The Village Synopsis
Lucius comes forward, claiming
Covington is a 19th-century Pennsylvania village that is isolated from the
rest of the world. The woods that surround the village are off limits to
all the villagers because mysterious creatures live there. Many years
earlier, the town elders and the creatures reached an understanding
that the villagers would not go into the woods, and the creatures would
not enter the village. A boundary was set up around the village, along
with warnings on etiquette and colors to wear regarding keeping the
creatures at bay.
After one of the elders named August Nicholson (Brendan Gleeson)
loses his son to an untreatable disease, one of the town's young people
named Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) goes to the village elders, and
requests to leave the village and travel to "the towns," in hopes of
finding medicines and other remedies that may prevent further losses,
or possibly cure the mental ailments of one of the town's other young
persons, named Noah Percy (Adrien Brody). His request is quickly denied
by the village elders.
Lucius himself is considered a rather strange young man by the village.
He keeps to himself, rarely speaking to most people. When Kitty Walker
(Judy Greer) comes to Lucius in hopes he will marry her, he refuses her
request. Lucius has been childhood friends with Kitty's youngest sister,
named Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard). Blind since she was very young, Ivy
claims that Lucius has a 'color' around him, that she can sense. One day,
while in a small area near the border to the woods, Noah presents Ivy
with some red berries. They do not grow in the village, and Lucius
believes that Noah has travelled into the woods, and has not been
harmed by the creatures in it. This causes Lucius to grow more
determined, and he again goes to the elders to request again to travel
to "the towns." Lucius believes that if the creatures allowed Noah into
the woods without causing him harm, they will do the same to him.
Lucius' second request is denied, and his mother Alice Hunt (Sigourney
Weaver) advises him to stay home and forget about the outside world,
claiming it to be a dangerous place that took the life of his father. Upset
by these proclamations, Lucius explains that he sees that his mother
eyes Ivy Walker's father Edward (William Hurt) in a 'certain way,' even
though he is married. Lucius also makes note of a black wood box that
his Mother has, which is locked. Each of the elders has a box, that
contains remnants of the elder's pasts before they established
Covington. Lucius wants his mother to open the box and reveal her past
secrets, but she refuses this as well.
The next day, Lucius has patrol duty along the borders of the village.
Unseen by the others, he steps over the boundaries, and wanders a
ways into the woods. The sound of something nearby catches his
attention, but all that is there when he looks are some wavering
branches. Later that evening, Lucius visits the Walkers' house, where he
has a conversation with Ivy. Ivy explains that in the time that has passed,
her sister has decided to marry another young man in the town. Ivy says
that Lucius is brave for wanting to go beyond the village, but she feels
his actions are unwise. Before Lucius leaves, Ivy informs him that now
that her sister is to be married, she is free to have suitors court her.
Shortly thereafter, the alarm is sounded, and the creatures in the woods
are said to have entered the village. Lucius returns to the Walker's
residence, where he manages to get Ivy into the house before she is
attacked by one of the creatures.
The next morning, red marks are found slashed across many of the doors
in town. A town meeting is held, to which Edward Walker explains that
he feels the creatures feel threatened.
that his trespass into the woods beyond the borders was most likely
what brought the creatures into the village. Lucius is ashamed at what
has happened, but even so, Edward praises that he is a very brave young
man.
Sometime afterward, a celebration is held for the marriage of Kitty
Walker and Christop Crane (Fran Kranz). During a lively dance, children's
screams are heard, and several report that some of the creatures have
returned to the village. The party is called off, as the villagers find
skinned animals hung above the porches of several houses. This action
on the part of the creatures causes the elders to grow concerned, and
extra watch groups are put out.
Lucius visits the Walker's residence in the evening, finding Ivy sitting on
the porch. While talking, they finally admit their fondness for each
other, and tell the elders the next day of their plans to be wed. The news
travels fast through the small village, and Lucius is soon visited by Noah.
