Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand...

Reality Versus Perception in the Kasdan Films, Grand Canyon and Mumford All of knowledge is founded on axioms: assumptions that are agreed upon for stability. However, since those axioms are assumptions and cannot be proven without a doubt, nothing ca truly be known with absolute certainly. Still, in order to carry on with life, assumptions have to be made. Knowing this, the task becomes making assumption that are more educated and, given the lack of certainty, ones that matter. Furthermore, the assumption of others can be examined more accurately with this knowledge in mind. The most important of these assumptions, and in many cases points of debate, is the nature of reality. The old world thought the matters of the spirit to†¦show more content†¦The interlacing strands of themes in both films are much like those of time. Each event triggers another in a continuum of interrelationships between factors of co and counter-stimulus. The following exposition focuses on articulating how those films portray the endeavor to determine, if not t rue reality, then certainly some forms of realities. More specifically, attention will be drawn to the variable perception of these realities in Grand Canyon, and the notion of reality being variable in the first place from a look at Mumford. A number of events occur within Grand Canyon, which are interpreted differently by different characters. In the beginning Mac is being harassed by a gang and thus gets, in a manner of speaking, saved from a worse fate by Simon. Mac believes this to be some sort of blessing or even divine intervention. Though if not, he certainly attributes some greater force than random occurrence to the favorable turn of events. Mac and Simon’s conversation following the incident shows that Simon may have a more rationally slanted perspective. Simon’s telling of a story about the shark illustrates that Mac’s meeting of the gang is a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that these things happen as a way of the way things are. Though Simon does question whether or not it is â€Å"the way things are supposed to be.† Later in the story, the money-minded movie producer Davis gets shot.