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Question about funeral-psychological issues

posted 16 years ago by sdluthier
3 replies | jump to latest

After the funeral of Sam's father ended, he walked a few paces and picked up a stone and placed it on a grave stone-who's grave did he place the stone on, and what is the significance of this?

There are several other psychological issues that the film deals with that no one has referred to. His relationship with his father was of paramount importance to understanding who Sam was. His father had shut down, and offered almost nothing to Sam in the way of emotional support. There is a shot when Sam comes into his father's study, and the father is drawing the beetle, that shows a photo of his father and mother together. Presumable we are supposed to glean that the father shut down after the mother's death, which would explain his distance from the son.
What do you make of this?

sdluthier

[–] BikerBabePink 16 years ago

I am guessing it's Silvie's grave stone, but it could be his mother's. The stone is similar to the one he picked up and threw at her father to get his attention while he was working on the boat.

Yes, I think the juxtoposition of the father's drawing of the beetle, which is a precise, scientific activity, is meant to contrast with the image of the happy couple together--in Sam's father, the analytical has replaced emotion. This is, of course, balanced by Sam gently picking the beetle off Silvie's shoulder, then allowing her to hear it buzz before setting it free.

BikerBabePink

[–] JukeBox-Bill 12 years ago

It's a Jewish tradition to leave a pebble on the grave stone to show that the deceased is not forgotten. Also it was the custom with early Christians, specifically on the Isle of Man and thereabout.

[–] saprater 9 years ago

What JukeboxBill said. After watching Schindler's list, I googled Oskar, and his grave shows dozens of these "grave stones" on his tomb.