Symbols and connections to Existentialism
Seedling: Throughout the film, the seedling has been symbolic of hope and a new beginning for humanity after being stuck on a ship not doing anything for nearly 700 years. As the film proceeds, the seedling also grows larger and larger, symbolizing the growing of WALL-E's own path in life. All other robots of his kind lived a mundane existence, existing only to organize the vast ocean of trash left on earth. WALL-E chooses the existential path of life, questioning his own existence and breaking free from the choice-lacking life of all other robots, and his interest in pursuing this path grows as the movie proceeds, similar to how the seedling did. ThTHrougWALL-E's existential can be applied to our lives as well. Like WALL-E, when we have a goal there are various pathways to reach it, and you should choose the one which you find most exciting, rather than restricting yourself to the one that society tells you to follow.
Obese Passengers: The ship is filled with obese passengers, who live simply to eat. They live a life of paradise, where all their needs are taken care of, but this luxury comes at a cost. This cost is an inherited ignorance by humanity to reflect on the negative parts of their current life, and how they ended up where they are in the first place. The humans have not bothered to interact with their new environment, and their lives are quite literally dictated by an indifferent crew and autopilot. If we blindly follow what society dictates, negative outcomes like a cyclical life which hampers life- improvement may result. We must reflect on our life and what we want to do to give our lives any value.
Display System: The display system dominates the attention of all humans present on the ship. It captures all their attention, and prevents them from investigating the true reason of why they are here and how they can return to the old life. All they can do is continue to live the same mundane existence forced onto them by the corporate executives who started this exodus from earth 700 years ago. When WALL-E broke the first display system, the people where able to stare into space and search for meaning for their lives. Therefore, the display system serves as a oppressor of existential thought and is symbolic of the societal ignorance. When WALL-E broke the display system, people saw outer space and thought about what they'd missed their entire life. This can also be applied to our lives. When we see and think past society, our true passions be unveiled, and our lives will gain meaning.
Seedling: Throughout the film, the seedling has been symbolic of hope and a new beginning for humanity after being stuck on a ship not doing anything for nearly 700 years. As the film proceeds, the seedling also grows larger and larger, symbolizing the growing of WALL-E's own path in life. All other robots of his kind lived a mundane existence, existing only to organize the vast ocean of trash left on earth. WALL-E chooses the existential path of life, questioning his own existence and breaking free from the choice-lacking life of all other robots, and his interest in pursuing this path grows as the movie proceeds, similar to how the seedling did. ThTHrougWALL-E's existential can be applied to our lives as well. Like WALL-E, when we have a goal there are various pathways to reach it, and you should choose the one which you find most exciting, rather than restricting yourself to the one that society tells you to follow.
Obese Passengers: The ship is filled with obese passengers, who live simply to eat. They live a life of paradise, where all their needs are taken care of, but this luxury comes at a cost. This cost is an inherited ignorance by humanity to reflect on the negative parts of their current life, and how they ended up where they are in the first place. The humans have not bothered to interact with their new environment, and their lives are quite literally dictated by an indifferent crew and autopilot. If we blindly follow what society dictates, negative outcomes like a cyclical life which hampers life- improvement may result. We must reflect on our life and what we want to do to give our lives any value.
Display System: The display system dominates the attention of all humans present on the ship. It captures all their attention, and prevents them from investigating the true reason of why they are here and how they can return to the old life. All they can do is continue to live the same mundane existence forced onto them by the corporate executives who started this exodus from earth 700 years ago. When WALL-E broke the first display system, the people where able to stare into space and search for meaning for their lives. Therefore, the display system serves as a oppressor of existential thought and is symbolic of the societal ignorance. When WALL-E broke the display system, people saw outer space and thought about what they'd missed their entire life. This can also be applied to our lives. When we see and think past society, our true passions be unveiled, and our lives will gain meaning.
EVE: EVE is always seen carrying a plant, the last remnant of life on earth. In a modern-world context, this is similar to a mother carrying life, thus showing how EVE is symbolic of hope and a new beginning for humanity. Just like humanity in WALL-E, when we think past what society tells us, we can change society for the better.
Ship: WALL-E perceives the ship to be the most peculiar of things in his world. Inside he sees how much human ignorance has grown throughout history, as we have reached a state where all people do is eat while keeping out eyes glued to a display screen which dictates our lives. Therefore, the ship symbolizes the ignorance of humans.
Auto: Protocol A113 is the protocol constantly followed by Auto throughout the film. This repetitive protocol and way of life shows symbolically the mundane existence lived by all the people on the ship. They all live with no desire to have purpose, and they live an inauthentic life mapped out for them by the corporation BnL. WALL-E's actions end up inspiring the passengers to look for something different and break away from blindly accepting what everyone else is accepting.
