MovieChat Forums > Pulp Fiction (1994) Discussion > Theme/message of the movie

Theme/message of the movie

posted 8 years ago by jasonblack_123
5 replies | jump to latest

It's a simple theme/message in my opinion: crime doesn't pay

Vincent: Hitman who ends up shot dead in a bathtub

Jules: Finds religion but presumably gets killed when he tries to leave the business

Butch: Cons Marcellus, ends up in a car crash, taken hostage and almost raped

Marcellus: Widely known and feared as a mob boss, hit by Butch with the car, taken hostage in the pawn shop and raped

Maynard: Rapist/enabler, killed with Samurai sword

Zed: Rapist, shot in the genitals by Marcellus, presumably castrated for his actions

Mia: Cokehead, nearly ODs by snorting heroin

Brett and his friends: Get involved with a mob boss, end up shot dead in their apartment.

Realistically, Butch has the only relatively happy ending in the movie.

[–] sillyspaghetti 8 years ago

Think Reservoir Dogs and Jackie Brown have a similar mindset. I've found revenge a strong theme in Quentin's films as well - see also Django Unchained and Kill Bill.

[–] wdement 8 years ago

I disagree with your assumption that Jules would be killed by Marcellus. They seem like they have a mutual respect for one another that Marcellus wouldn't break.

[–] robbystoner 8 years ago

I think the message of the film is given towards the end in the last chapter. Its in the dialogue between Vince and Jules. Jules tells him he wants to stop killing (aka he wants to stop being a "real man") and Vince responds, "so you want to be a homeless bum". I am paraphrasing the dailogoue. But its there if you re-watch it.

The ideas behind it are "real men" in this world are tough, rough, they eat meat, "red bloody as hell meat -- recall what Vince orders in the diner".. what happens to the "real men" in this world when they get raped or they get married to a over bearing woman (note the Taratino character and his fear of his wife when she comes home)? Is this the dividing line between "real macho men" and emasculated men?

The Vince character ties all the stories together but the Wallace character is a key to it. He is presented as the "blackest" and "baddest" and "roughest" and "toughest" bad guy in the film. He is also the only bad guy you never see eat "red meat" or a burger -- you see him carrying a box of "donuts" before he gets hit by Willis and later gets raped by the white guys.

The whole film is a sort of play on macho masculinity and de-masculinity.

Can this really be the end..to be stuck inside of mobile
with the Memphis blues again.

[–] bohunkchicklet 8 years ago

I've never heard or read any theory that Jules was killed.

[–] bhoover247 8 years ago

I think the theme is redemption. Not so much in a religious sense, but in a personal way. The most obvious case is Jules who does seem to be attempting to truly repent for his life of crime. Vincent rejects this action by Jules and is killed. Butch is the second one who redeems himself by saving Marcellus a person who wanted him dead. Even Marcellus has a bit of redemption as he forgives Butch at the end even though his redemption is a bit more pragmatic as he forgives a man only because he saved his life.