Ephraim literally is the only figure in The Lighthouse to come from the outside world and want to go back into it. That might explain why he ends up barking like a dog by the end of the film? Pattinson’s character would represent the “ego,” which is known as the part of the id that is modified directly by the influence of the external world. Thomas could fit into “id” due to his primitive and instinctive personality. Thinking of The Lighthouse in a more metaphorical sense, the two characters in the film could be representative of the push and pull between Freud’s Ego and Id in the brain. As Robert Eggers said, the idea of the pair sharing the same name struck a chord with the writers and made them decide to make a film about “identity.” As revealed in the film, they are both named Thomas.
#WILLEM DAFOE PENIS MOVIE#
The movie was inspired by an actual story that involved two lighthouse keepers who both had the same name. Theory #2: Thomas And Ephraim Are The Same Personĭelving further in the concepts of The Lighthouse, another theory is the two main characters in the film are supposed to represent two different sides of the same mind at odds with one another. Once he steals the fire (energy source of the lighthouse), a similar fate to Prometheus befalls on him. In The Lighthouse’s case, Willem Dafoe’s character would be the god and Pattinson holds the role of Prometheus. After his misdeeds, Zeus chained him to a rock and sent an eagle to eat his liver, which would grow back overnight for the same torture to resume the next day. Prometheus is Titan who is remembered for being a trickster who would steal fire from the gods and give it to humanity. With Prometheus and Proteus in mind, we can draw a conclusion that The Lighthouse may be seeking to use these mythical Greek characters to tell a story through a new lens. But you know what? The classical authors did that all the time. And then we’re saying, ‘Okay, what fairy tales or folktales or myths is this starting to line up with?’ Then we realized, ‘Well, Prometheus and Proteus never hung out in any Greek myths before, but that seems to be what is kind of happening here,’ and Prometheus might be taking on some characteristics that he hasn’t in the past. The pair heavily looked into life in the maritime community in the 19th century and here’s where they landed with the story:Īs we’re doing all this work, we start to see a story take place. The filmmaker told Vox that “the idea of fable and myth” is at the “forefront” of his process with his partner/brother Max Eggers. Co-writer/director Robert Eggers is known to really delve into researching his work and The Lighthouse is no exception. The first place one may draw from after seeing the lighthouse is through the subtle use of seafaring mythology that is embedded in the DNA of the flick. Theory #1: The Lighthouse Is A Modern Retelling Of A Greek Myth The final scene features a bloody Pattinson being picked at the flesh by a swarm of seagulls or a seemingly deserted island. We don’t gaze upon exactly what Ephraim sees once he reaches the top, but we see imagery of Pattinson's gaze deepen as he looks upon the lighthouse’s light source, reach out and touch something and scream profusely before falling down the staircase. Ephraim then makes his way up to the top of the lighthouse Thomas never allowed him to see. Thomas comes in after him, but Ephraim axes his head with a shovel, killing him for good. He then places a leash on him and walks him out of the house like a dog before burying him alive. Once Thomas is down, Ephraim commands him to “bark” like a dog. The pair end up in a violent squabble where Pattinson’s character sees a number of confusing images instead of Thomas as he beats him (a mermaid, an unknown mustachioed man – who may be the man he killed before coming to the lighthouse). He confronts his coworker about annoyances (that include his frequent farting) before finding Thomas’ log detailing complaints about Ephraim’s performance as his assistant. (Image credit: (A24)) What Literally Happened At The End Of The LighthouseĪfter spending an unknown amount of time together in the same lighthouse, the patience of Robert Pattinson's Ephraim with Willem Dafoe’s Thomas begins to slip away.