Suspension of Disbelief in Raiders of the Lost Ark

The 19th century poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge said “it is the willing suspension of disbelief for the moment which constitutes poetic faith”. In other words despite the fact that many of the things in this film are clearly quite unrealistic, the audience, nevertheless, is able to willingly suspend their disbelief in order to enjoy the movie. There are two crucial scenes in the movie which in real life would probably not be plausible but which, due to “willing suspension of disbelief” and the information we are given in the movie, are acceptable.
The first such scene is when Indiana Jones threatens to blow up the Ark unless Marion is released, but surrenders instead. In real life if he truly loved Marion he would have been willing to blow up the ark in order to save her life and keep himself from being captured. However, based on the information given to the audience in the movie the viewers are able to believe that Indiana Jones’ love of archeology allows him to risk death and have him and Marion be captured rather than lose such a momentous archeological find.
The second scene in question is the scene in which Belloq performs an ancient Hebrew ritual yet he and the Nazis are decimated but Indiana Jones and Marion are spared. In this scene the audience is able to assume that there is some Hebrew ritual for opening the Ark that they don’t know about. The main problem with this scene is that Indiana Jones and Marin survive the wrath of God simply by closing there eyes. Even though there is no reference to closing you eyes to protect you from the power of the Ark there is a similar instance. In the Bible God is going to smite the evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. However, Abraham’s nephew Lot and his wife and children are told they will be spared if they leave and do not look back. However, as they are leaving Lot’s wife turns to look back at the evil cities and is turned to a pillar of salt. Lot and his children are spared from God’s wrath because they did not look back. It is because of this information that the audience is able to accept for the time being that closing your eyes (not looking) would spare Indiana Jones and Marion.
So, in conclusion it is obvious that in real life these two scenes wouldn’t have been plausible. Indiana Jones would probably have blown up the Ark and closing their eyes probably wouldn’t have spared Indiana Jones and Marion from the wrath of God. However through the willing suspension of disbelief and the information given in the film the audience is willing to accept them.