Symbols and Allegories in the Crossroads Film

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

Table of Contents

Introduction
An Old Legend of the Devil
Papa Legba
Black-and-white Flashbacks
Crossroads as Intersection of Old and New
Guitar Duel and Happy End
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

The film Crossroads is a very impressive example of an odyssey from a young man, fascinated by blues, to a recognized musician. This road-movie represents a striking assembly of music and drama. Beautiful music is combined with metaphorical meaning. Moreover, this film abounds in symbols and allegories and provides food for thought. Crossroads incarnates not only a journey for self-knowledge, but also deep ideas and concerns about genuine culture and music.

The story is about an ambitious beginner, who is fond of blues and tries to resemble his idols, one of which is Robert Johnson, a legendary bluesman. To achieve his cherished life-long ambition and become a skilled famous musician, Eugene Martone trails an elderly African blues musician, Willie Brown. This legendary performer lives in a Harlem hospital, where Eugene gets a job. The young man seeks for a lost thirtieth song of Robert Johnson and asks Willie for help, because Brown was Johnson’s longtime friend.

An Old Legend of the Devil

The first example of allegory can be found in an episode when Eugene plays blues to prove that he really needs to find this lost song. Brown admits that Martone plays with no soul. “Soul” is a linking motif through the whole film. In his youth Willie came to a crossroads, where Robert Johnson had made a deal with the Devil, and exchanged his soul for fame and success of a bluesman like Robert did. In fact, it is Willie who has no soul. He is cheated and tries to return his soul, but to achieve his goal he must go to the same crossroads. “Feeling cheated by his lack of fame, Willie goes back to the crossroads to renege on the deal” (Schroeder 97). He needs to give his dues to the Devil. Thus, soul symbolizes high price to pay for intention of becoming famous and recognized. Maybe, this price is too high for an ordinary human, which is mortal.

Actually, Willie manipulates Eugene and assumes that he knows the missing Robert Johnson’s tune. Martone helps him to return to Mississippi in exchange for this tune. Young Eugene lives through the lessons in want and hard living. He experiences love and betray, genuine feelings and artificial smiles. He becomes an adult man, and his lifelong dream becomes even more cherished despite obstacles he comes across.

The appearance of supernatural when they reached a rural crossroads in Mississippi is a sinister omen. Willie reveals the truth that there is no missing song. He cheers Eugene up that the young man has learnt much more than any song could teach him. Brown hints that his and Robert Johnson’s gift for music were given them by the Devil. It is this ill-boding contract that makes him suffer. All of a sudden, the Devil nicknamed Scratch shows up. He declares the contract between him and Brown valid.

This motif resembles an old legend about Faust who is reputed to have sold his soul to the Devil. Thus, an image of the Devil in the film is also an allegory. This cunning seducer represents burning ambition, fame and acknowledgement. Yearning for glory turns people into the Devil’s prey. They are ready to sacrifice their souls to become celebrated people. The Devil symbolizes irresistible temptation to get secret knowledge and become famous. Secret notion of harmonica is like the fruit from the tree of knowledge. Brown and Martone are proposed a new deal. Eugene participates in a special concert and competes with the Devil’s assistant Jack Butler. Jack Butler sold his soul too. He became an outstanding musician and was sure in his superiority. If Martone wins, Brown will get his soul back. If Eugene loses, his soul will be a forfeit. This new contract proves cunning nature of the Satan. The filmmakers combine fiction with true-to-life perfection of performing skill.

This mythical suggestion is strengthened by means of involving a real-life blues legend. The rumors told that Robert Johnson had sold his soul. It could justify his sudden famousness. Thus, the filmmakers achieve deeper meaning than a simple music fable could have. They deal with a vast variety of characters from imaginary to authentic. It makes the movie fascinating and original.

Papa Legba

The character of devil is introduced in the film by means of calling him Legba. This voodoo god stands at a spiritual crossroads. It makes him to have something in common with the idea and title of the film Crossroads. Legba gives or refuses to give permission to speak to main spiritual leader. He is a divine interpreter. To crown it all, Legba was a vehicle of communication between a world of people and a world of gods, who awarded or deprived of gifts. It is through him people could address gods and get responses. And through him Eugene could get outstanding musical ability like Brown and Johnson. Legba implies a somehow divine nature of giftedness for music and proves the main collision of the film built on the supernatural acquirement of musical ability.

Black-and-white Flashbacks

The elements of fiction mingle with true-to-life episodes. At first, back-and–white flashbacks about Robert Johnson’s life seem to contribute to verisimilitude, but their real purpose is just the opposite. They are intended to show mystical past and highlight the deal of Johnson with the Devil. Brown who tries to reclaim his soul from the Devil is sure to fail, because the Satan never loses his bets, which are made at a crossroads.

Crossroads as Intersection of Old and New

The most vivid symbol of a crossroads is not unambiguous. Its prime meaning of a place where treaties with the Devil are concluded is combined with another meaning. A rural crossroads at a deserted place symbolizes intersection of eternal evil represented by the Devil, old generation represented by Brown and new breath brought by Eugene. This new breath will contribute to the development of blues and refresh it. If there is no missing song, there is no necessity to stick to old things. It does not mean rejection; it means a new round of blues, new names, new songs and new performers.

This crossroads is a symbol of choice everybody should make in his life: to remain honest to himself or sell his soul to the Devil. Such choice shows what sacrifices a human can make to become famous. Whether celebrity is worth it, it is up to each person to decide. The Devil speculates in fairness and venality. He is persuaded in vile nature of people.

This intersection of spiritual unity and low instincts is depicted in the climax of the film. The guitar duel between Eugene playing the blues and the Devil’s assistant playing heavy metal is not simply a contest; it is a crossing of contaminated culture of the modern music industry and pure art, performing skill, and classical values. In this head-cutting contest Eugene beats the Devil with a classical guitar riff. Brown gets his soul back and Martone is recognized as a unique and outstanding bluesman.

Guitar Duel and Happy End

And one more allegory is embodied in the notion of crossroads. It is a meeting of genuine, original music and newly born cold-hearted disharmonious rhythm. Here old means authentic and candid, and new is artificial and fake. The filmmakers do not reject new tendencies; they just warn about threatening spiritual impoverishment and readiness to sacrifice everything in order to succeed.

More to the point, Eugene wins the battle because he resorts to classical training. He performs music that his rival cannot match. Brown gets his soul back, and he and Eugene come to be again in Mississippi. They hit the road. There are many unpredictable adventures ahead of them.

It appears to be a happy ending. Willie Brown is liberated from damnation and enjoys freedom of traveling without any restrictions; Eugene Martone has reached credentials as an outstanding bluesman, nicknamed “Lightning”. Thus, the main characters achieved their goals. But what appears to be an ending may turn out into a new beginning. This road of celebrity and acknowledgement can be much more difficult that that of maturation. An ordeal of fame often brings to pride and striving for individual prominence at any cost. Who knows, maybe to let Eugene to win is one more shrewd trick of the Devil.

Conclusion

Many temptations surround people. The film succeeded in showing them in a fascinating ensemble of music and fable. This story was inspired by an old legend and an authentic character of talented bluesmen Robert Johnson. Fiction and genuineness intermingle in the movie and create a canvas of allegory and reality. Elaborated symbols contribute to the main idea of the film and prove sincerity and straightforwardness of a real music despite its age.

Works Cited

Schroeder, Patricia R. Robert Johnson, mythmaking, and contemporary American culture. Urbana Univ. of Illinois Press, 2004.

Click Here To Order Now!