Pan's Labyrinth: Innocence has a Power Evil Cannot Resist

Do you believe in the collective conscious? How about coincidence? What about fate? I find so often that events, occurences, observations happen around me as though out of design, as if they are connected like the gossamer web of a spider. For instance, when I'm doing research for a book on a particular subject, certain opportunities and events present themselves as if conspiring in favor of that subject, at which point I usually have a eureka moment of enlightenment. Part of that is, of course, because I'm more open to it, more receptive, unwittingly looking. But not all...What does this have to do with "Pan's Labyrinth", you ask? Well, I've been dwelling of late on the phenomenon of individual and intellectual freedom (e.g., censorship, book banning and burning)...then, the film my family picks up at the video store is "Pan's Labyrinth"; and I make the connection. "Pan's Labyrinth" is about an individual's choice to bravely and defiantly act--from the heart--against authority rather than blindly remain obedient. The cruel beauty of "Pan's Labyrinth" shows the power of innocence over evil and the triumph of imagination over prosaic servitude.

"Pan's Labyrinth" is a dark and disturbing allegorical adult fairy tale by writer-director Guilermo del Toro. Set in 1944 Spain (the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War) 12-year old Ofelia (Ivana Baquero) travels with her frail and pregnant mother, Carmen (Ariadna Gil) to a remote village to meet her new stepfather, a sadistic Fascist captain named Vidal (Sergi Lopez), who is bent on exterminating the last Republican resistance to Franco scattered in the nearby hills. Clutching her books of myths and fantasy, which her mother suggests she cast aside to face the real world, Ofelia refuses to call Vidal "Father." From the start, she pegs him rightly as a ruthless monster, and her unruly behaviour only invites wrath from this psychopath who tortures and kills innocent victims without remorse. Ofelia retreats into the dark labyrinth and down a William Blake-like spiral staircase where she encounters an untrustworthy faun (Doug Jones). This encounter sparks a braided narrative that seamlessly weaves from tragic reality to magical mystery as Ofelia struggles to keep them apart. Alas, collision is imminent. The faun tells Ofelia that she is really a princess, but to prove it and gain entrance into the underworld kingdom of immortality, she must complete three dangerous tasks. Each task is progressively more daunting, from scolding a giant toad in a bug-infested cave to fleeing a Goya-like child-devouring 'Satan' with eyes in his hands. And each adventure draws her closer on a terrifying collision with the real world.

"The horrors of both the realistic and surrealistic worlds are woven into the beautifully aligned narrative structure of del Toro's story," said Gene Seymour of Newsday. Glenn Whipp of U-Entertainment, calls Pan's Labyrinth "dark poetry set to startling images, a one-of-a-kind nightmare that has a soaring, spiritual center." Gene Seymour further suggests that "as hard as it may be to watch Guillermo del Toro's dark fairy tale unravel, one comes away from this magical-realist masterwork oddly invigorated by the way the movie and its principal character triumph over the banality of evil through the autonomy of imagination. The movie may give you nightmares, but it may also give you a few more good reasons to get out of bed the next morning."

"Pan's Labyrinth" can be interpreted on many levels from literal to metaphorical allegory to psychological and mythic journey. Every aspect of the film, from tiny visual to people's names (think of Ofelia's name, for instance) has metaphoric meaning. Several excellent reviews by Harry Tuttle (Screenville) and Julian Walker (Julian's Blog) tease out both mythic and Jungian elements of this dark poetic fantasy and I urge you to check these sites for their excellent commentary. From describing the classic Hero's Journey (described by Joseph Campbell) to making references to the mythic Psyche, these two reviewers insightfully unveil the nuance and filigree that weave the complicated tapestry of "Pan's Labyrinth". For me, the allegorical symbol represented by Ofelia's last task brought out the metaphor that struck me the most: the death of innocence required to protect the birth of freedom. Ofelia is the embodiment of the nation's innocence. Refusing to obediently accept the deviant orders of the didactic father figure of Fascism (embodied by both Vidal and the faun), Ofelia (innocence) defies authority and sacrifices her life to "die" to protect her baby brother (freedom). Her sacrifice is rewarded by her immortal 're-birth' (hope and faith).

...Which brings us full circle to what I said earlier of art and its role in society: surely the role of art is to push the edge of comfort and light the way to a vivid incontrovertible truth. In order to do this, art must have freedom of expression, and we must be open to its message.

Nina Munteanu is an ecologist and internationally published author of novels, short stories and essays. She coaches writers and teaches writing at George Brown College and the University of Toronto. For more about Nina’s coaching & workshops visit www.ninamunteanu.me. Visit www.ninamunteanu.ca for more about her writing.