Allie Fox is first introduced as an intelligent man disillusioned with modern American society. Not yet a fanatic, he is simply a man with a healthy critique of the government, as is necessary to inspire progress. He is a father trying to provide for his family, and an inventor trying to make the world a better place. But his criticism is as unwelcome to Americans as is his invention to his employer, leading him to frustration as his efforts are unappreciated. This dissatisfaction causes him to idealize an alternative lifestyle, and he abandons ship in effort to reach his own vision of society as he would make it. At this point Allie’s loyal family believes in this vision, and is willing to pursue his dream of a better world right alongside him.
After the first Act’s establishment of the new Jeronimo formed in his own image, the newly deified Allie must face the reality of his aspirations as things begin to go against his plan. He envisioned a paradise, but things rarely go according to intricate plans when one simply does not have divine power. The extent of Allie’s god complex and hubris led to a more devastating fall when the unexpected actions of the refugees destroys his intricate plans. Due to his fanaticism, the destruction of his paradise doesn’t cause him to second guess his actions, but instead spurs his attempt to gain greater control and greater independence as he rebuilds, alienating the natives in the same way he alienated America.
As the film enters its third act, and Allie’s extravagant plans have been reduced to the mere skeleton of a barge drifting on the river, an apt metaphor for his ailing mental state. His lust for control over the uncontrollable ultimately led to his sorry state of affairs, as even his loyal children begin to hate him. He has degraded to an psychotic wretch, devoid of reason and blindly pursuing his ideals endlessly, culminating in the arson of Spellgood’s church, and his own death. Even in his criminal insanity, however, one must remember that Allie’s lofty goals arose from a desire to make the world a better place for his family. “Allie is a complicated person, and it’s a complicated job for the audience to figure him out. He’s a good father and a bad father. He’s a monster, a clown, a fool, a genius.” (Pfeiffer 157) He cannot be classified as simply a deranged control freak, nor can he be considered a model father. There were many points for him to turn back and avoid continuing the doomed path he followed, but each time he took the idealized option, resulting in a greater and greater gamble each time that ultimately did greater harm to his family than that which he feared.
I like what you said about Allie having “a lust to control the uncontrollable.” I think this is a very descriptive statement about him because you can see it as being a hidden motivation for many of his actions. Why would a man attempt to make ice out of fire? Clearly he is driven to do things that are not conformed to the way things naturally happen. This would also explain why he lied to maintain control. He knew that his realistic mean could not provide the level of control that he sought and therefore lied so he could achieve that level. Essentially, he was looking to control something that the truth could not control.
ReplyDeleteI also like the point that you made about all of his opportunities to turn back. The fact that he didn’t is a perfect illustration of his lust to control what he can’t. He kept on trying to however, and kept on running into a wall by doing so. This is why I personally feel the man was crazy. Albert Einstein once described insanity as attempting the same action but expecting different results. I think this is something that can be very easily seen in Allie’s actions as you pointed out in his desire to press on and not turn back despite always failing.