Noah seems distraught at this news, and shocks Lucius when he stabs
the young man repeatedly. Noah shortly thereafter leaves Lucius, and is
found with blood on his hands. When a search is made to figure what
has happened, Ivy goes to tell Lucius, only to find him on the floor of his
small blacksmith's shop, not moving. Ivy is further worried when she
cannot see his 'color.' For his actions, Noah is locked in a small house.
Lucius's wounds are too severe to be treated by the methods known in
the village, and it is very possible he will soon die. Ivy goes to her father,
requesting to go to "the towns" to retrieve medicines to save the man
she loves. Edward is at first unsure about this, but soon after takes Ivy
aside, and takes her to an old shed. Edward explains that the towns are
a wicked place, and that Ivy's Grandfather was a wealthy man who was
killed by a person in "the towns."
Edward opens the old shed, and Ivy is frightened when she senses the
creatures inside. However, Edward explains that the creatures are not
real - they are merely suits created by the elders to keep the other
villagers from straying beyond the borders of the town. Edward then
gives Ivy instructions on how to reach "The Towns," giving her his own
permission to leave Covington to save Lucius, as per her request.
After Ivy has left, Edward goes to Alice, and explains that Ivy's quest to
save Lucius is 'all he can give her,' in the wake of his secret feelings
towards her. Edward then goes to the other elders and explains what he
has done. While many are distraught, Edward claims that what he has
done is meant to protect Covington's way of life. As the elders will not
live forever, it is through the young people such as Ivy and Lucius that
their way of life will be preserved.
Ivy packs supplies, including a gold pocket watch given to her by her
father as payment for medicines. Ivy is accompanied into the woods by
Kitty's husband Christop, and another young man named Finton Coin
(Michael Pitt). Christop has taken no more than a couple steps outside
the village's borders, when he grows frightened. Even though they are
wearing yellow colored clothing (considered a 'good' color), and even
though Ivy claims she has a bag of magic rocks to protect them, Christop
turns back. Finton accompanies Ivy for another day, before he too is
overcome with fear. Ivy allows him to go back, and continues on her
own.
Ivy soon comes across a large pit that almost claims her life. After
making her way around it, she hears a strange sound, and senses what
she believes to be one of the creatures, even though her father told her
they were not real. The creature charges her several times. Using her
memory and remaining senses, Ivy manages to lead the creature back
to the pit, where she tricks it into falling in. It turns out (unknown to Ivy)
that the creature was actually Noah in one of the costumes. He had
found the costume beneath the floorboards in the house where he was
being kept, then put it on and escaped into the woods. Noah's fall badly
injures him, and soon, he ceases to move.
Ivy continues on her way, and soon comes to a large wall. Carefully, she
begins to climb over. As she does, several of the village elders open their
locked black boxes. Contained within are mementos of their past life. It
is soon apparent that Covington only has the appearance of being in the
19th century. The actual time is the present day.
The village of Covington came about as an idea by Edward Walker. After
his father was murdered by a business partner, Walker joined a support
group for others who had lost their loved ones to violence. Walker was
a history professor at a local University, and had the idea to start a small
isolated village, to insulate the members of the group from further harm
or loss. Walker's father was very wealthy, and Edward had the village
built deep in the interior of the Walker Wildlife Preserve. A large wall
surrounds the preserve, and precautions are made to keep airplanes
from flying overhead as well, to keep up the illusion of the village being
a rural and rustic place.
Back at the wall, Ivy has made her way over, when she is startled by a
strange sound, and the voice of a young man. The sound is actually the
siren on the young man's vehicle. He is part of the patrol unit making
sure people do not attempt to get into the preserve. Ivy is at first
frightened by the young man, given what she has heard about people in
"the towns." However, she soon senses kindness in the young man's
voice, and he offers to help her get the medicines she needs.
Ivy is told to stay by the wall, while the young man leaves and returns
with the supplies, along with a ladder. Ivy gives the young man the
pocketwatch she has as payment, and makes her way back over the wall,
and back into the woods, completely unaware of the modern-day world
she has set foot into.
