Pan's Labyrinth: A subjective view on childhood fantasies and the nature of evil

Abstract

Pan's Labyrinth offers an interesting, if somewhat extreme, example of how a child in harsh situations may isolate herself from reality. This form of a personal fantasy is inspired by a child's love of fairy tales, probably a form of escapism itself. However, even in the tragic unfolding of the story, those characters who can withstand the situational evil are those that are conveyed with heroic characteristics. The film leaves us with this principle: that although evil may come in many forms, heroism itself may also come from nothing, indicating that all of us have an innate possibility of being heroes.

Notes

Notes

1 The opening of the film translates as ‘Spain, 1944. The civil war has ended. Hiding in the mountains, armed groups continue fighting the new fascist regime that continues to try and destroy them.’