How Death Affects the Loved Ones of Fictional Characters
Summary:
This essay discusses the effect that dead fictional characters can sometimes have on those they live behind. Focuses on Willie, from the novel Timbuktu by Peter Auster, whose death impacts his dog Mr. Bones, and Chris, from the movie What Dreams May Come, who affects his wife Annie after his death.
"It's not about understanding. It's about not giving up," Chris declares to his comrade as he bravely rushes to save his beloved soul mate from death in limbo and a life of hell. Willy intelligently advises his sorry, failure-stricken pet, "Don't give up on men, Bonesy. You've had some hard knocks, but you've got to tough it out and give it another try" (Auster 118). In the motion picture What Dreams May Come, Chris Neilson is killed in a tragic automobile accident. In the novel Timbuktu, Willy G. Christmas dies from a deadly illness. After their deaths, Chris and Willy affect their loved ones, Annie and Mr. Bones, in many ways.
Both men's versions of life after death affect their loved ones. In Timbuktu, Willy believes that all people go to Timbuktu after the soul separates from the body. In order to get to this "oasis of spirits", one must travel across an immense desert of heat, sand, and nothingness (Auster 48). Timbuktu is similar to a Christian's heaven in that after a soul makes the journey to Timbuktu, it no longer has to worry about life's necessities such as food, sleep, and using the bathroom. Mr. Bones, Willy's faithful pet, worries about whether dogs are allowed in Timbuktu. He wonders, "What if Timbuktu turned out to be one of those places with fancy carpets and expensive antiques? What if no pets were allowed"" (Auster 50). In What Dreams May Come, everyone's life after death is different. Chris's reality is made up of the paintings of his soul mate, Annie. In the "heavens" of the motion picture, everyone creates their own reality and lives with those who have similar realities. Although Chris's reality is made up of Annie's artwork, she doesn't fit into his afterlife.
Both men communicate with their loved ones after they are dead. In Timbuktu, Willy communicates with his beloved partner and pet, Mr. Bones, in his reveries. When he runs away into the woods after a dreadful collision with humans, Bones has his first encounter with the deceased Willy. He dreams that they are on a subway, alone, on their way to Coney Island. In his dream, Mr. Bones is able to converse with Willy. Willy chastises the dog about his encounter with the Chinese people. He tells Mr. Bones, "I warned you about those places, didn't I? The moment you saw what you were getting yourself into, you should have cashed in your chips and run" (Auster 118). The poor dog is finally about to give up on humans and live a dreadful life as a homeless dog, but Willy encourages him not to give up. The dog obliges. In What Dreams May Come, the deceased Chris tries to communicate with his grieving wife at his funeral through touch. He caresses her face with his hand. On another occasion, when Annie is writing in her journal, Chris comes to visit her. He communicates with her through her journal. Psychedelically, he has her write, "This is Chris. I Still Exist." (What Dreams May Come 1998). This psychotic occurrence frightens Annie terribly.
Both Willy and Chris use memories of the past as a way to assist their loved ones in certain times of earnest need. In the novel, during the first "dream conversation" with Bones, Willy uses the memory of his dead, Jewish mother to encourage the dog to continue to survive and not give up on life. He asks, "Do you remember Mom-san, Mr. Bones? Well, they tried to kill her, too. They hunted her down like a dog, and she had to run for her life. People get treated like dogs too, my friend, and sometimes they have to sleep in barns and meadows because there's nowhere else for them to go. Before you start feeling too sorry for yourself, just remember that you're not the first dog that's ever been lost" (Auster 120). Mr. Bones gives life on Earth another try with memories of the scent of a mélange of lilac soaps, Pond's facial cream, and spearmint denture paste (Auster 31). In the silver-screen production, Annie commits suicide. She doesn't realize that she is dead. Her reality is that of gloom, sorrow, despair, and darkness. Chris attempts to save his love from this crisis through the memories of their earthly lives together. Before Chris comes into Annie's reality, he sees his dead kids. His son, Ian, tells him, "Think about mom. Think about when we died. Think about what you said to her to make her come back" (What Dreams May Come 1998). Chris tells Annie that he is a neighbor. He tells her about their life. He reaches Annie through the memories of their children, their children's tragic car accident, and the close call to divorce. Unfortunately, the sad, depressed Annie tells Chris to leave. He leaves her quoting, "Sometimes when you lose, you win" (What Dreams May Come 1998).
Both men attempt to save their loved ones from some form of hell. In the novel, the sickly Bones is sent to a kennel as his present family goes on winter vacation. He gets deathly sick after dreaming about Willy. In his reverie, Willy tells him, ""You've turned yourself into a tired joke, a tired and disgusting joke, and I forbid you to let me you're your thoughts anymore" (Auster 167). When the kennel owners attempt to take him to a vet he hates with a passion, he runs away. Again, Mr. Bones ends up in the woods. He has another encounter with Willy, the true Willy. Willy tells the poor dog that the evil Willy was a fake, a test of his faithfulness. He tells Mr. Bones that he is officially permitted into Timbuktu but must finish withstanding the hardships of life on earth, the canine's hell. Unfortunately, the poor dog cannot withstand this life and plays the famed suicidal game of dodge-the car. In What Dreams May Come, Annie is in her own dark, gloomy hell. After Chris shares their memories, she realizes something. Annie somehow breaks the bonds that restrict her and leaves her dark reality to reunite with Chris. She embraces Chris and says with a smile, "Sometimes when you lose, you win" (What Dreams May Come 1998). The children reappear also, and the family lives happily together in their own, similar reality.
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