Shubert-Duality in Planet of the Apes

        In Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes, many dualities and conflicts are explored. These themes help to develop character through conflict. The duality of bellicosity, hostile temperament, versus passivity, submissive temperament, especially helps to develop character throughout the film.

          One scene in which the duality of bellicosity and passivity is shown to develop character through conflict is the scene in which the apes are eating dinner at the Senator’s house. In this scene Thade and some of the other apes exhibit a more bellicose attitude. This is shown when Thade grunts and growls at one of the serving humans and deliberately knocks over Davidson. The serving humans, however, exhibit a more passive attitude. When they are growled at and treated disrespectfully they merely take it and move on. This partially has to do with the fact that they are scared but it also helps to develop their character as well as Davidson’s. Because Davidson is not passive like the other humans, the other apes, and the audience, can tell that he is different and because of this they fear him. This also helps to develop the apes’ character because the audience can see that they are only hostile towards the humans because they are afraid of them and afraid that they might revolt against them.

          Another scene that particularly shows the aforesaid duality well is the scene with Ari, Helena Bonham Carter, and Limbo, Paul Giamatti. In this scene Ari comes into Limbo’s “business” and creates a raucous while demanding rights for the humans. In this scene we see that there is duality even amongst the apes and that not all of the apes are the same. Although Ari is the one who is demonstrating the bellicose attitude in this scene, her hostility is for a good cause. She is fighting fire with fire. Thade and the other apes are hostile toward the humans and she, therefore is hostile towards them. In this scene, the audience can see Limbo’s passive nature. Although he is an ape, he does whatever he is told and does not fight. He disagrees with Ari but he does not really fight with her or display any real anger or bellicosity. This use of conflict by Burton develops both Ari and Limbo’s characters.

         Overall, Tim Burton uses different dualities, namely bellicosity versus passivity, to enhance his character development and further develop the characters in the movie. This not only shows the duality between the humans and apes, but also the duality that occurs within the ape community. This development of duality helps to show that there are some apes, like Ari, who are willing to become bellicose for the rights of humans. However, it also shows that there are some, in fact most of them, that will continue to act passively. This goes the same for the humans.