Are we alone in the universe? Men have struggled with this idea throughout the whole of human history. M. Night Shyamalan takes a fresh look at this idea in his sci-fi blockbuster film Signs as he follows the journey of a family in crisis as they face an alien invasion. As the story unfolds, Shyamalan reveals his ideas on the universal theme of man’s struggles with faith and a belief in the divine design of the universe through his use of allegory, conflict, and character.
The primary way Shyamalan reveals his theme is through the use of the allegory developed around the alien invasion. He draws many parallels between the belief in aliens and the belief in a supreme being or order in the universe. Think of the common language that is used …show more content…
For example, early in the story when crop circles appear on the family farm, the children are the first to believe that this is a “sign” that aliens have come. The adults, however, are dubious, They are able to rationalize the event away as a prank or hoax by some local troublemakers. This reinforces a truth about humanity’s varying responses to “signs” or miracles. Many attribute these things to a god or gods while others explain the events away with science or reason. In fact, the Christian Bible actually refers to some having a child-like faith; a faith that is based solely on believing the improbable when no one believes the evidence. This is the faith that Morgan and Bo have. By contrast, Graham and Merrill, much like “Doubting Thomas” must see to believe. This reflects the ultimate struggle in man’s search for faith: How do you trust and believe in something that you can’t prove is real?
Shyamalan brilliantly connects the theme of his film through the use of allegory, conflict and character in such a way that audiences walk away with an undeniable impression of the directors beliefs about the existence of a higher power in the universe. It is this very inner struggle of man that makes the film so relevant for everyone and increases the personal meaning of the film. In today’s world where so many tragedies occur and people are searching for meaning, Shyamalan
The primary way Shyamalan reveals his theme is through the use of the allegory developed around the alien invasion. He draws many parallels between the belief in aliens and the belief in a supreme being or order in the universe. Think of the common language that is used …show more content…
For example, early in the story when crop circles appear on the family farm, the children are the first to believe that this is a “sign” that aliens have come. The adults, however, are dubious, They are able to rationalize the event away as a prank or hoax by some local troublemakers. This reinforces a truth about humanity’s varying responses to “signs” or miracles. Many attribute these things to a god or gods while others explain the events away with science or reason. In fact, the Christian Bible actually refers to some having a child-like faith; a faith that is based solely on believing the improbable when no one believes the evidence. This is the faith that Morgan and Bo have. By contrast, Graham and Merrill, much like “Doubting Thomas” must see to believe. This reflects the ultimate struggle in man’s search for faith: How do you trust and believe in something that you can’t prove is real?
Shyamalan brilliantly connects the theme of his film through the use of allegory, conflict and character in such a way that audiences walk away with an undeniable impression of the directors beliefs about the existence of a higher power in the universe. It is this very inner struggle of man that makes the film so relevant for everyone and increases the personal meaning of the film. In today’s world where so many tragedies occur and people are searching for meaning, Shyamalan