Interpreting Worldviews in Art and Cinema

A culture will express its worldview typically through the arts. Artwork, music, and movies are just a few examples. For instance, in the movie, “The Earthling” (1980) starring William Holden, there are a combination of worldviews portrayed. Taking place in the Australian Outback, its perspective is primarily naturalistic, but also conveys a transcendental view of God. Ignoring any theistic worldview, the primary message of this deeply existential movie is that man is alone in the world, without any deep meaning or fundamental morality to life except what you can find for yourself.

In their book, “Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview,” Phillips, Brown, & Stonestreet (2008) describe existentialism by saying, “Each person must find

And someday you’re going to die just like someday I’m going to die. But until then you fight like hell to stay alive! You get that! And you’re on your own, because I’m not even here to help you. You’re in my way…and I don’t even know you’re

This existential perspective, however, is not the only worldview expressed in the movie. A Transcendental view of God is also presented. According to Phillips et al. (2008), transcendentalism sees God as an, “impersonal force, principle, or spirit behind the created world” (p. 34). The material world is a “manifestation of the divine nature…part of the organic fabric of all reality. We are one. We are the world” (pp. 36-37). This view is shown during their journey when Folley again chides Shawn:

You’re deaf and half blind. Sure you can hear me know, but do you listen to that water? Can you hear the birds back there? Can you hear the insects, and the wind, and the trees creaking and rubbing? You’re deaf to the frogs down there and the sun pinging off of these rocks! You’re deaf to your own heartbeat and me coming up behind you. My god, boy! There’s a whole symphony going on here and you can’t hear a