O'Connell: Big Fish

Ping & Jing

Tim Burton merges the bright and optimistic character of Edward Bloom and merges him with the dark and grotesque characters that he encounters throughout the film. This is possible because similar to the other characters of Burton’s films, Edward is extremely open-minded and doesn’t judge the people he meets. He surrounds himself with people that others would consider “freaks” and they become his loyal group of friends. This is also similar to Burton’s life because he also surrounds himself with people he would consider outcasts. The characters he meets help him in different ways throughout his journey. The first scene that reflects this is when Edward goes to confront the giant before the townspeople go after him. He uses humor to charm the giant and pretends to be a human sacrifice. He also convinces the giant to go on a journey with him in search of bigger and better things. He tells the giant that the town is simply too small for him and that he’s a big fish in a little pond. This is also something that Edward feels about himself. He is able to relate to these interesting characters because, like him, they are all in search of something more in life. Edward also does his best to help everyone he meets, which results in him having a lot of loyal friends. He helps the giant by bringing him to the circus where he fits in perfectly and feels accepted for the first time. This is also the case with the circus owner played by Danny DeVito. Amos recognizes that Edward is driven and hard-working and it’s something he respects about him. Even when Amos turns into his werewolf self, Edward still accepts him. Most people who come in contact with a werewolf would scream and run way. Edward, on the other hand, stands his ground and decides to play fetch. This scene is ironic because one expects werewolves to be vicious but all they really want to do is play fetch. This is the aspect of Edward that allows him to successfully continue his journey. His acceptance of people, no matter who they are or what they look like, helps him to become a trusted figure.