Since we won’t have an opportunity to talk about Cool Hand Luke or Higher Ground until Monday, you may wait to answer the questions for each film, but please have the responses posted by the end of the day Sunday. You will have only two more posts next week. Some of you cannot afford to miss any more.
Pick one of the following for Cool Hand Luke:
1. Embedding the final scene is not permitted, but you can go to the following site to watch the film’s final scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJStzRuSFLY.
Before Drag shows up at the church at the end of the film, Luke has a conversation – with the ceiling? himself? God? Of course, God, but what do you think about the content of the conversation? Is this a scene of renunciation or affirmation of his faith?
2. The prisoners have numbers. You may have noticed Luke’s: 37. The director clearly made a point of placing the number in front of the audience. Could the detail point to this passage from the Gospel of Luke: "For with God nothing shall be impossible" (1:37)?
3. Luke gets his prison moniker after he tells Drag during the poker game, “Sometimes nothing is a real cool hand.” What do you think Luke means by this idea? And does this mean we are to think of Cool Hand Luke as a nothing?
4. Sonny presents a portrait of self-interest and altruism for us to consider. What about Luke? What seems to motivate his decisions?
I think that there are many things in Cool Hand Luke that allude to religion. For example, after Luke finishes the 50 eggs, he lays on the table in a position similar to Jesus on the cross. Luke sings a religious song after hearing of his mother's death. Even though Luke claims to not believe in God, religion is prevalent in his life. I think that equating Luke's number to a passage from the gospel of Luke is valid given the other religious symbolism in the movie. I think it symbolizes Luke's failing struggle to keep a higher power from controlling his life. No matter how hard he tries, the law, a force greater than himself, keeps him from escaping and making his own decisions. Luke's belief in man and his own power as a human to overcome obstacles is constantly tested throughout the movie and ultimately culminates in the scene where he is broken, and appeals to God to stop his suffering. This scene, in the context of the biblical quote, shows that Luke has almost fallen from grace; it is a classic story of hubris. His appeal to God in that scene reminds me of E.F's commands to his clergy to accept a higher power. The contrast between E.F's fervor and Luke's reluctance to accept religion shows that a balance is needed. Even though "for with God nothing shall be impossible", we must be able to discern when God can help us and when our problems are the results of our own actions.
ReplyDeleteThe number is a very present idea throughout the movie; it seems to share the same amount of screen time as Paul Newman. Luke seems to live by “nothing shall be impossible”. He remains optimistic about his situation and throughout all the bets placed on Luke - the fight with Drag, the egg eating contest, the poker game - Luke seems to think he has a chance it prevailing and overcoming his obstacles. Especially during the fight, no matter how many times he gets knocked down he manages to get back up and take another swing. He also continues to take swings at escaping no matter how many chains and physical pain limits him. He’s beaten and reprimanded so much that you really wonder how he can want to escape again and submit himself to so much ridicule and harshness. Nothing is impossible to Luke, which can be helpful sometimes like in the scene when they were covering up the road the sand. Luke really sped up the process by going full force and encouraging others to do so. In most cases, however, it is harmful to Luke and his existence. Just when you think he learns his lesson, he smiles at the end of the movie, like he can escape somehow again.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 4:
ReplyDeleteLuke is a very unique character to follow. While the audience assumes there is something fueling him and his decisions, as he is the protagonist of our film, we get no glimpse of anything he is thinking until the very end of the movie where he speaks with god. Luke very seldom speaks during the film. The only time in which Luke directly addresses his loner, 'cool', persona, is when he claims that he has never planned anything in his life. We see him attempt escape three times, yet have no idea why. There are many obvious reasons we could assume, like his mother dying, but Luke says nothing and only tries again after each time he is thwarted. In the end, we barely know anything more about Luke than when the movie started.
Answering the second question, yes I think that it is possible the director put 37 as Luke's number on purpose. First of all, because there are already a lot of references to god in the movie. An example is the multiple times he begs to god when he is in the ditch he dug. The other reason, is Luke's overall personality. "For with God nothing shall be impossible" to me sounds like a moral that Luke lives by. He is not a man with a plan. He even says after he escapes the third time that there was no plan until the last moment. This makes it sound to me like Luke believes that when god is with him, nothing can go wrong. Examples of this are everywhere. One being when he fights Greg, he just keeps getting back up. That could mean he is stubborn and tough, or he thinks god is on his side. Other examples are him trying to escape. He even tries a third time, because he wants freedom, and with god on his side, anything is possible, including escaping the devil-like man in the sunglasses whose eyes are never seen. I think that gives it a sort of god vs. satan, or good vs. evil kind of theme to the movie. Especially since it already brings up who IS "good" in this movie, because on the flip side, it is the cops doing there jobs against a criminal. Therefore, who is good and who is bad in this movie? Anyways, back to religion. And just small details make the argument more solid, like the gospel of Luke, and his name is Luke. Another example, in the card game, god is on Luke's side and he bluffs his way to a win. It is also worth discussing, what it means to have god on your "side". To me, and in the movie, it represents having courage, faith, and never doubting your own abilities. Luke heavily relies on himself and his own strength, mentally (with the eggs) and physically (with breaking his chains). I think because he wants to/likes to rely on himself so much, that he can't help/rely on anyone else, which is why he attempts to leave Greg when they escape. Overall, I think the number on the back of Luke's shirt is very important because it symbolizes and makes clear the moral with which he lives by: nothing is impossible with the lord.
