Ordinary to Extraordinary

 Why do unlikely characters so often become apocalyptic prophets in modern film?

Apocalyptic literature focuses on unlikely characters realizing the “most necessary of divine gifts-hope” and responding by embarking on journeys to bring that hope to anyone who will listen (Pagels, 3). These characters, often normal beings with little to no distinguishing characteristics or even antagonists, are spurred by this revelation of hope to become extraordinary by standing up against the dominant culture and exposing the truth that was revealed to them. Wall-E, a robot tasked with compacting garbage in his namesake movie, changes from an obsolete, loveable character to the savior of humanity after finding the last living plant and bringing the robot-controlled humans back to earth to renew humanity. In a very different way, Denzel Washington, a blind mercenary in The Book of Eli, brings the sole surviving copy of the Bible to the last vestige of civilization after hearing from God and in so doing brings hope to a community in the midst of unspeakable despair.

Unlikely characters do not only become prophets because of revelation, but also because they make movie studios money. Americans like feel good stories and pay to watch movies in which relatable characters save the day. Moviegoers love the “unifying ‘do good’ feel” of people standing together at the end of the world planting truffula trees and walking down from an arc (Archer).

 

In real life, when hurricanes ravage levies, planes destroy buildings, and pandemics wipe out entire people groups, it is the normal, everyday person who stands up, wipes the dirt off his face, and fights the injustice and despair with hope. That is what has always happened, and that is what people want to see.

A Story of Hope in Ambiguity

Apocalyptic literature has much to say about the fundamental nature of humans. Previous to technology and modern inventions, individuals relied on a community and very communal way of life: chores were assigned to various members of a family necessary to human existence. Today, we're very detached from origin of our food and clothing, these things are made readily available. Thus, inhabitants of the modern age have developed very individualized lifestyles, independent of the need to band together with others to survive.

In this way, the stories of destruction described by apocalyptic literature, are often sought out for the larger message they convey: the ability for lone survivors after the chaos to find hope and community in one another, an idea that has been lost to a certain extent through our existing media-heavy culture. In Elaine Pagels' article What Revelation Reveals, she acknowledges John's experience in the Book of Revelation as "[his] worst of all nightmares [ending] not in terror but in a glorious new world," accurately depicting the intended purpose of this literature. In TV shows like The Walking Dead, the plot focus is not on the destruction of society, but on the connections that arise from the darkness, and the light in new life that is formed from this small community of survivors.

The myths of apocalypse enable individuals, whether through religion or pop culture, to have hope in the very ambiguous perceptions of "the end of the world."