In Mystic River, the characters face an external locus of control. Sean, Jimmy, and Dave cannot alter their future. Their future relies on fate. Fate reunites the three men, dragging their past into their present. Dave relives his most traumatic childhood event as an adult because destiny forces him to experience his life in a recurring cycle. His abduction by two men as a child occurs once again when he enters another black car with two men in the front seat. Dave’s second kidnapping symbolizes his demise. Encountering Jimmy at the bar, Dave becomes aware of his end. However, he still attempts to avoid his fate. When Jimmy interrogates Dave on Katie’s death by the Mystic River, Dave spills his true story. Yet, when he realizes Jimmy is blinded by his grief and only desires to hear his fabricated truth, Dave admits to murdering Katie because he assumes Jimmy will spare him. He assumes fate can be changed.
While Jimmy earns the satisfaction of unearthing his daughter’s killer, Dave damages his integrity. Jimmy’s pride reaches maximization when his illusion becomes reality. Dave’s cowardice reaches maximization when his truth is disregarded. Unfortunately, Dave’s struggle to evade his death fails to succeed: fate is unchangeable. Dave loses his integrity and his life. Compared to all the other characters, Dave owns the most tragic ending. Contrary to his belief, lying does not bear the power of modifying destiny. Jimmy considers the eradication of Katie’s murderer his responsibility. He refuses to allow any other characters to interfere. His excessive pride, his hubris, prompts him to steal Dave’s life.
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ReplyDeleteI like how you mentioned that Dave's death was unavoidable. As you remarked, Dave tried to avoid his death by falsely admitting he killed Katie, but it was not enough to convince Jimmy to spare his life. His fate was determined from the start of the movie. The intro of the film foreshadowed Dave's death in the scene where he was interrupted while writing his name on the cement floor.
ReplyDeleteI like the emphasis of fate you recognized in the movie--yet another reason why it can be compared to a Greek tragedy. It'd be funny if the movie had an all-knowing Greek Chorus. When Dave confesses to killing Katie to spare his life, the chorus would break into song to bode Dave's imminent death. The gods may also be portrayed scorning Dave for trying to testify them.
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