Comparison Of Men And Pan's Labyrinth

In times of desperation, humans can be capable of beyond what seems possible, either in great acts of courage or malice; the true character of individuals is revealed. It is in these times of terror that many truths are discovered about the human experience. Stories that portray such dark times can show the direction that humanity may be moving towards, as is the case in director Alfonso Cuarón’s film Children of Men, or where it has come from, such as in Guillermo del Toro’s film Pan’s Labyrinth. Both of these stories confront the reality of human brutality and carnage through their settings. Children of Men takes place a few decades into the future where all of the women have become infertile resulting in a childless society; Pan’s Labryinth …show more content…
The planet’s youngest living person has just passed away to the terror of the public. Theo, however, passes through a crowd of outraged people to go about his normal routine and order a coffee. He later outwardly tells the audience of his perspective on humanity in saying, “I can't really remember when I last had any hope, and I certainly can't remember when anyone else did either. Because really, since women stopped being able to have babies, what's left to hope for?” After the death of 18-year-old Diego, the world’s youngest living person, many come to the same realization, as Diego was a symbol of what was left to live for in the infertility crisis that is at hand. In Pan’s Labyrinth, the young heroine, Ofelia has a vastly different perspective on reality from the worn and rugged Theo. She has yet to become hardened by her harsh surroundings, and she remains imaginative and optimistic about the world around her. At the opening of the film, she and her mother travel to a military camp under control of the fascist Captain Vidal who is also her new stepfather. On the way, her mother shows her first signs of illness from her pregnancy, and Ofelia gives the audience a peek into her fantastic mind as she observes an insect that she believes to be a fairy. Her mind is her escape from reality, but those around her consider her antics to be childish and naïve. Her own mother tells her, “You're getting older, and you'll see that life isn't like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you'll learn that, even if it hurts.” Despite what her mother tells her, Ofelia recognizes the cruelty of the world though, which is exactly why she continues to keep her fantasy world active. Theo and Ofelia are in different stages of their lives, which gives them immensely diverse perspectives on the world. Their experiences throughout the courses of their