Bogle - Big Fish

     Burton's film, Big Fish, juxtaposes Edward Bloom, the happy and sunny main character, with many dark characters.To many, it may be confusing as to why the dark characters would like such a happy and peppy person. In everyday life it even seems weird to see a happy individual hanging out with a darker person. I think the reason that Ed Bloom and the darker characters get along is because Edward sees them as people. He is not judgmental and rude to them, instead, he keeps an open mind.

The first time we, as an audience, see the open mind of Edward Bloom is the scene in which he, as a child, goes to the witch in the forest. Here, the children of his town and he go to

see the haunted house in the forest which is said to house a witch. According to legend, the witch has a glass eye, and within that glass eye one can see how he or she will die. The town children all huddle together, pointing, and mocking the haunted house. They act as though if there is a witch, she is inhuman. They act like she is a freak. Edward Bloom acts differently than his peers. He walks to the front door of the haunted house, and knocks on it. Just as a person would with any house. To the surprise of the audience, a person answers the door, and intact, she is a witch. A witch with a glass eye.  Most people would see her, and run away in fright. This is not what Bloom does, instead, he tells her that his friends and he would like to look into her glass eye. The witch simply walks out of the house and allows each child to look into her eye. After this, Ed walks her back to her house and says thank you. He did not look in her eye at first, but at this moment he decided it was time to see his death. After seeing this, he simply responds, "Oh thats how I go." then leaves the witch. Ed showed the witch humanity just as he does with many other characters.

     One day, in Edward's little town, there is a meeting in which it is stated that a giant has come to town. All of the townspeople are horrified by this news. They all shriek and are worried that they will be killed by this giant. They choose to send Edward into the forest to make the giant leave their town. Edward goes into the forest, and he finds the giant. At first, he tells the giant that his town has sent him as a sacrifice so the giant will not kill everyone in town. The giant tells Edward that he does not want to eat him, but he is just a hungry guy. Edward shows the giant humanity by talking to him, and finding out his name, Carl. The two characters become friends after this, and head back to town. 

     Each friend of Edward's is some type of misfit. The reason Edward bonds with these characters is the fact that he shows them humanity. He does not care what they look like, but only cares that they have feelings.