Ivy soon returns to the village.Word spreads of her encounter with a
creature that she killed in the woods. Noah's parents are distraught over
the news of their son's death, but Edward Walker sees a silver lining in
this altercation. Edward had convinced Ivy that the creatures were
fabrications by the elders. But having encountered what she thought
was a real creature, she most likely now will be deterred from
considering returning into the woods or telling Lucius about what
Edward told her. She may even now think that her father told her these
things to build her up to be brave for the journey.
Edward Walker also proclaims that they will go out later on and recover
Noah's body, bury him, and claim the creatures killed him. In silence, the
elders vow to keep going on with their charade, as Ivy returns to the
Hunts' residence with the medicines, and sits down next to Lucius, as
the elders watch her take his hand.
Lessons from 'The Village'
By Belinda Ayers
CBN.com - On the surface The Village is a well-marketed summer thriller
that moviegoers, especially fans of M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth
Sense, Unbreakable, Signs), could hardly wait to watch last weekend.
However, many of them left the theater disappointed. The reason, most
likely, is because the director's fans have become so accustomed to his
suspenseful plot twists that they are carefully watching the film, eagerly
searching for the inevitable "surprise" -- and figuring it out much too
quickly.
Despite the lack of any monumental "gotcha" plot twists like that of The
Sixth Sense, the film has a depth that should not be ignored. Shyamalan
has a gift for presenting stimulating themes within the context of an
entertaining story. The Village is no different.
Set in rural Pennsylvania, the 1897 village of Covington is surrounded by
woods that the townspeople believe are inhabited by dangerous
creatures. For years the villagers and the creatures have peacefully
coexisted on the condition that the townspeople do not enter the
woods. However, when villager Lucius Hunt requests permission to
journey through the woods to the nearby towns to get medicine for his
friend, it seems that the peaceful truce with the inhabitants of the
woods has ended.
While some Christians may shun the film citing its suggested violence
and eeriness, it would be a mistake to do so. The movie is full of material
that could be an intriguing discussion starter for keen Christians looking
for ways to bridge the gap between the truths of the Bible and a secular
culture.
Spoiler Warning: The following discussion of the film's themes could
spoil the plot if you haven't already seen the movie.
Underneath the film's creepy exterior is an engaging love story. Ivy, a
blind young woman, demonstrates sacrificial love when she requests
permission to journey through the dangerous woods to the nearby
towns for medicine that could save the life of the man she loves.
Ivy's dedication to her fiancé pushes her to travel through the woods
despite her fears and her physical disabilities. Although her journey is at
times rather implausible, the film paints a beautiful picture of love and
self-sacrifice. For Christians this type of love calls to mind the love we
receive from our Heavenly Father and the huge sacrifice Christ made
because of His love for us.
Lucius Hunt (Joaquin Phoenix) in 'The Village'Sharing this love with
others often means stepping beyond areas where we are comfortable.
Just as the creatures of the woods -- known to the villagers as "those we
don't speak of" -- created a constant fear in the townspeople, many
Christians also face fears that we don't speak of. Whether it is a fear of
rejection, feelings of inadequacy or thoughts of failure, many Christians
encounter frightening obstacles when we try to share our faith. While
the people of Covington had no source of protection from their fears,
Christ has assured us that He has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy
1:7). We must seek strength from the Holy Spirit to overcome the
obstacles that keep us from sharing Christ's love with others.
The Village also reveals the danger of isolating ourselves from the rest
of the world. In an effort to control their own destiny, the villagers cut
themselves off from the nearby towns. They believed that living as a
community cut off from the outside world would enable them to better
protect their chosen way of life. However, it was this isolation that
prevented them from receiving the help they needed.
Unfortunately, we too sometimes try to maintain our way of life and
escape the world's influences by isolating ourselves within our churches
and Christian communities. Just as the villagers had no way to receive
help from the nearby towns, our neighbors have no one to tell them of
Christ's love and redemption if we separate ourselves from them. It is
only by building relationships with others that will we be able to tell
people about Christ's love and His desire to change their lives. The Bible
shows us that Jesus demonstrated this principle throughout His ministry
by seeking out the undesirable and hurting people of society.
