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I enjoyed reading your essay
on Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. It is well written, reflects a high
level of intelligence as well as a fertile imagination, and correctly perceives
that the film has pervasive symbolism. However, the symbolism is much more
complex and elusive than you think, and your interpretations err. For example,
you say "the [hotel] room is a metaphor for the human body." Well, there
is a grain of truth in what you say, but that grain is not what you had
in mind. The room is a metaphor (I'd prefer the word symbol) for part of
the female human body under conditions of pregnancy. Did you notice that
the room has no exit door (just the entry to the bathroom), no windows,
a glass floor, and illumination that comes from below? That's because the
room--a haven with no exits--symbolizes the amnion, or fetal sac.
The translucency of the floor
symbolizes the translucency of the amnion, and the light coming up through
the glass floor symbolizes light coming up through the birth canal (allow
some artistic license here), located below the fetus (when the mother is
standing). When one Bowman becomes two (a Bowman sees his next self), cell
division is symbolized, and that in turn represents growth or maturation
of the fetus. Bowman's aging is parallel symbolism: as the fetus grows,
it ages.*
2001 Space Odyssey
The film segment chosen was the final scene from Stanley Kubrik's 2001
A Space Odyssey made in 1968. As the name would suggest, the film is set
almost entirely in the future. Already having projected itself over 30
years into the future, it would be safe to assume that this motion picture
offers a wealth of imagery and futuristic vision. It does. It is towards
the end of the film, however, that Kubrik offers this to us on a much greater
scale. In these few minutes, we are presented with the dawn of a new era:
a near incomprehensible evolution of humanity. Through many complex
design devices, the set design successfully achieves a vision for the future
that is neither dystopian, nor entirely utopian, yet extraordinarily positive
on a revolutionary
scale.
Kubrik himself has never publicly discussed the ending to 2001 and admits
that this was a very subjective film, while many people claim not to have
understood it at all. Many interpretations have been made as to the real
meaning of this scene, many incredibly different and most equally plausible.
Despite their differences, however, all have one thing in common: an overwhelmingly
optimistic vision for the
future.
A few example interpretations include alien intervention: an idea that
alien technology has helped man progress to the "next level" of consciousness;
to an understanding beyond the physical realm. Others
adopt the idea of the emergence of man as pure thought completely of
his own accord.
It is for this reason that the futuristic vision expressed in this scene
cannot be labeled simply utopian. What viewers are offered during this
scene spans far beyond an idealistic version of the world we live in today:
various connotations found in the scene stretch the bounds and horizons
of humanity itself.
The problem faced by Kubrik, and indeed the set designer was how to
portray a near incomprehensible, purely conceptual journey on film. One
theory sits with the idea of a metaphorical shift of entities: the room
we see is a metaphor for the human body and respectively, Dave Bowman,
the main character, becomes a metaphor for the human mind.
One of the elements that makes this scene appear to be ambiguous is
the absence of dialogue and meaningful audio accompaniment. This absence
draws additional attention to the visual elements of the scene. Furthermore,
very little screen movement encourages us to study Dave's surroundings,
in this case an elaborately decorated room.
Though the set is not intended to be a physical rendition of the future
itself, it does play a large role in channeling our thoughts and emotions
while we are offered these fantastic, conceptual, futuristic ideas.
The set quickly becomes an overwhelming feature of the scene for one
main reason: the uncomfortable feeling of incomprehension encourages us
to look to physical features for familiarity; something solid to grasp
onto. Kubrik does not offer us this. Instead, we are greeted with what
appears to be an elaborately decorated hotel room void of doors and windows,
complete with renaissance-like artwork and glowing floor tiles. This ambiguity
heightens our sense of curiosity.
What we are first presented with is a somewhat illogical mix of objects:
a space pod sitting in the middle of a bright white room with geometric
space-aged glowing floor tiling and furniture, artwork and wall decorations
that appear to be centuries old. This immediately communicates a mix of
ideas including artistic creativity, high technology, cleanliness and calculated
precision spanning centuries and continents. In all, these are elements
which can be attributed to major triumphs and accomplishments of mankind
over the physical domain; factors which distinguish the human race from
the rest of the animal kingdom. Already the viewer has received a universally
positive statement, whether or not they are aware of it on a conscious
level.
The fact that this room is void of doors and windows reinforces the
idea that it could exist merely as a container, as we have no idea what
exists beyond it; where or when this object exists in time. The room appears
to exist independent of these factors: it transcends time and space, and
for this reason, one can begin to question its authenticity. Could
this be a metaphor for the container of the human mind? Is this a tangible
representation of our ability, as a human race, to manipulate the world
around us? Once again, this is an personally subjective issue which was
intended to be dealt with on an individual scale. In this way, the set
design encourages the viewer to open their minds, to consider abstract
concepts and relative impossibilities.
