Hope In The Cast Away

“We might just make it. Did that ever cross your brain?” says Tom Hanks in the midst of his 1500 day ‘vacation’ from ordinary life. Robert Zemeckis’ film The Castaway displays Hanks’ character’s solitary life and his countless attempts of reuniting with the world after he becomes stranded on an island for four years after his plane crashes over the pacific due to a terrible storm. The movie is centered around the idea that hope and maintaining psychological health are undeniably the most essential traits for survival. Hanks shows his steadfast character by not only never losing sight of his goals to one day return a package he finds and reunite with his new fiancé but also maintaining his mental health. Likewise, I believe that the characteristic …show more content…
Hope is irrefutably the major motif within Hanks’ character. Without it, Hanks’ character would struggle to see a way out of his situation. One of the ways Hanks’ character finds hope in his situation is through a package that shares something in common with him. Namely, they both survive the plane crash. After three days alone on the island, Hanks’ character begins to feel despair. However, when the package washes up on shore from the debris of the plane, Hanks’ character sees it as a new source for hope. This package is decorated with angel wings and he recognizes that this package is special. Hanks’ character sees the angel wings as a sign of hope, he perceives the package as his guardian angel on the island. The wings on the package being the key detail. That package saved him and reminded him every day that he has a reason to keep pushing on. It helped him motivate and remind him that he had a reason to get up and survive. Therefore, using the idea of delivering the package as a catalyst for hope, he sets out on his journey to reunite with the world. Another cause of hope for Hanks’ character is the desire to reconnect with his fiancé. Before Hanks’ character boarded his flight, the viewers see Hanks’ character propose to his girlfriend. Understandably, he has an additional cause of hope to reunite with the world. Throughout the film, Hanks’ character talks about his fiancé, further emphasizing to the viewers that she is …show more content…
Maintaining physiological health also plays a key role in his endeavor of hardships. Hanks’ character sustains his mental health by making a friend on the island from the washed up packages of the plane. Humans need someone or something to both talk to and to be with in order to keep their sanity. Hanks’ character finds companionship in a volleyball that washes upon the island and names it Wilson because of the brand logo stitched into it. Even though he knows it’s a volleyball, Hanks’s character needed someone to talk to and someone to encourage him. Through talking and adventuring with his new friend Wilson, Hanks’ character is able to maintain a stable level of mental health. Although some may think talking to a volleyball is already sign of insanity, by drawing a face on the ball and taking it everywhere, he saw him as a friend and not as an object. It helped him think clearly and not lose his mind. Without it, Hanks’ character would surely not have been able to think his rationally and survive. In conclusion, while there are many human traits that would be beneficial, the film Castaway accurately depicts what characteristics are most imperative for human survival through Hanks’ character. In concurrence with the movie, I believe that the attributes of hope and a stable level of psychological health stand to be two needed qualities for human survival. Human survival is something that we battle with