ReplyDeleteI think Luke’s motivation for his decisions stems from his desire to not succumb to the “man”. Luke’s actions throughout the film all show his strength as a character, from his refusal to lie down during the fight between him and Sonny to his daring escape attempts from the prison. Even the bet Luke made (and won) of eating 50 hard boiled eggs in an hour shows how Luke refuses to give up despite facing something many might consider “impossible.” Luke constantly would snap back at the guards with a witty remark or try to push the guards’ patience as far as it would go. Only when Luke gets beaten after trying to escape a second time does he seem to finally break and succumb to the “bosses” and his fate. I think that this scene is a turning point for Luke because after he breaks, Luke is still able to pull himself back together and attempt one last escape to freedom. Even during the final scene, Luke refuses to give in to the police and instead calls out to the guards the famous line “Well it seems what we have here is a failure to communicate” as a last defiant stand against “the man”.
ReplyDeleteLuke’s conversation with God at the close of the film doesn’t affirm nor does it renounce his faith. His conversation with God shows that he has great doubt in his faith, but that he hopes God will still help him through his troubles. Luke keeps calling himself a problem case, but he says that God has helped him before, so why not help him now? I think Luke knows that God won’t shout the answer from the rafters, but he still hopes for some sort of sign to get him out of his mess. Luke’s faith is constantly tried throughout the movie; his strong exterior is broken after being forced to dig the grave, but it seems that his faith is strong enough to get him through all of the pain. The famous line in the film “What we got here is a failure to communicate” goes back to the conversation he just had with God. Luke admits he has failed to pray or to talk to God in a long time, but he still feels that he deserves an answer because he has tried to believe and keep his faith through the trials he has been through. This failure to communicate is a concept that ties in to both faith and doubt. When you doubt your faith, you are looking for an answer that will lessen your, doubt; but when you have faith, you still look for a way to always communicate with God for the answer.
ReplyDeleteWhile Sonny displays a certain self-interest in his decision-making, Luke displays a striking mix of antisocial self-absorption and self-disregard. Luke seems to want to be the best at anything he does. He pushes himself to the limits of his own capability. While Sonny uses God as a tool to better play the game of life, Luke seems to challenge the rules of the game, attempting to gain even footing with God. He pushes himself to the limit of his human endurance when he goes up against other people. Forever determined to win, instead of treating his body like a gift from God, he uses it as a vehicle to challenge Him. Luke seems to want, above all, superhuman respect, which he gains by pushing himself to the limits. While Sonny hungers for esteem and influence, which he gains by working with people, Luke gains his respect by unwavering defiance of others’ conventions. While Sonny is driven by self interest, Luke seems to be driven by want of perfection. Sonny is a man of God, bringing people into His influence. Luke brings people into God’s light by achieving Godly, superhuman feats.
ReplyDeleteBefore deciding whether in the last scene Luke is renouncing or accepting his faith, I must adress what exactly faith means for Luke. Paul Newman's character has been a man that seems to go with the flow in ever sense of the expression. He shys away from commitment, living life with as few ties as possible. It seems as though he is waiting for a calling. In His monologue (dialogue) with god, he says what do i do now? Luke floating carefree through life waiting for somebody/something to push him towards his future. Luke doesn't really have faith until he learns about his mothers death. He has nothing left or as his brother says after handing him the banjo "now there's nothing to come back for". At this point Luke realizes he "fate" isn't going to be thrust upon him but he must actively sieze it. That is his faith. When Luke is in the church, he is questioning his purpose. He has nothing in life, nothing to comeback for. What is he supposed to do now? what is there to work at, to work towards for a man who has nothing? Luke's faith is rediscovered in the final scene. He says himself that "i've got to find my own way". His faith in himself and his power is somewhat rediscovered yet his faith in a higher power is let go. In Luke's mind, there are no free passes, handouts, or easy ways to anything. If you want something, you must earn it with the sweat off you brow.
ReplyDeleteThe number that Luke has, and the passage from the Gospel of Luke are great signs of the way Luke lives his life. Despite what Luke endures, he never lets it get him down and he continues to attempt what seems to be impossible to the ordinary person. When he makes the deal to eat 50 eggs, it seems like it would be absolutely impossible for him to do as one of the other prisoners tells him too. He doesn't allow the bosses to get him down even though he faces so much oppression in the prison. Even though it seems like it shouldn't be possible, Luke is able to escape three times from the prison. He continues to escape even after the bosses beat him down and try to ensure that they break him down and there's no way left for him to leave. But Luke is able to defy the odds and keep his "coolness" and escape again and again. Even though he dies at the end and it seems like they have finally gotten him, the prisoners tell of the smile that Luke had on his face showing that he has still accomplished the impossible and remained himself even after the final showdown.
