Robert zemeckis’s cast away: how love influences chuck's character

Love

Things can go from a perfect ten to the lowest of lows in just a few moments. Things can be torn away from us at any time, and our lives can change dramatically in the blink of an eye. Our loved ones can be taken away from us, and we can lose things that we never could imagine living without. In the movie Cast Away, Chuck is a character who loses everything he thought he has control over, and learns what it means to be human. He learns what it means to love and be loved, even when that means letting go. He learns that being human means being imperfect, in a career that is the epitome of being perfect and on time. Being human means loving other people and being in the company of others, and does not mean being perfect.

Chuck is an everyday character, and he goes through life as an average joe. Having a career as a FedEx worker, his world is measured in time. He is always on the clock, and everything has a time limit. In another aspect of life, Chuck has a relationship with a woman named Kelly. They have been dating for a long while, and they enjoy each other’s company; they are on the verge of becoming engaged. Kelly loves him and he loves her back, and they both need this love to keep them going. Kelly has been in a serious relationship before, but her family says she seems happier with Chuck. Chuck needs Kelly’s love especially, and it keeps him sane. The tone is light and we see into their relationship. Before he leaves to get on the plane for a business trip, Chuck gives Kelly a little box. The box contains an engagement ring and he tells her to hang on to it until he gets back.

Chuck does not come back for a very long time. On the flight to their destination, they are flying through a storm; this storm causes a severe crash into the ocean. Chuck is left floating in the ocean on a raft until he washes up on a deserted island. He washes up along with several FedEx packages from the plane crash. He is stunned at first, and he thinks it is a dream. Gathering his senses, he starts to look around. After getting to know the island, he discovers coconuts and things to live off of. When he is stranded, we have few sensory sounds. The only thing that is audible is the constant sound of waves; no music, no dialogue. It shows us the loneliness Chuck is facing. Some time later, he decides to open the FedEx packages and see what is inside. Inside, he finds odd things such as ice skates, VHS tapes, a dress, and a volleyball. One package he does not open is a package with two golden wings on it. These wings grow to symbolize hope, hope of getting back home. After accidentally cutting himself one day, he becomes angry and throws the volleyball as hard as he can to let some of his anger out. A handprint is left on the ball and he shades it to look like a face; he names it Wilson. Even on this deserted island, Chuck needs a friend. He needs someone to talk to and someone to love. Wilson symbolizes a friend for Chuck and this is exactly what he needed.

After four years, Chuck is still stranded on the island. Through different camera angles wee see how Chuck lives his now normal life; he has grown close to Wilson and Wilson is one of the only things that matter to Chuck. Out of the blue, a plastic door floats up onto the island, which Chuck decides to use, as well as logs and other things, to make a raft. He works hard on it and paints the wings on the raft. After weeks of preparation, he takes Wilson and decides to set sail and find a savior. Chuck uses his skills he has gained from surviving to catch his food and he gets along quite nicely, however, good things can only come for so long. One day while Chuck is asleep, Wilson becomes untied from his holding place and he floats away out into the ocean. When Chuck wakes up, Wilson has floated yards away, unreachable. Desperate, Chuck launches into the water and tries to rescue Wilson. He has a failed attempt. As a result, Chuck is sprung into a sense of hopelessness. He lets go of his paddles and spends his days crying. Without the love of Wilson, Chuck is alone. Loneliness eats away at the soul until there is nothing left worth living for. Chuck feels this despair and spends his days wailing. When Chuck loses Wilson, he gives up; we need the love of others to keep us going.

After days of pain and despair, Chuck is rescued. He tries the best he can to absorb back into everyday life, but is faced with a harsh reverse culture shock. He tries to slip back into what he thought was normal life, but things have changed. His love Kelly has moved on and has a new life, and his friends and family have embraced the fact of him being gone. As awful as this is, Chuck takes it in stride. He wants Kelly to be happy, and this is real love put into action. True love is patience, true love is wanting the other person to happy, and this is what Chuck does. In one of the last scenes of the movie, Chuck muses on a glass of ice. He is appreciative of this small item which symbolizes things we take for granted. He also realizes that he should be happy with what he has, and he does not need to perfect in order to achieve happiness. He is more laid back and content with himself and those around him.

Chuck goes through a lot during this time in his life, and it can be said he changes for the better. He learns that being human means loving other people and being in the company of others. He also learns that it does not mean being perfect. This is a tough transition, going from being a perfectionist to surviving on a day to day basis. After Chuck grows to learn more about true love, he is happier. He has always needed love, but this part of his life seems to be more mature and relaxed. Before the plane crash, Chuck received love from his girlfriend Kelly. On the island, Chuck got his love from Wilson, his only friend, and when he lost Wilson, he gave up. Love fuels us, love gives us a reason to live. When someone feels unloved, they turn to other things to make them feel better. Finally, when Chuck is rescued, he realizes what love is. He is happy with what he has, and his life is good.