Hello, all
Requiem of a Dream and Donnie Darko are dark comedies, not tragedies. They are sweet movies that do not necessarily center on the character's struggle against insurmountable obstacles, but rather how everything ends in death. Death is natural. Tragedy is more than a lie, it is a sentimental approach to that which should be seen as simplistic and not valuable. In tragedies, the audience sympathizes with the character's plight and struggle, when really, we (the audience) should be questioning the situations surrounding his plight and be judgmental. But in theory, should we (the audience, mere mortals) be judgmental? Should we ask questions and find truth in everything? Maybe not, we should all find meaning in ourselves. Life is but a huge philosophical experiment, and as long as you don't drop the petri dish, everything should be ok. Just live, learn, experience, and prosper. Wealth and success should not be the only measures of prosperity. Everyone can find prosperity and fulfilment in his or her own meaningful existence. I feel that is what life is about, and in tragedies, this is pointed out alot. Many characters in tragedies often feel morbid and morose and would rather die than lose their meaning for existing, even if it is as simple as a true love, pride or freedom. As the audience, we can decide, for ourselves, whether the message or plot revealed in the tragedy is something that we condone and choose to sympathize with. But beyond that, there is no moral code to literature and art.
-Ozzy
