This movie I found to be low on entertainment value, but the message that was given was loud. Travis reminds me of many people I have met in my lifetime as far as looking for something bigger than a 9-5 job. Travis has a very isolated life and based on his choices and reactions I would say his backstory would be similar. He does have both parents alive since he was writing them a letter for their anniversary. His parents may have been expecting their son to be a great success and the pressure Travis felt from that forced him into isolation and lies. He lived in his own world.
His physical appearance went from looking confused and lost to finding some sort of purpose. When the movie opened with his eyes moving back and forth I knew this guy didnt have a clue what his life was about. As he started to figure out what he wanted to do, which was doing his part in cleaning up the 'filth' in the streets he seemed somewhat happier. By the end of the movie he appeared to have a sense of accomplishment.
When it came to Women he seemed like he knew the right things to do and say to get a date, but didnt have a clue what was appropriate. Taking his date to a dirty movie and not understanding why she was upset with him let me know that he didnt grow up learning what is and what is not socially acceptable.
By the conclusion of the movie I believe us the viewers had to make a decision whether to see Travis as a hero or a psychopath. He took the law in his own hands and although that appears to be a good thing when the law doesnt help you people are left with the moral dillema. By Travis killing in general in such a way where the taking of life didnt affect him scares me. He seemed to have no remorse and was enjoying his Rambo sort of role in life. In his case it wasn't revenge or any of the normal reasons driving him it was purely about taking out people who he felt were scum of the earth. So by the end of the movie the question remains hero or psycho?
By: Omar Reece
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Great question to pose, Omar. I agree that he falls somewhere in between and that's likely the question Scorsese is asking us to contemplate as the viewer. Let's say this wasn't a made up story and that Travis had succeeded in killing Palentine. He would have surely been a psychotic criminal. But since he was so obvious in his plot, it failed and instead he killed the bad guys, almost by accident, and was then a hero. As a character, i don't believe Travis knew he was party psycho, he only saw himself as hero. But then again, when the government trains someone to blindly kill when ordered, as the Marines do, what is one expected to think? To come back from a war as terrible as Vietnam, wounded and immature with no support system, what is one expected to do? I think Travis did all he knew how. Great journal, thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteI meant "part psycho" not party psycho, although that's fun too :)
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