go. And the world where this battle takes place symbolizes his mind.

Evidence That the Hero and Villain are One in the Same
The hero and villain in Streets of Fire are Tom Cody and Raven Shaddock, respectively. Hill provides enough clues throughout the film to suggest that Raven symbolizes Tom’s shadow self. Some of the more obvious though well-hidden hints include:

The villain’s last name is Shaddock, which is very close to the word shadow. His first name, Raven, is a black bird associated with darkness and death in many cultures.

Raven Shaddock and his gang kidnap Ellen Aim at a rock concert. Tom Cody and his gang rescue Ellen at a bar where a rock n roll band is playing. This is one of many examples of mirroring between the two characters.

Raven Shaddock is seen wearing a patent-leather abattoir suit, aka his leather waders. These look very similar to Tom Cody's pants and suspenders.

Raven keeps Ellen tied to a bed. Tom cuts the ropes that bind her. Later, Ellen asks him why he left her and he says he didn’t want to keep her from her music career. In other words, Tom doesn’t want to “tie her down.” Another good example of conflicting desires within the same person.

The Final Battle Symbolizes Tom's Inner Battle
The film's final battle between Tom Cody and Raven Shaddock is a cinematic masterpiece that best symbolizes Walter Hill's man against his shadow self motif. For more on that, visit:

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