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Kubrick's "2001": A Triple Allegory 2001st Edition
Author(s): Leonard F. Wheat (Author)
- Publisher: Scarecrow Press (UK)
- Publication Date: 21 Jun. 2000
- Edition: 2001st
- Language: English
- Print length: 192 pages
- ISBN-10: 081083796X
- ISBN-13: 9780810837966
Book Description
Acclaimed in an international critics poll as one of the ten best films ever made, Stanley Kubricks 2001: A Space Odyssey has nonetheless baffled critics and filmgoers alike. Its reputation rests largely on its awesome special effects, yet the plot has been considered unfathomable. Critical consensus has been that Kubrick himself probably didnt know the answers.
Leonard Wheats
Kubricks 2001: A Triple Allegory reveals that Kubrick did know the answers. Far from being what it seems to be—a chilling story about space travel—2001 is actually an allegory, hidden by symbols. It is, in fact, a triple allegory, something unprecedented in film or literature. Three allegories—an Odysseus (Homer) allegory, a man-machine symbiosis (Arthur Clarke) allegory, and a Zarathustra (Nietzsche) allegory—are simultaneously concealed and revealed by well over 200 highly imaginative and sometimes devilishly clever symbols. Wheat decodes each allegory in rich detail, revealing the symbolism in numerous characters, sequences, and scenes. In bringing Kubricks secrets to light, Wheat builds a powerful case for his assertion that 2001 is the grandest motion picture ever filmed.Editorial Reviews
Review
…his conclusions…ought to be pondered by everyone with a serious interest in the film…Indeed, part of the fun of reading his book is deciding whether, detail by detail, one agrees or disagrees with Wheat”s specific reading…Wheat”s readings of the Nietzschean allegory are perhaps even more compelling…a valuable contribution to our understanding of the best science fiction film ever.
All of Wheat”s correlations are well worth pondering. His writing is immediately accessible; he even directly addresses the reader, inviting forethought and additional speculation.
About the Author
Leonard F. Wheat was an economist with the Economic Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce before retiring in 1997. He is the author or (in one case) co-author of four previous books, including one philosophical study and three economic studies. He is also author of two book-length government studies and several journal articles and is an associate editor of the Journal of Regional Science.
