Walk the Line

Symbolism in film plays a very important part of its story.  In "Walk the Line," Symbolism is prevalent throughout the film.  For example, the film starts off with Johnny Cash waiting backstage at Folsom Prison.  The audience of prisoners are cheering for Johnny Cash's band to emerge, as Johnny waits by a nearby table saw.  The table saw symbolizes the death of Johnny's brother, Jack, who was killed sawing wood for a neighbor.  Johnny's relationship with his father, which was already troublesome at best, becomes much more difficult after Jack's dies. 

There is also symbolism in the Johnny's Music.  When Cash was enlisted in the Air Force he found peace in solitude while playing his guitar and eventually wrote "Folsom Prison Blues."  The song represents what Johnny Cash would eventually symbolize, which is that of an outlaw and rebel, which is why the inmates of Folsom Prison gave him a heroes welcome when he performed inside its walls.  Just look at Cash's dress and style, which was that of a person dressed as if he was going to a funeral.  Cash's style, bearing black clothes and dark shades, is strong evidence of him symbolizing rebellion.  June Carter wrote a song called, "Ring of Fire," after an altercation with Cash during and after a show.  Carter's song symbolizes her feelings for Johnny Cash and her pain as she watches him fall into the abyss of addiction. 

I had mentioned earlier that Cash's style symbolized rebellion.  When watching the film closely and following it's progression, there's a scene where Cash visits his recording company.  Let me remind you that at this point in the film, Johnny Cash is somewhat clean and sober.  The reason he visits his recording company is that he wants to perform at Folsom Prison and during his visit he's wearing a black suit.  In my opinion, Cash's black suit at that point of the film symbolizes the Death of Johnny Cash's old self and inner demons , and in a way, he was somewhat going to a funeral.

When I had first seen, "Walk the Line," I never really did pay attention to the symbolism in the film.  Thanks to the course material, I can somewhat point out some things that I was otherwise unaware of before this class.