Pulp Fiction: Light in the Darkness of Morality

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Pulp Fiction: Light in the Darkness of Morality

According to Webster’s dictionary the definition of ethics is, “Moral principles that govern a person or group's behavior. The definition of moral is, “Concern with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character.” Pulp Fiction presents many ethical issues of violence, racism, drugs, greed, and excessive individualism that reflect human experience. It connects the storylines of LA mobsters, small-time criminals, and a mysterious briefcase in a battle between courage and vengeance. In this essay I will explain how Quentin Tarantino’s film Pulp Fiction is a profound ethical exploration of human nature and that morals can be found even in seemingly evil people and in the darkest of situations.

Some important scenes from the film are breakfast in the Diner, Butch’s match, the pawnshop, Mia Wallace’s near heroin overdose, the Gold watch, and Jule’s epilogue at the Diner. The first scene is the prelude to the last scene. Ringo and Honey Bunny, a pair of crooks, decide to change their luck by robbing the very diner in which they are eating. As soon as they begin to put their plan into action the scene shifts to the first main story with Vincent and Jules who are on their way to work. The topic came up of whether their boss overacted when he had a man tossed out of a window because he massaged the feet of his wife. This dialogue between Vincent and Jules is important because it explores the moral limits of foot massaging and whether it deserves an act of revenge worthy of adultery.

Butch’s fighting match is another important scene. He accepted a large sum of money from mobster Marsellus to agree to lose his upcoming match and instead he brutal...

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