Existentialism

The existentialism sheet that we recieved in class has a lot to compare to the movie Runaway Train. One of the points on the sheet claims that everytime you allow someone else to tell you, what you should think, how you should act, or what you should be, you are allowing them to control your life. This is portrayed in the movie in many different ways. First of all they are locked away in prison where they are constantly being told what to do. Manny rebels by constantly doing his own thing, and then eventually breaking free from the control and supervision of the officers. He is portraying existentialism by not following the orders given to him by anyone else. He is everyone in the jails hero, because he does not care about anyone of the rules, which is a reason why he is in jail in the first place. When he gets out of jail he admits that he'd never be able to find a job because he is so against listening to people that he will never be able to lead a normal life. He knows that because of his beliefs he can not fit into society, or the way that they try to mold him. Manny is a unique figure and many people look up to him because of his independence, and the way that he holds himself. In a way I feel he is admirable because of his persona that shows off his ability to stay true to himself in any given situation. He is not rebelling, he is simply following what he wants to do, and not doing what everyone else does to fit in with the rest of society.