Good Shepherd Meaning

Upon entering the circus, Edward spots a beautiful girl whom he vows to marry. However, she soon vanishes and he never learns her name. The ringmaster, Amos, agrees to provide Edward with clues about the girl each month that he works for him. He does everything Amos asks of him, which includes sticking his head in a lion’s mouth, washing an obese circus performer, cleaning up after the elephants, and being fired from a cannon. Edward completes every task with a smile knowing that he is one step closer to meeting his future wife.

The film Edward Scissorhands directed by Tim Burton is about a boy who has been kept away from society his whole life in a mansion surrounded by unkempt bushes and rusted gates. Alex grey once said, “In a society that tries to standardize thinking, individuality is not highly prized.” And that shows when Edward is ostracized because he is different and does not conform to the so-called statuesque but the almost unwavering love from the Boggs family nearly helps him overcome his rejection after people are so cruel.

The camera focuses on Edward’s face; it shows how pale and sad he is. The gothic horror feature used here is the physical appearance of the “monster”. Edward is a large, dark figure with objects (his scissor hands) that can cause harm. This is very stereotypical of the gothic monster as this has been used in Frankenstein (1931) and Nosferatu (1922), and is imprinted in viewers’ minds. But what makes us question how monstrous Edward truly is, is his facial expression and the way he talks. Unlike most gothic horror monsters, he does not have a scary personality. He is shy and is not the antagonist. As the story continues, all the bad deeds he does, are actually the result of someone else taking advantage of him. As viewers, we see this, and we are led to believe that it is not Edward who is the monster, but rather the community Peg has brought him into. By manipulating common features of gothic horror films, Edward Scissorhands is able to influence the audience into believing the “monster” of the film is Edward, but when the tradition is changed, it makes us think that not everything is black and white, and that to get the correct judgement, we must wait until all evidence is presented.

Also, the black castle is frightening, unsafe and almost looks like a monster’s abode. This contrast creates an uncomfortable feeling and introduces us to the second realism of the “fairy tale” world. Edward’s first words, “Don’t go,” to Peg suggests that he desires contact with other people instead of being isolated. That is when she takes Edward, the “fairytale” figure into the neighborhood, where he experiences his social awakening.

Another important scene in the book is when Bella goes to Port Angeles with Jessica and Angela to help them pick out dresses and to also get a new book. She gets lost on her way back to meet her friends for dinner. Lost with four men are following her, Edward comes out of nowhere to rescue her. He fishtails around a corner and stops with the passenger door open next to Bella. He tells her to talk about something random to distract him from going back to kill Bella’s stalkers. After he rescues Bella, he takes her to dinner, where Bella interrogates Edward about how he knew where she was. The car ride home from Port Angeles is another scene where the movie’s timeline differs from the book. During the car ride Bella tells Edward her theories about him (Meyers 161). Her theories are built on the story she learned from an old tribe legend Jacob told her when they meet on the beach, revealing that she knows Edward is a vampire (183). This begins a new period in their relationship, where they trade off days asking one another questions about everything. The next day, they go on a hike up the mountain to Edward’s favorite spot, the meadow. He shows Bella why he and his family cannot be seen in the sunlight, being that his skin sparkles in the light. Edward then shows her what he is capable by using his

father and son. He describes his bond with his father as a support system; they both ensure the

Edward is represented as the creation of an intelligent inventor, yet before Edward could be “completed” the inventor passed away. This had a long-term effect on Edward as he was left confused, alienated, alone and most importantly, “incomplete” literally, and metaphorically. This contrast, symbolizes the complex feelings associated with alienation and ostracism, and the destructive effects it has on individuals, leading them to create barriers of isolation, and lack of acceptance and understanding. William struggles to form a sense of identity because of the emotional abuse that was inflicted upon him during his placement with an unidentified male. And Edward suffers from a sense of identity, as he was never able to establish on, through social interactions, Edward is intrigued by those around who to him seem to be, unique and different, while those around Edward believe him to be unique and one of a kind, accepting him for “ The years spent in isolation have not given him the tools to judge from right or wrong. The snow represented the change he brought to the people and especially Kim. It showed how he blossomed, and when the chaos of his visit came and left, he still left his mark behind to the town. Before Edward visited it had never snowed, and now every year it does. This is because even though Edward was looked down upon at the end, he still wanted to show people he can create beauty and not just destruction. Edward wanted them to feel a sense of belonging, maybe not with him but with each other, with the town’s community. understood by us as an audience that the need to belong is significant in our world as it is through the healing process in our relationships and experiences that the human

Edward’s differences are viewed negatively by society as he is encouraged to conform. By having scars visible on his face, Peg makes an effort to mask Edwards imperfections. She is unfamiliar with his fair complexion as everyone in the neighborhood has glowing smooth skin and therefore she urges to “help with the scars”. While Peg applies a concealing cream on Edwards face, she insinuates that “blending is the secret” which symbolizes how blending into society will help Edward conform. This suggests that Edwards flaws are not accepted and how society pressures to cover up your differences because uniformity is acknowledged. As the family warms up to Edward in their home, Bill suggests that Edward gets a job to earn money like everyone else in the community. He says that having a job is the “greatest satisfaction” a man can have. This insinuates that men are conformed to have a job and earn money for their family. Edward decides to make an effort and get a loan to start up his own business at the local bank which is painted white and black symbolizing the dull and homogenous life the society lives in. Edward is rejected by the bank authorities when he finds that Edward has no previous bank records and therefore “may as well not even exists.” This implies that by Edward not having a job, he is not welcome to exist in society as they are not willing to give others who are different a chance. As humanity negatively views Edwards differences, Burton displays how humans encourage outcast to conform to society.

The first passage reveals the parallel suffering occurring in the lives of different members of the family, which emphasizes the echoes between the sufferings of the father and the narrator. The narrator’s father’s despair over having watched

The movie Edward Scissorhands starts off with an unusual character named Edward who was very different to the others. At the start, everyone seems to like Edward because he is able to do things others can’t, which means he has something different to give. The film shows that people who are different are treated differently for example when Edward was deemed interesting by the town but as soon he's done something wrong he is not liked.

> s apprehensive to be in a nice hotel with champagne and room service, etc. She is accustomed to being utilized as a cheap sex object. Edward is so nervous about their secret tryst that he becomes paranoid and believes that Vivian possesses illegal drugs. When Edward sees the substance in question is dental floss, he remarks “…very few people surprise me.” The implication is that he has been hurt before and expects to be hurt perpetually.

The film ‘Edward Scissorhands’ by Tim Burton, is a modern day fairy tale which follows the story of Edward, a young man that is taken out of isolation and introduced into a new way of life. Although the film is for entertainment, that is not its sole purpose. The film has deep and rich themes, which convey many important messages to the audience. Some themes of the film include; conformity, appearances versus reality and individuality.

This is an attempt to alter Edward to conform and become ‘normal’ by removing his source of individuality. The message ‘one should be out of the ordinary’ is demonstrated by this, which adds depth and more meaning to the film.

hostile environment his father sought to escape. His mother betrayed him as she never embraced

his father’s death, eventually the true measure of his character comes forth (Book I: 11).