This term paper analyzes the importance of death in the film "Lucky Number Slevin" (McGuigan, 2006). While an initial killing is the trigger for the story itself, the film also features a complex main character who is already dead or, more specifically, never existed. It will be argued that the trinity of Henry's systemic death, the symbolic death/nonexistence of Slevin, and Nick's literal death, who are all unified as one person in the body of Henry, affect and represent the archetype of the hero and the hero's journey. Through the non-existence of the hero himself, the story deviates from a traditional hero's journey and functions as the introduction to a tale of a hero that needs to be created and freed of his past first to be able to set out on his own journey.
The traditional hero's journey, according to Vogler, follows a relatively strict pattern. The characters met during the story can be classified as different archetypes and play a specific role in guiding the hero towards their goal. However, while the principle can be applied to almost every story, some criteria must always be fulfilled for the concept to work. One of the main aspects is that the hero of the story must be alive. Death plays a crucial role in many cultures and hence in many films and other forms of media. When death is presented in a film, it always plays a vital role in the narrative.
Table of Contents
1 LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN: THE JOURNEY OF A DEAD HERO
2 STATE OF RESEARCH: EVIL HEROES AND THEIR DEATHS
2.1 ON THRILLERS AND GANGSTER FILMS
2.2 DEATH AND SOCIAL LIFE
3 METHOD: SOCIOLOGICAL FILM AND TELEVISION ANALYSIS
4 THE DEAD HERO – RESULTS OF THE FILM ANALYSIS
4.1 THE SYSTEMIC DEATH OF HENRY
4.2 THE NON-EXISTENCE OF SLEVIN
4.3 THE LITERAL DEATH OF NICK
5 CONCLUSION
Research Objective and Scope
The academic paper examines the narrative construction of death and identity within the film "Lucky Number Slevin" (2006), specifically analyzing how the protagonist embodies multiple, often contradictory, identities while navigating a criminal underworld. The core objective is to deconstruct the traditional "Hero's Journey" by arguing that the protagonist's arc is fundamentally defined by three distinct stages of "death" (systemic, symbolic, and literal), which collectively serve to liberate the character from his past before he can embark on an autonomous journey.
- The intersection of taboo topics (death, violence) within modern media discourse.
- Application of sociological film and television analysis to complex narrative structures.
- The subversion of the traditional "Hero's Journey" archetypes through characters who occupy "dead" identities.
- Analysis of the trifold identity: Henry, Slevin, and Nick.
- The relationship between criminal ethics and individual moral responsibility in film.
Excerpt from the Book
The Systemic Death of Henry
Henry is still a child when his parents are killed due to Max's gambling. In sequence 07_02, Henry is introduced as an understanding child who loves his father and is interested in baseball. He understands that his father's gambling is wrong but is also understanding of his father's need to improve his life. He is willing to hold his father accountable for what he says by demanding his father's watch in sequence 07_02 to stop the time until he will return. When Max is killed by The Boss and The Rabbi, Henry is kidnapped and meant to be killed by GoodKat. In sequence 22_03, however, the spectator learns that although GoodKat is one of the world-class killers, he could not or did not want to murder an innocent child. He has hence decided to take Henry in and teach and educate him in his ways of being a contract killer.
Henry and GoodKat spend the next 20 years together. When it is revealed that Henry is still alive 20 years later, The Boss and The Rabbi do not want to believe the story. Henry's physical body is still alive. However, his identity is dead. There are no government materials on him anymore, he is perceived by the police, The Boss, and The Rabbi to be dead. His identity is non-existent anymore, and he is hence systemically dead.
Summary of Chapters
LUCKY NUMBER SLEVIN: THE JOURNEY OF A DEAD HERO: Introduces the research question regarding the protagonist's identity and argues that the film subverts traditional hero archetypes through the necessity of "death."
STATE OF RESEARCH: EVIL HEROES AND THEIR DEATHS: Explores how death is treated as a social taboo and functions as a narrative device in thrillers and gangster films to engage spectators.
METHOD: SOCIOLOGICAL FILM AND TELEVISION ANALYSIS: Defines the analytical framework used to assess the film by focusing on specific sequences that highlight the protagonist's fractured identity.
THE DEAD HERO – RESULTS OF THE FILM ANALYSIS: Provides a deep dive into the findings of the film analysis, tracing the transition from Henry to Slevin to Nick.
THE SYSTEMIC DEATH OF HENRY: Examines the formative trauma of the character and the loss of his initial identity to become a tool of vengeance.
THE NON-EXISTENCE OF SLEVIN: Analyzes the character's role as a shapeshifter and his struggle to find identity within a criminal environment.
THE LITERAL DEATH OF NICK: Details the final transformation of the protagonist and the role Nick Fischer's death plays in the conclusion of the arc.
CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings and reinforces the argument that the protagonist's "death" of multiple identities is essential to his ultimate liberation.
Keywords
Lucky Number Slevin, Hero's Journey, Film Analysis, Sociology of Film, Identity, Systemic Death, Taboo, Gangster Genre, Thriller, Narrative Structure, Death, Representation, Cinema, Archetype, Vengeance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper provides a scholarly analysis of the narrative structure and character development in the film "Lucky Number Slevin," focusing on how identity is constructed and destroyed through the lens of death.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the representation of death as a social taboo, the deconstruction of the traditional "Hero's Journey," and the sociological implications of violence in media.
What is the central research question?
The work seeks to prove that the main character's arc is defined by three distinct types of death—systemic, symbolic, and literal—which allow the protagonist to transcend his past.
Which scientific method is applied?
The paper utilizes a sociological film and television analysis, examining key sequences to observe how narrative elements mirror social discourse on death and identity.
What is discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body breaks down the film into specific character stages, providing a detailed look at how Henry (the child), Slevin (the persona), and Nick (the identity) function within the plot.
Which keywords best describe this research?
Key terms include Lucky Number Slevin, Hero's Journey, Identity, Systemic Death, Narrative Structure, and Film Analysis.
How does the concept of 'systemic death' apply to Henry?
It refers to the moment Henry's public and legal existence is erased, rendering him a ghost in the system, which is a prerequisite for his transformation into a professional killer.
Why is the death of Nick Fischer crucial to the protagonist?
Nick’s death serves as the final catalyst that allows the protagonist to shed his previous guises and claim a new, singular existence by the end of the film.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Sarah Weichbrodt (Autor:in), 2021, The Journey of a Dead Hero. Death in the film "Lucky Number Slevin", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1129506
