Ms. Gokturk

Trends in Literature

 

Twelve Monkeys Food for Thought: Writing Prompts

Adapted from: Bucephelus. “Twelve Monkeys.” <http://members.tripod.com/~Bucephalus/index2.html> January 4, 2004.

 

The plot of 12 Monkeys can be quite intimidating to one who is not too used to the plot complexities in some films and novels (especially science-fiction). There are still some unanswered questions to mull over. Your smart analysis will be graded in discussion and journal/writing. Choose TWO prompts to address in your journal and use your thoughts and observations to drive discussion before and after the film segment showings. Each entry should be labeled with a journal number and should be well developed, thoughtful entries.

 

Characters

  1. James Cole (Bruce Willis) is the protagonist of the film. What is his mission?
  2. Jeffrey Goines (Brad Pitt) is an activist and fellow mental patient to James Cole. What is his role in causing the end of the world?

c.       Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe) is the doctor of the study of insanity and resident psychiatrist. Describe her bizarre relationship with Cole.

  1. The Scientist (Christopher Plummer): What does he want? Why?
  2. Character echoes. Note the characters who appear in the 2035 world and the 1990s world. What are the possible explanations for these parallels?
  3. Some critics say that there is religious symbolism at work in Twelve Monkeys. Some say James Cole (or J.C) is sent to save the world from the apocalypse, and others say Jeffrey is the Christ figure as a savior of the animals, and his father is God. According to other sites on religious connections within 12 Monkeys, James Cole is Jesus Christ, Jeffrey Goines is Judas Iscariot, Kathryn Railly is Mary (Jesus' Mother), the Apocalyptic Street Prophet is John the Baptist, and Dr. Leland Goines, Jeffrey's father, is Satan… Analyze the characters through this lens, finding proof that supports these theories.
  4. Does the virus carrier intend to end the world? Why or why not?
  5. Who are the Twelve Monkeys and for what does James Cole believe they are responsible?
  6. Other points about characters?

 

Themes.

a.       Insanity: The theme of insanity runs strongly within 12 Monkeys. The importance of Cole lies in the fact that he is the protagonist of the film, and we see the events through his eyes. The important thing to remember is that just because the events are shown to us through Cole's perspective, there is still the overwhelming possibility that Cole is really just insane. Near the beginning of the film, one of the scientists says to Cole that being a "volunteer" and traveling through time puts great stress on the human body, and many volunteers didn't make it back. Metaphorically speaking, they become insane.

  1. JEFFREY: You know what "crazy" is?  "Crazy" is "majority rules." Explore what he means.
  2. Insanity vs. Sanity. Discuss how the film makes us contemplate dreams/insanity vs. reality/sanity. It is possible to say that Cole was insane the whole film. Using that idea, nothing is what it seems; Cole's insanity could have bred delusions, these delusions composing the entire film. Or, Cole could have been a time-traveler and a savior.
  3. The mental patient character, LJ, says, “Don't mock me my friend. It's a condition of mental divergence. I find myself on the planet Ogo, part of an intellectual elite, preparing to subjugate the barbarian hordes on Pluto. But even though this is a totally convincing reality for me in every way, nevertheless Ogo is actually a construct of my psyche. I am mentally divergent, in that I am escaping certain unnamed realities that plague my life here. When I stop going there, I will be well. Are you also divergent, friend?” Analyze how this relates and explains the rest of the film.
  4. Memory. How does memory play a part in confusing our reality?
  5. As far as we know, time is linear, and nothing can change that. Is James Cole’s life linear or is he stuck in a time loop? Decide and provide reasons for your answer. Examine his life, death, travels, reoccurring dream and other elements to help you formulate a thesis.
  6. There are other time concepts to consider. How is Twelve Monkeys an ourobouros film? Explain.
  7. Examine the phone calls made. One James makes is a wrong number. James makes a phone call, using the number he was given in case he had to contact the people of the present/future. He leaves a message telling them that the Army of the 12 Monkeys is just "a bunch of dumb kids playing revolutionaries." He also says that he did his job (debunked the 12 Monkeys myth), and he "won't be coming back [to the future]." Railly also makes one. What is significant about these calls and how do they play into the overall themes of the movie?
  8. Analyze the apocalypse nature of this film. Explain how Twelve Monkeys is an apocalyptic film[1]. Review your definition.
  9. Analyze the final scene of the movie and explain what the female character means when she says she’s "in insurance." Is she part of the end of the world? Or is she part of a solution? Or an innocent bystander?
  10. Railly presents a talk on the Cassandra Disease, which is based on the Greek mythological character Cassandra who was given the gift of prophecy but was also cursed to never be believed. How does this relate to the movie?
  11. Other points about themes?

[1] From Greek apo + kalypsos--literally, an uncovering or unveiling. Because of associations with the final book of the Christian Bible, known either as the Apocalypse of St. John or the Book of Revelation, "apocalyptic" carries connotations of universal cataclysm as well as the disclosure of mysteries. More generally, an apocalypse is a religious or secular depiction of the world's end.