Go-4: Auto's objective throughout the film was to destroy the seedling carried by EVE. Since the seedling symbolizes the continual growth of existential thought as the movie proceeds, Auto is symbolic of the struggle to destroy existential thought at its roots, and to restore the previous mundane existences
Ship: WALL-E perceives the ship to be the most peculiar of things in his world. Inside he sees how much human ignorance has grown throughout history, as we have reached a state where all people do is eat while keeping out eyes glued to a display screen which dictates our lives. Therefore, the ship symbolizes the ignorance of humans.
Auto: Protocol A113 is the protocol constantly followed by Auto throughout the film. This repetitive protocol and way of life shows symbolically the mundane existence lived by all the people on the ship. They all live with no desire to have purpose, and they live an inauthentic life mapped out for them by the corporation BnL. WALL-E's actions end up inspiring the passengers to look for something different and break away from blindly accepting what everyone else is accepting.
Go-4: Auto's objective throughout the film was to destroy the seedling carried by EVE. Since the seedling symbolizes the continual growth of existential thought as the movie proceeds, Auto is symbolic of the struggle to destroy existential thought at its roots, and to restore the previous mundane existences
Motifs and connections to Existentialism
Curiosity: In the case of WALL-E, the motif of curiosity drives the film and powers the existential viewpoint. Curiosity is the spark that brings inquisitiveness and the desire to make authentic choices to WALL-E. Knick-knacks, collectibles, and new items are part of WALL-E's personality; Curiosity drives personality, which drives authentic choice in this case.
Curiosity is what has driven WALL-E to gain a personality, collect knickknacks, learn a basic language, and interact differently with his environment. It is what distinguishes him from all his fellow monotonous robots on Earth. Curiosity is the form that existentialism takes in this film. Curiosity also is essential in the latter part of the film, when it is pitted against antiquated protocol following society. The contrast help elucidate possible existential ideas by showing viewers the clear differences between the two ideas. The movie concludes with free choice on top.
Discovery: Discovery is the product of curiosity. It is present throughout the movie, whether it be discovering the symbolic seedling, meeting new robots, and solving/inevitably creating problems. Discovery gives the main character the fresh aftertaste of making their own, true decisions and interactions; in WALL-E's case, the sense of discovery perpetuated his desire to do as he wants rather than obey his programming for eternity. For WALL-E, his environment, fellow robots, and programming are his constraints. Overall, discovery helps grow the desire to break free from constraints, leading to an authentic choice.
Power: The hierarchy of the crew provides a clear example of a system where following the crowd and quite literally following protocol from the president is part of culture. For 700 years, the Autopilot has obeyed the set precedents, GO-4 has followed Auto, and the police force followed GO-4 and Auto. In fact, a crew and following precedents is the polar opposite of discovery and make decisions that come from oneself--an intentional move on the part of the director. Power, hierarchy, and protocol work directly against WALL-E, EVE's, and McCrea's authentic choices; Power suppresses the need to break any existing rules, regardless of how real they are, which contributes to the suppression of an authentic life.
Curiosity: In the case of WALL-E, the motif of curiosity drives the film and powers the existential viewpoint. Curiosity is the spark that brings inquisitiveness and the desire to make authentic choices to WALL-E. Knick-knacks, collectibles, and new items are part of WALL-E's personality; Curiosity drives personality, which drives authentic choice in this case.
Curiosity is what has driven WALL-E to gain a personality, collect knickknacks, learn a basic language, and interact differently with his environment. It is what distinguishes him from all his fellow monotonous robots on Earth. Curiosity is the form that existentialism takes in this film. Curiosity also is essential in the latter part of the film, when it is pitted against antiquated protocol following society. The contrast help elucidate possible existential ideas by showing viewers the clear differences between the two ideas. The movie concludes with free choice on top.
Discovery: Discovery is the product of curiosity. It is present throughout the movie, whether it be discovering the symbolic seedling, meeting new robots, and solving/inevitably creating problems. Discovery gives the main character the fresh aftertaste of making their own, true decisions and interactions; in WALL-E's case, the sense of discovery perpetuated his desire to do as he wants rather than obey his programming for eternity. For WALL-E, his environment, fellow robots, and programming are his constraints. Overall, discovery helps grow the desire to break free from constraints, leading to an authentic choice.
Power: The hierarchy of the crew provides a clear example of a system where following the crowd and quite literally following protocol from the president is part of culture. For 700 years, the Autopilot has obeyed the set precedents, GO-4 has followed Auto, and the police force followed GO-4 and Auto. In fact, a crew and following precedents is the polar opposite of discovery and make decisions that come from oneself--an intentional move on the part of the director. Power, hierarchy, and protocol work directly against WALL-E, EVE's, and McCrea's authentic choices; Power suppresses the need to break any existing rules, regardless of how real they are, which contributes to the suppression of an authentic life.