The Cultured Cinephile:
From the moment I heard Richard call "Olive" by her name, I knew that this name did not fit with the other quotidien names in the film. It has a special significance which I believe is the key to understanding the film. First, an olive branch is a sign of peace and the end of discord and fighting. Olive is the olive branch that brings peace and unity to the entire family. Even more important, it was an olive branch that was the sign to Noah in the ark that the waters of the Great Flood had receded and there was dry land. So the Van can be seen as an ark passing through the rough waters to salvation. I think we can take it one step further and see the Hoover family on their trip as an allegory for the Church (the Bark of Christ) journeying to redemption. The weakness and the sinfulness of the characters shows that need for members of Christ's Church to grow in love, willingness to suffer, acceptance of others faults and weaknesses, forgiveness and mercy, etc. St. Vincent de Paul summed it up when he said, "The Church is not a gallery of saints, but a hospital for sinners."
2006-09-25
04:46:02
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3 answers
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asked by
JabbaTheButt
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Movies