Matrix Characters and Themes - kapiticollege
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Transcript Matrix Characters and Themes - kapiticollege
The Matrix – Character and Themes
Character Analysis
Neo
Anagram for One –
Latin for New
Anderson – Son of
Man (in ancient Greek)
Doubting Thomas –
refused to believe in a
resurrection
Is Neo a Jesus figure ?
Conquers death
Becomes the saviour
of mankind
Choi says, “you’re
my saviour man, my
own personal Jesus
Christ”
Has superhuman
powers
Is reborn
Morpheus
Name: Greek God of Dreams
His job in mythology was to
fashion and guard the dreams
that the gods sent to humans
Thus, Morpheus is a
reference to the eternal sleep
of the humans hardwired to
the dream world of The
Matrix.
Morpheus – Contin…
God ?
John the Baptist - Telling of the
arrival of the saviour?
The Oracle tells the prophecy,
Morpheus spread it with faith.
Morpheus + Neo =
Yoda + Luke (Star Wars)?
Trinity
Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Ghost =
Morpheus, Neo and Trinity?
Feminine Warrior
Androgynous “Prince Charming”
Cypher
Name: Message in code
“Don’t hate me Trinity, I’m
just the messenger…”
Judas Iscariot – Betrays
Jesus, or in this case Neo.
Dresses in Red early on –
perhaps a sign of Lucifer
(Satan’s Angelic name)
Agent Smith
Wears plain clothes and has plain
name - interchangeable
A sentient program, able to grow
and learn from his environment.
Learns to experience emotions
from the very humans he loathes.
Unstoppable like a Terminator?
Agent Smith – Contin…
The more he learns, the more he resents
being stuck in The Matrix.
Smith has become self-aware.
Irony: Agent Smith
is as trapped by The
Matrix as everybody
else.
Oracle
The sign above her door
bears the same advice
as the sign over the
door at the Oracle at
Delphi in The Odyssey:
"Know thyself."
Like an ancient Greek
oracle, The Oracle can
see the future clearly
and is an intermediary
between God and man
Oracle - contin…
Her meaning is not always clear until the
events she predicts come to pass.
She never tells Neo that he is NOT the one
“It looks like you are waiting for something.
Your next life, maybe…..”
Other characters:
Switch – Machine reference
Mouse – Machine reference
Dozer, Tank – Other old machines –
Obsolete?
Zion – The last human city
Another name for Jerusalem, the holy city
"Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole
earth, is mount Zion" (Psalms 48:2);
Represents hope for all mankind
Nebuchadnezzar - The Ship
Taken
from the king Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylonia (605-562 B.C.), who was haunted
by bad dreams
Destroyed Jerusalem and brought the
Israelites back to Babylonia in captivity
Religion & Philosophy
Mainly Christian,
elements of
Buddhism (Spoon
Child) and
Gnosticism also.
“There is no spoon”
The nature of reality
and collective
unconsciousness –
(Carl Jung)
Relationship with Alice in
Wonderland
“You take the red pill and
you stay in Wonderland,
and I show you how deep
the rabbit-hole goes.“
“Follow the white rabbit”
Think of the dream world
nature of Wonderland
Choice
Boss – Be at desk on time or leave
Smith – “One of these lives has a future, Mr
Anderson……”
Choose the Red Pill or the Blue Pill
Oracle – Choose if Morpheus lives or dies
Fate
Morpheus: “Do you
believe in fate,
Neo?”
Choices create the
illusion of free will
The question of
fate: are we only
fulfilling destiny?