To Live
I recently watched the latest Disney/Pixar animated film Wall-E and I received much
more than I bargained for in this special family feature. In traditional Pixar fashion, the short
before the film was worth the price of admission alone but what may go missed by many movie
goers are the underlying messages and the story within the story, which makes Wall-E and other
Pixar films a special treat.
If you can see past the blatant anti-consumerism and anti-corporatism you can find a
touching story of a nostalgic and romantic robot alone for 700 years awakening one day to meet
face to face with love (albeit at the other end of a laser gun). Wall-E appears to be a typical robot
but you quickly learn that he is the last of his kind. The project to clean up Earth was abandoned
and all of the other robots are non-functional. Wall-E committed to his “directive” (a.k.a.
purpose or meaning) dutifully performs his responsibilities while taking extra measure to provide
superior care and maintenance of himself. He collects remnants of the departed human race and
finds comfort in musicals (Hello, Dolly!) and other cultural icons (spork). In traditional Disney
fashion, Wall-E’s life is devoid of love. Enter Eve, the probe sent from Axiom (the last vestige of
humanity floating in space) to find evidence of sustainable life on Earth.
It is the introduction of Eve that makes the story interesting (I will not delve into the
biblical references). Wall-E is immediately smitten with the new and graceful entity in his world
and follows her at great risk to his being. All of his attempts to woo the new being are coldly
rejected. Here I find nobility in Wall-E, despite Eve’s unrequited love he pursues her with utmost
passion and disregards his directive. Wall-E shows no hesitation or fear as he clings to the rocket
propelling him from his home into the vastness of space.
Upon arriving upon Axiom, we are shown the fate of humanity and humans are blissfully
unaware of their condition. Humans are bound to chairs that “help” them navigate around the
large vessel. In reality the robotic chairs are little more than mobile prisons that bind humans to
their robotic world. Humans do not leave their chairs; they eat, sleep, and enjoy recreation all
within the confines of their chairs. Even the young are reared within a chair. The chairs come
equipped with holographic monitors and telecommunication devices that allow the humans to
communicate yet also serve as a conduit for robotic manipulation. They can see nothing beyond
their holographic screens and not are inclined to turn them off until Wall-E shows them the light.
Humans are herded by the robots at specific times for feeding and other activities. Food in this
future is an abomination. Humans are feed everything in liquid form with a Slurpee cups and
straw provided to them by robots “on command”. The humans have no idea that they are not in
control of their fate.
Perhaps I am a sentimental, old fool but I find Wall-E’s plight touching. His dedication to
his love is unmatched by everything but Eve’s dedication to her “directive”. This is the life of so
many in today’s world. Sometimes we miss out on life in the pursuit of a meaning/purpose for
our lives. Wall-E’s years of solitude have taught him a valuable lesson: what is the inherent
value of meaning or purpose? What directive is worthy of solitude? Wall-E understands that
purpose is secondary to companionship. Wall-E knows that love is far more meaningful than any
ascribed purpose.
Alas, Eve rejects his love at every turn. She sees his gestures and benefits from his
concern but remains untouched by his gestures except his efforts to further her directive. He
comes to realize that he is no more important to her than his ability to help her achieve her
directive, yet despite this heartache his passion for her compels him to sacrifice his life to assist
her. His love was so strong that he was willing to sacrifice his well-being to help her achieve her
purpose – to make his love happy. There can be nothing nobler than self-sacrifice in the name of
love. Shamefully, his nobility was unappreciated and his love unreturned until it was too late.
The movie has the typical Disney humor and a few good quotes. The most memorable of
the quotes embodies the movie and the quest of humanity, “I don't want to survive. I want to
live.” Like so many Hollywood productions, this profound philosophical statement is buried in a
story overwrought with slap-stick humor, action, or jaw-dropping special effects but hopefully
my children can come to terms with the depth of this film and be as inspired by it as I. I would
like to think that others can be moved by Wall-E’s commitment to live not just fulfill a purpose
or achieve a goal. Perhaps I should take better care of myself and enjoy life rather than just
survive. I will hold out hope that I will not have to wait 700 years to find love and perhaps my
gestures will be reciprocated. I challenge anyone who sees this film to tell me which is more
human; those creatures blissfully bound to chairs or the small but passionate Wall-E.