When the Pharisees questioned Christ about dining with tax collectors
and sinners, "Jesus answered them, 'It is not the healthy who need a
doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance'" (Luke 5:31-32).
We can't reach out to people unless we go where they are. While we
don't want to be influenced by the world, we do want to be in the midst
of it offering the hope we've found in Christ.
Perhaps what is most vividly portrayed in The Village is man's fallen
nature and the hopelessness that stems from it. From the opening shot
of a mourner at a grave to the last scene just before the credits roll there
is a subtle sadness that permeates this film. Characters make reference
to the loved ones they have lost, and several of them also reference a
locked black box that contains what one character describes as "evil
things from my past."
Another character laments that, "you can't run from pain and sorrow,
because it will follow you."
As Christ promised, "In this world you will have trouble" (John 16:33).
Fortunately, what we as Christians know to be true, and what the
characters in the movie sadly miss, is the fact that Jesus has overcome
the world. And while we won't escape pain and suffering in our lives on
earth, we look forward to Heaven where those things will no longer
exist.
This is knowledge from which the characters of The Village -- and a
hurting world around us -- could benefit.
The Village
To be spiritual is to have an abiding respect for the great mysteries of
life — the profound distinctiveness of other people, the strange beauty
of nature and the animal world, the ineffable complexity of our inner
selves, and the unfathomable depths of the Inexplicable One. Through
the practice of mystery, we learn to live with paradoxes and give up the
idea of always understanding everything. We are able to rest in the
riddle of not knowing.
In India they use the term "old soul" to describe someone who is ripe
enough to experience the deepest mysteries. We usually think of
mystics, not filmmakers, when we speak of these individuals, but M.
Night Shyamalan certainly qualifies. This young writer and director of
Hollywood movies has created a series of very unusual and popular
stories that all deal, in one way or another, with mystery.
Leonardo Boff, a Latin American Catholic, has observed: 'We never
'catch up with' reality itself. The real nature of mystery always evades
our attempts to conceptualize it, and escapes the nets of our language
and symbolism. Its depths are never plumbed. Mystery is always linked
to passion, enthusiasm and all the great emotions, in short to life's
deepest and greatest impulses." Shyamalan's movies transport us to
places where awe and wonder are the only appropriate responses to
mysteries beyond our ken.
In Wide Awake, a boy about to enter fifth grade at a Catholic school for
boys, who is deeply troubled by the death of his grandfather, decides to
go on a quest to find God. The film proves how important questions can
be on a spiritual journey. It also demonstrates how attention, listening
and love are expressions of the sacred in everyday life.
In The Sixth Sense, the filmmaker explores the spiritual adventures of a
young boy whose paranormal abilities have given him contact with the
dead. With this drama, Shyamalan helps us see that we should always
honor the mysterious experiences of children and also be willing to
share our encounters with the supernatural with those we love.
In Unbreakable, the director compels us to consider the mystery of our
own goodness. We all yearn for someone who will help us see how
special we truly are. In this thriller about comic books and heroes,
Shyamalan points out that within each of us a unique and glorious self
awaits awakening.
In Signs, we step into a shiver story about a family that is forced to deal
with strange events in their lives. This spiritual thriller challenges us to
ask ourselves important questions about synchronicity, the meaning of
life, death, faith and family solidarity.
In his new film, The Village, Shyamalan uses the thriller genre to explore
the value of community and the soul-stirring powers of self-sacrificing
love. It is set in a late nineteenth century isolated settlement run by a
somber group of elders. They are proud of the simple and harmonious
life they have created apart from the world. Their children are well
disciplined but they also feel free enough to have some fun with their
chores, splashing water on each other or twirling around while sweeping
the porch.Edward Walker (William Hurt) is the most vocal elder, and he
also teaches school. He is married to Tabitha (Jayne Atkinson). Their two
oldest daughers are Kitty (Judy Greer) and Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard, the
gifted daughter of director Ron Howard, in an Academy Award-caliber
performance). Although blind, Ivy sees more than most in the village.
