Symbols in Cast Away

What is symbolism? Symbolism is representing things by symbols, or of investing things with a symbolic meaning. In “The Outsiders” there are many symbols that represent different ideas of the characters and novel

Wilson, a volleyball who became Chuck’s only companion as he was stranded was who kept him sane during the time they were together. Chuck’s physical needs were being met by Wilson as Chuck was able to maintain his ability to keep up with enough physical activity for him to be able to gather and create tools they would both need to survive, such as starting a fire. As Chuck Argues with Wilson, he fulfills his identity needs by believing that his argument makes him a more logical, smarter person. Chuck is also able to meet his social needs as he uses Wilson’s presence as a listening one he could use to share ideas he had throughout time.

After four years on the island Chuck Noland changed a lot, physically and mentally. His skills dramatically improved, he fished better, started fires

He is always there for his friends in the ways that he can be such as helping to relieve his friend Swat’s stress. Swat is very serious about his schoolwork and sports and always study right after dinner. Chucky sees how stressed out his friend is and always makes an effort to make him smile or laugh. He goes into Swat’s room, messing up his bed and jumping around to make him laugh. Swat reminisces about those times and “truly believes God was using Chucky to help impart some levity into my life”.

Also, after walking past a village, the son claims to have seen a little boy and begs his father if they can go back and get him. The man then says “Stop it. We can’t[,]” (McCarthy 80) and thinks that his son sees things. Again, the selfish desire to survive prevents him from helping others. He does not want to go back because he does not want to do anything that will risk their lives. The thirst for survival becomes greater than his conscience. Hence it prevents him from giving into his son. Another time this occurs is when the man and his son are robbed by a stranger. The man catches him and takes back their stuff, along with the thief’s belongings. The son begs the father to show mercy on the criminal, but the father does not care and so “they set out along the road south with the boy crying and looking back at the nude and slat-like creature standing there… Shivering and hugging himself.” (McCarthy 229).

--While on the island, Chuck feels very alone, but his is able to deal with this isolation by creating his friend, Wilson, through a volleyball. This allows Chuck to have a reason to live because he wants to stay alive for his friend.

The fact that he is willing to completely cut ties with his family and travel across country by himself, shows his carelessness. Before he left, he sent his parents his transcript from college, an article about the Food Crisis in Africa, and a brief note about his graduation. Nothing to indicate he was leaving, nothing to indicate this would be the last time they would hear from him: “Not much else is happening, but it’s starting to get real hot and humid down here. Say Hi to everyone from me” (Krakauer 22). Because McCandless uses the Postal System for all of his letters to his family, he did not have to see or hear the emotions they felt in response. I believe it is easier to drop all relations with a person during this period in time. However Today, technology is the most efficient way to communicate with others. Without cell phones or computers, no one is able to reach others in a timely manner or see if others need to reach them. In the Movie Cast Away, it takes Chuck a very long time to get used to his limited resources on the island. He is constantly trying new ways to catch fish, build shelter, or

The volleyball, Wilson, becomes Chuck’s only companion on the island. Wilson is Chuck’s need for companionship personified. Wilson is a part of Chuck as Wilson’s face is made of his blood and is the physical manifestation of Chuck’s mental state. “I know you.” Chuck repeats to Wilson and this signifies that Chuck is aware that Wilson is a part of him while demonstrating Chuck trying to reassure himself of who he is. When Wilson is lost at sea, Chuck is devastated at losing his ‘friend’ and one of the only things kept him sane on the island. Chuck’s palpable anguish evokes sympathy and grief within the responder.

People will go to the extreme to survive. For example, Bear Grills in his popular TV show “Man vs. Wild”. Once he had to drink his own urine and even sleep inside the carcass of an animal to keep warm. People have been known to do things they normally wouldn’t do in order to survive.

This pressure causes a lot of tension to build in his mind; leading him to think emotionally and ignoring the logical side of the situation as he choose to step outside in danger and not staying home. This is the struggle that he has to face in which he has to choose a side between his pride, which is related to his morals, or the validity of the

Legend of Zelda is arguably one of the most popular and successful video games of all times. The first version of this game was released in the 1980’s and has attracted an army of fans. The game and its story have evolved over time but the main characters and the feeling has always remained the same. And if you are a die-hard Legend of Zelda fan surely you can’t be without a Legend of Zelda tattoo?

survive them.Most of the time in a critical situation, the first thing that comes to mind is

Chuck ends up developing this type of character development when he is reunited with Kelly. He expects everything to go back to normal after he will be with Kelly. His relationship with Kelly changes after he finds out that she had moved on with her life, has children and is married. Chuck understands that, just like time, you must move forward. On the island Chuck has a volleyball companion named Wilson. He becomes emotionally attached to this object to keep himself less alone on the island. After Chuck loses Wilson in the ocean, Chuck feels

Additionally, this fluctuation of faith can also be seen through Chuck Noland in Cast Away. When Chuck Noland reaches his lowest point of hopelessness, he attempts to commit suicide. As time progresses, his faith in seeing Kelly again slowly diminish because Noland is aware that “she had to let [him] go” (Zemeckis, Cast Away). He realizes that she probably thinks that he is already dead and thus in a sense, Noland knows that he has already lost her. Like Pi, Noland also loses his motivation of surviving, as he believes Kelly has moved on with her life and begins to believe that he is going die alone on this island.

Throughout the movie, the channels of NVC convey to the watcher how Chuck is adapting, i.e., how much time has passed, his personal journey, and his change in ideals, etc. When he gets on the plane, his clothes are fitted, he is wearing long pants, socks, shoes, an undershirt, a button up dress shirt, and a sweater. His hair is short and facial hair nearly non-existent. After he crashes he is soaked, weighted down, his sweater is stretched, pants are hanging past his feet, he has lost his shoes and only has one sock. Quickly, he adapts to his environment; his pants get shorter, his shirt comes off, he commandeers shoes and alters them for his benefit. His hair begins to get longer, which is very evident in his facial hair, and his skin starts to show sun spots and become tan. As four years pass he is wearing nearly nothing, his hair is savage like, long, untrimmed, and not maintained. His skin is so tanned he appears leathery, and he has lost so much weight his skin hangs off of his bones. His appearance, and artifacts help distinguish time, and how he has adapted and learned to survive over it.