Use of Bathroom Scenes in the Film Pulp Fiction Essays -- Pulp Fiction

Bathrooms be filthy. They are grimy, soiled porcelain wastelands swarming with harmful bacteria and human waste. And theyre one of Quentin Tarantinos favorite tools to enforce on the big screen. If one were to study the history of American media, he or she may notice that tail ends are scarcely pictured. In fact, it wasnt until the 1960 fall by the wayside of Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho that a toilet was sh ca custom in cinema. The featured toilet caused quite a stir among critics, and became a symbol of American ethics. Quentin recognized the matter of morality that resided in the use of bathrooms and used it to his advantage. In his 1994 release, Pulp Fiction, Quentin frequently uses the bathroom to make the viewer question his or her ethical views.The first pillowcase of the bathroom being used to elicit a questioning of ethics within the audience occurs during the sub story of Mia and Vincent Vegas. In this scene, two questions of ethics are brought forth. After a long, fun ni ght Vincent returns with Mia to Marsellus Wallaces estate. He promptly announces that he has to use the restroom, and leaves Mia alone. Once alone in the bathroom, we see Vincent talking to himself in the mirror, trying to persuade himself to leave Mia alone for the night. Vince is quite obviously attracted to Mia, and Mia seems willing to spend more time with him. He has to decide whether to stay longer and insecurity taking advantage of Marsellus wife or to leave immediately, wishing her a good night and ending his relationship with her. This creates tension and allows the audience to consider their own moral standpoint in regards to the situation. The second questioning of ethics that occurs in this scene begins to take place moments after Vince leaves the bathroom. We h... ... side with. Again the audience must consider their own moral stance in regards to the situation in order to reach this conclusion.As proved in this clever arrangement of bathroom scenes, Quentin Tarantin o is a creative albeit unorthodox director. Though he draws inspiration from a vast expanse of resources, this Quentins productions are undoubtedly unique. Through his clever use of the bathroom as a means through which to bring forth a questioning of ethics, Tarantino has again proved his creativity as a director. This photo made me think. This movie made me reevaluate my moral values and empowered me to challenge my own ethical views. This movie literally taught me more about myself than I had previously realized. We can only hope Tarantino continues to produce such impactful films so we can continue to explore our values the way Pulp Fiction has allowed us to.