She has a special way with children because of her sensitivity, and she
also is very close to Noah Percy (Adrien Brody), an emotionally troubled
young man.
When Kitty proposes marriage to quiet and intense Lucius Hunt (Joaquin
Phoenix), he turns her down. He has not been the same since the death
of a boy in the community. Lucius asks the elders for permission to
undertake a dangerous mission — to travel through the woods
surrounding the village to "the towns" and bring back medicine so
others do not have to suffer and die needlessly. His mother Alice
(Sigourney Weaver) does not know what to make of this proposal, but
Edward respects the kind and noble intentions that lie behind it. She
becomes more concerned when Lucius says, "There are secrets in every
corner of this village. Do you not feel it? Do you not see it?"
Shyamalan has imagined a community that has as its foundations fear.
Everyone is frightened of "those we don't speak of" — terrible and
violent creatures that live in the forest. Although they have set up a
perimeter wall with a guard tower at the edge of the woods, recently
the beasts have been preying upon livestock and forcing the villagers to
flee into underground shelters while they stomp on the floors above
them. Red marks left on the door seem to signify that their long truce
with the creatures has ended.
One day Ivy asks Lucius why he is so fearless, and he responds, "I don't
worry about what will happen, only what needs to be done." Ivy, who
has always been viewed as a tomboy, gets her own chance to
demonstrate fearlessness when she is called upon to save the one she
loves and to take the community in a new direction.
The Village is a timely, powerful, and surprising drama about the
dangers of a fear-based culture that divides the world into "us" versus
"them." Although safety is a universally recognized value, it can never
supercede love and hope, two spiritual values that are saluted in the last
third of this very fine movie. Shyamalan also makes the valid point that
any community that focuses all its energies on the evil ones out there
usually proves defenseless against the dark forces within its own walls.

Both the visible reality and the unseen world that Shyamalan has
created in The Village remind us of his extraordinary skills as a master of
suspense. But, as Rumi says, what we really want is love's confusing joy.
And we are not disappointed.

The Village, by M. Night Shyamalen Essay

Matthew Lesko once said, “A degree of lying seems to be inherent in all

languages and all forms of communication.” Quite often lies are
integrated into society in order to manipulate the minds of the
receiver(s) and ultimately shape the community in a particular way. The
Village a 2004 by M. Night Shyamalen is indicative of this fact. A culture
(even one based on fear) can flourish through use of ritual
communication. First off to fully grasp the significance of ritual
communication behind the movie, The Village one must first understand
what exactly it is. Ritual communication is defined as, “A symbolic
process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and
transformed.” (Carey, 1989) The method is dependent on mass forms
of…show more content…

Since the dawning of Covington Woods’ creation, stories were told of

terrifying creatures that lived in the forests. Beasts that were attracted
to the color red and repelled by yellow and so traditions began of
avoiding red even to the point of burying crimson flowers that
blossomed. Stakes with yellow flags marked the perimeter of the village
and those who kept watch wore cloaks of yellow. Overall the affect was
very convincing and the villagers’ fear of these beasts kept them content
with their way of life, overall maintaining it. But as is the way of life there
was bound to be a hitch that if not repair could ultimately lead to the
town’s demise. Lucius Hunt was a man that had no fear of these beasts
that kept the society running. His lack of fear even led him to ask
permission to leave the village to retrieve medicines that would improve
the life of the townsfolk. Unsurprisingly the Elders were stirred; Lucius’
open mind and lack of fear for his own safety could prove dangerous to
the conservation of their world. With the best of intentions they struck
even more terror into the villagers’ hearts. Finally Lucius breaks but not
because he fears for his own safety but for the welfare of his beloved
Ivy Walker. Unbeknownst to him, his bravery has given courage to Ivy
and when Lucius falls close to death it is Ivy who seeks help to save him.
It is at this point in the movie where the audience sees the power that
ritual communication has to shape people. The Elders

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