Good vs Evil; Fire vs. Water

             In every good fantasy story there is always a good guy and a bad guy. If you are a lover of happy endings like I am, good always conquers evil. The battle between good and evil has been going on for eons. Although good and evil have many symbolic ideas or principles associated with them, in O Brother Where Art Thou water seemed to represent good, and fire seemed to represent evil.
             The scene in which the people came in hundreds to become baptized and to wash away their sins certainly proved to be not only one of the most powerful scenes dealing symbolically with water, but also one of the most powerful scenes in the movie. Everett and Pete are arguing about Everett stealing a watch, when they seemed to become surrounded by these ghostly yet heavenly figures. Visually this was very empowering. White has always been known to be a color associated with god, heaven, and good. The people who were dressed in all white seemed like angels gliding through the forest and were singing "Down by the River to Pray." Trying to figure out what is going on, the three escaped prisoners follow the congregation of people to the river bank. The viewers of the film, along with Everett, Pete, and Delmar, come upon a river with hundreds of these heavenly figures trying to have their sins washed away. While Everett is not making the nicest comments about baptism, Delmar darts off for the river. Trying to get to the preacher, he seems to be having difficulties getting through the water. The force of the water seems to be hampering him, a sinner, from becoming a good Christian. When Delmar finally makes it to the preacher, the line "come on sinners lets go down... down to the river to pray" (Oh Brother Where Art Thou) is said by the singing church goers just as Delmar is dunked in the river by the preacher. While Delmar is underwater, large bubbles are surrounding him. I believe this visual was used to show that his sins were tr...

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Good vs Evil; Fire vs. Water. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 09:24, July 01, 2025, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/27520.html