I’ll do my best to try and explain what I understood from watching this, and I’ve watched it a lot…yet it still confuses me. Now don’t take my word for it, I just came up with my own conclusion and some things I read on the movie, but that’s what’s fun about his work, is that none of it is clear, and despite the countless interpretations, Lynch himself has admitted that out of all the synopitical suggestions and theories, almost nobody caught his actual idea. But then how the hell do you? XD
Anyways, what I understand is that the whole movie is telling a story through symbolism, and everything you see on screen is not anything that’s actually happening. Not exactly something that TV Tropes probably has a name for besides visual analogies, but it’s like if I were to explain to you how the planets revolve around the Sun using square objects as demonstration. And the premise, as told through complicated and freaky visuals is quite simple; this is basically about a man, Henry, and his problem. To me, the problem isn’t very clear, but it’s supposed to be about his sense of inferiority in society, and with himself, most of all. In other words this guy is a shy man with a low self esteem, no determination, and too much fear, he’s afraid of facing shit up, he’s scared of others and what they think of him and alla that.
For example, the scene where his girlfriend’s father asks him to cut the chicken for him is meant to represent the father’s approval about Henry and his fiance’s wedding. He’s an alright guy you know, even if he needs some help with his esteem…anyways, the chickens freaking out represents him fucking up the whole thing. The fatter gives him his daughter’s hand, but somehow he can’t handle it, and the chickens foretell the ruin of said love, the wailing grandmother, old and wise, perceives this and laments Henry’s inadequacy at being a stern and strong lover.
I know it sounds stupid, but that one scene tells me the most about Henry’s personality, although the famous baby itself is a physical representation of Henry’s problem, as often told through various theories and such.
The deformed baby represents his instability, his fears and his lack of power (Or will.) to do anything about it, and when the baby gets sick, this is his problems getting worse, as you witness with his woman finally walking out on him.
When the baby grows as a monster and attacks him, Henry kills it. Personally, as the core of Henry being a writhing mass of fear and self loahting, I see it as him committing suicide. The baby IS Henry, at least his inner self, and maybe I’m a pessimist but to me the whole movie pretty much suggested that he isn’t much more than that, so there’s nothing left if you take away the ’‘problem’’...however, many people see it as him finally dealing with his issues and getting rid of them. Doesn’t work for me though, as the scenes with the eraser and head seem to suggest that his problem has taken him over and killed what may have been. Remember when he was told the baby was his and he’s got to deal with it now?
The lady dancing on foetuses I think is his mother, and in that scene the movie tells us that he’s all fucked up because his mom didn’t treat him right when he was little. At least that’s what I say when I don’t get something; either blame mom or the queen of England. haha.
But no really, I think the storytelling is very complex as it uses symbolism for everything, but what it tells is a simple tale, so the childhood trauma thing, although I’ve never seen any specifications of, (There might be, though.) sounds quite plausible to me.
That’s what I think, after reading some theories and coming up with some of my own, but don’t take my word for it…many people will get in line to debate the menaing of this movie, I sure ain’t the only one, as there are many different things that people come up with for this. But still, hope you enjoyed the movie. :)
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