The glowing tiles which line the floor of the room are symbolic of technology,
the future and humanity's yearn for innovation. The combination of geometric
lines, the definition of the x, y and z planes and bright white light give
an impression of calculation, purity and precision: elements that are synonymous
with high technology. It is known that bright cross lighting, used throughout
this scene, can be incredibly revealing and in most cases can expose blemishes
and imperfections in the set. In combination with the white walls, ceiling
and floor, it can be seen that this set achieves nothing short of perfection,
another reason to suspect a shift of reality.
The glowing tiles also serve as a source of high contrast to the artworks
and old furniture situated throughout the room. Here the viewer is introduced
to the featured color: green. Green universally represents harmony with
nature and the environment. The choice of green as a featured color softens
the intensity of the geometry of the floor tiles. If, for example, were
blue used as a substitute, the room could risk appearing overly clinical,
perhaps too futuristic, which would emphasize a reliance on technology.
The furniture itself appears to be sophisticated and stylized, as though
it came direct from an upper
class nineteenth century western European home. This furniture implicitly
suggests the idea of human sentimentality and an
appreciation for the old and the aesthetic. The artworks which appear
to be in the renaissance style put forth this idea also.
Countless explanations have been offered as to the reason for Dave's
rapid aging, the meaning of the monolith and the star child. Despite their
differences, all share the idea of eternal optimism and divinity.
This can be attributed largely to the set design and its role in channeling
our thoughts and emotions during these bizarre encounters. This scene was
a successful rendition of an intangible journey on a tangible, viewable
scale.
Kubrik has been renowned for producing controversial films, 2001 being
no exception. Unlike his other films, however, 2001 offers us an optimistic
twist -- a euphoric, revolutionary concept: that mankind will eventually
rise above the physical realm to a level of existence incomprehensible
to us at the present point in time.
Brief outline of Entity Shift Interpretation (base for semiotic analysis)
In an effort to portray a spiritual evolution on a tangible scale, we
witness a shift in entities. Dave's environment, the decorated white room,
becomes a metaphor for the human body. The body, Dave Bowman, becomes a
metaphor for the human mind.
At the beginning of the scene, as Dave taps into a new level of consciousness,
he is initially shocked. This can be seen by the alarming contrast between
the red space suit Dave initially wears and the near pure white background.
As Dave begins to accept his surroundings, we can see his body "age" rapidly:
the mind is maturing. On a different level, this also offers to us
the idea that the mind is the only constant throughout life: while the
tangible body ages and decays, the spirit remains the common denominator
that makes each and every one of us an individual. It has been suggested
that this is the essence of humanity.
The room, which remains completely static and has no windows or doors
can be seen as a container, and in this way likens itself to the human
body, the container of the human mind throughout life. The room itself
appears highly constructed and artificial, an indicator of physicality.
In some cases this can be seen to represent pretentiousness and vanity.
On the other hand, the elements, namely the artwork, tiles and furniture,
that make up the contents of the room appear to indicate a myriad of human
achievements spanning centuries. Technology, a yearn for innovation, human
creativity, classical architecture and high art are just a few elements
that spring to mind.
Once Bowman accepts the mental transition, he begins to indulge himself.
On one level we can see Dave begin to eat, on another he begins to consider
his place in evolution, thinking, examining, progressing, evolving, and
spiritually maturing.
When Dave^s wine glass smashes we see that it is time to move on. This
action has been likened to the Jewish tradition of breaking glass at a
wedding ceremony: a symbol of great change occurring. Stanley Kubrik himself
is Jewish, which makes this parallel plausible. Aware of the Jewish tradition
or not, the sight and sound of broken glass alone in the controlled environment
holds enough contrast to shock us into thinking that change is about to
occur. Dave is thereby about to enter the new level of conscious existence.
As we see Dave age once more, he appears to be near the end of his "life".
We see mankind reach out to the monolith for the final time in the film
(the first time being when apes learned to use tools, the second time to
make mankind aware of the happenings at Jupiter, some believe this was
a call to announce Earth's human race to the rest of the universe).
With a new camera shot, we are introduced to the star child: Dave has
reached complete divinity, the sublime. Far more significant than visually
aging, Dave has been reborn. He has outlived his physical body and has
evolved to the beginning new level, hence we see the fetus-like object.
This, followed by the realignment of the Earth, moon and sun; the discipline
of space; a mystical frontier, represents a cosmic acceptance, a coming
together of entities.
This was Kubrik's vision for the future -- a euphoric, revolutionary
concept: that mankind would eventually rise above the physical realm to
a level of existence incomprehensible to us at the present point in time.
* All this symbolism is
but a fraction of the 2001 symbolism. Further details, including
(a) the fertilization process that precedes the hotel room sequence, (b)
the birth symbolism associated with the star-child, and (c) parallel sexual
conception, gestation, and birth symbolism ocurring much earlier in the
movie, can be found in my new book,
Kubrick's 2001: A Triple Allegory.
--Len Wheat
If you want to learn more, visit
Amazon.com and read the detailed description in the following book,
Kubrick's
2001: A Triple Allegory.
