Literally Speaking in Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction

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Literally Speaking in Quentin Tarantino's film Pulp Fiction

Quentin Tarantino’s film, Pulp Fiction, uses words to the fullest of their meanings. Words in the film amplify meaning through their duplicity. Characters call one another names wherein the names’ meanings enhance our understanding of what the character is saying. Even if the author or speaker does not consciously intend the meaning, the language that this paper analyzes contains meaning of psychological importance. Characters’ actual names in the film are also of particular significanc e. Nearly every character’s name reflects his personality or role in the film. Because people are human and integrating a name and personality is difficult, it is only genius for every name to be significant and meaningful. Yet, it may be surprising ho w well thought out the naming of the characters is. Pulp Fiction also touches on the interpretive value of words. Oftentimes, a person or group of people may understand the same definition of a word but interpret it differently. Language is prim arily a means of communicating ideas. The film makes an interesting point of how the actual words used may be irrelevant to the idea being portrayed. In sum, Pulp Fiction demonstrates how the meaning of speech can depend either on the choice of w ords used or on the prescribed reaction to word’s usage.

Name calling in Pulp Fiction demonstrates how the perception of a word’s meaning alters mood. In the restaurant, Ringo tries to assert his superiority by calling the waitress "Garçon," the French word for boy. He would have felt like a p owerful player in the game of life by exercising a liberal breadth of knowledge if it had been the correct word. However, his command for coffee backfires on ...

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...CUS (m) Possibly a form of MARIUS. This is the original Latin form of the name MARK.

MARIUS (m) "of Mars" (Latin). From a Roman family name. Mars was the Roman god of War.

MARK (m) English form of MARCUS or short form of MARCUS. Mark was the author of the second Gospel in the New Testament.

MARVIN (m) Meaning unknown (Celtic) or possibly "sea friend" (Old English)

MIA (f) "mine" (Italian) or short form of MARIA

PULP (pulp) n. 1. A soft, moist, shapeless mass or matter.

2. A magazine or book containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished paper.

VINCENT (m) "conquering" (Latin)

WOLF (m) wolf (english)

YOLANDA (f) "violet flower" from Greek ion "violet" and anthos "flower".

ZEDEKIAH (m) "justice of the Lord" (Hebrew). The name of several characters in the Bible.

ZED (m) Short form of ZEDEKIAH

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