Who Is Jules Winnfield's Identity In Pulp Fiction?
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“See, now I’m thinking: maybe it means you’re the evil man. And I’m the righteous man. And Mister nine-millimeter here… he’s the shepherd protecting my righteous (self) in the valley of darkness. Or it could mean you’re the righteous man and I’m the shepherd and it’s the world that’s evil and selfish. And I’d like that. But that ain’t the truth. The truth is you’re the weak. And I’m the tyranny of evil men.” (Tarantino, Pulp Fiction)
In this quote from Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 film, Pulp Fiction, criminal Jules Winnfield is wrestling with his identity and purpose in life. In the scene, Jules is talking about a passage from The Bible found in Ezekiel 25:17, which he likes to recite to unfortunate souls before he murders them, for whatever reason.…show more content… Determined to bring about Chaney’s demise, Mattie enlists the help of a gruff U.S Marshall named Rooster Cogburn, and a Texas Ranger named LaBoeuf. Near the beginning of the story, Mattie Ross makes an important statement that becomes a major theme throughout. After witnessing a group of criminals being unloaded from a prisoner wagon, Mattie comments: “You must pay for everything in this world one way or another. There is nothing free except the Grace of God. You cannot earn that or deserve it.” (40) Mattie’s world heavily relies on this Karma-esque system in which there is a payment or sacrifice that must be made for everything in life. For every sin you commit, blessing you receive, or bad deed you get away with, you will end up compensating for it. Mattie begins her story with a set of beliefs and convictions that drive her to carry out her own fiery vengeance on her father’s murderer, Tom Chaney. In this essay, Ill discern whether or not she sees how her statement about how nothing is free applies to herself, we’ll see how the meaning of Mattie’s statement changes by the end of the story, and perhaps we’ll discern which role Mattie would say she plays in Jules’…show more content… There is nothing free except the Grace of God. You cannot earn that or deserve it.” (Portis 40). In the beginning, she is talking about crime. Just because a man steals something, and doesn’t get caught for it, doesn’t mean its free. The man, according to Mattie, will pay for it elsewhere in life. Mattie thinks of this in a way that puts herself above such behavior, as if she is reprimanding the prisoners. I believe that by the end of the story, her statement may mean something completely new to her. When the story ends, Mattie is grown up, unmarried, and taking care of her mother whilst running a bank. Though she claims to be happy, the reader can sense something glum and regretful about her words. “A woman with brains and a frank toungue and one sleeve pinned up and an invalid mother to care for is at some disadvantage.” (224) Maybe in her older age, Mattie Ross realized the full cost of her murderous quest. Maybe her previous statement came to light and she realized that she was never going to get away with killing Tom Chaney free. All that she can do, is remember the second part of her claim, and embrace the Grace of God. Something she could not