ReplyDeleteQuestion Two:
ReplyDeleteAgain and again in the movie, Luke does the impossible. He gains acceptance from the cool kids in the camp by doing nothing but being silent and arrogant. He eats fifty eggs in an hour, which should probably have killed him or caused serious problems. He motivates a group to finish ridiculously hard labor quickly. We see also that, despite his general outlook, in times of peril he does call on God. When his mother dies, he sings a religious song, and it is perhaps this strength that gets him through the days in the tiny hut. Additionally, he manages to escape the chain gang twice. There is something blessed in the way he lives—despite the danger, nothing seems to faze him. However, in times of greatest peril, he calls for God, like when he is torturously forced to dig and fill a pit repeatedly and his spirit is broken. His ability to do things that should not be possible, while linked to his absolute ease and calm, could also be attributed to a higher power looking out for him. With God, all is possible, and for Luke, all seems to be possible, so it is a logical assumption that Luke is blessed. His mother favors him, and possibly God does too. Luke’s total calm and arrogance are not relatable at all, but could be explained by God, which would make his character at least understandable. The link between God and Luke is logical, and highlighted by the director’s allusion to the Bible verse, so it seems very intentional.
Question 2
ReplyDeleteI don’t feel that Luke has depended on God for support or much of anything. Luke is a man who feels limited by a society filled with rules and regulations, and hasn’t been able to do what he wants for a long time. In the opening scene, Luke doesn’t come off as a “I can do anything as long as I have God,” kind of person. He is a lost man, who passes time by drinking and destroying property. It is hard to pinpoint Luke’s source of inspiration to do things such as eat fifty eggs, try to escape from jail, take the heads off parking meters, or keep fighting when he knows he is going to lose. Not once does he talk about getting inspiration from any divine power or something like that, it’s just him making decisions based on his reasoning and logic.
When Luke talks to God in the church, he isn’t praising god for helping him get as far as he has gotten. He is almost mocking God, and Luke even says to him, “You aint dealt me no cards in a long time.” Luke blames God for his hardships and in no way praises him or expresses much faith. When Luke goes down to pray, he gets no answer from go, and comes to the conclusion that he’s got to find his own way. When the police come, Luke says, “I guess you’re a hard case too,” comparing God to his wardens and police, who have been the ones who have kept Luke from doing what he wants.
4. Luke’s motivations are somewhat harder to pinpoint than Sonny’s because Sonny provided a form of internal dialogue by praying aloud. Luke is much more quiet so his motivations are less clear, however, it seems that his priority is survival. Luke is willing to roll with the punches in order to survive in prison and, ultimately, thrive for the time he spends there. Luke definitely perseveres, though it is not clear why he is so determined not to give up. Maybe he really is “a natural-born world-shaker”, or maybe he sees his refusal to surrender as a way to gain respect among his fellow prisoners/peers? His reasoning is not entirely clear. Perhaps Luke is simply a product of his creation. In the final scene he does say, “You made me like I am,” seeming to accuse God for creating him to act a certain way. I don’t think the viewer can ever understand Luke or his motivations as fully as we understand Sonny because Luke is so much quieter, and doesn’t give those helpful soliloquies that Sonny sprinkles throughout The Apostle. Both characters are complicated and difficult to understand, but Luke is far more difficult because of his calmer, quieter demeanor.
ReplyDelete2.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the movie, Luke makes a point in never giving up and realizing that nothing is impossible if you try hard enough. He continuously tries to run away. Nothing the Boss does will stop him from attempting to escape because it does not matter what happens to him once he gets it in his head he is going to drive off or run off.
Although Luke does not have the same kind of yelling personal relationship directly with God, Luke does elude to several religious symbolisms.
God comes together with the idea of any thing is possible when Luke eats the 50 eggs. It seemed impossible, but he did it, and afterwards he lay in a cross.
4.
ReplyDeleteI think Luke's decisions are motivated, ultimately, by his lack of mental stimulation. He seemed bored to me, and ready to prove someone wrong-just for the sake of proving them wrong. Not to necessarily be right. Clark continually asked the class after the movie, what makes Luke tick? To be honest, I still don't know the answer to that question. I do know, however, that his actions are inspired by his ability to perform them. Especially under pressure. He lasts the entire boxing match to show that he can't be beat, not that he can win. He eats the eggs to show the inmates that it's possible. He escapes to prove that it's possible, not because he is terrified of jail or can't handle the box. In conclusion, I think that Luke's decision are motivated by his perception of what the word impossible means.
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