Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction

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In Pulp Fiction, directed by Quentin Tarantino, Tarantino uses quirky dialogue, vivid visuals, and nihilism to mirror postmodern pop culture in western society in the early 1990’s. The film artfully portrays the 1990’s as a time where action granted meaning instead of performing moral actions; where there was a social hierarchy held by mob bosses to control those who attempted to search for meaning through action, doing outrageously violent and horrible things without the slightest scruples.
Pulp Fiction contains specifically existential nihilism, which is the belief that life has no true purpose or value. Expressed through the nihilism held by the characters, they involve themselves in situations with a degree of egotism, only considering their own personal interest and demonstrate complete neglect and disregard for the interests or lives of others. For example, in one scene, Jules (one of the henchmen) kills three of his boss’s former business partners with the hope that completing this task will put him on the track for his much-desired retirement. Jules accomplishes this task with seemingly no hesitation, demonstrating his nihilistic character by not valuing the lives of any of these men, and even putting himself in danger.
Nihilism is further portrayed in Pulp Fiction through religion because the scientific revolution made man interpret life with a different perspective, one potentially without a divine being. Throughout the movie, Jules preaches a Bible passage to his victims before he murders them without having any idea what it truly means. It is ironic because this passage, Ezekiel 25:17, “refers to a system of values and meaning by which one could lead one’s life and make moral decisions.” However, Jules life does not c...

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...3. 246-248. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
Dean, Adam. "Pulp Fiction." Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia. Ed. Philip C. DiMare. Vol. 2. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011. 404-405. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.
Fried, John . "Pulp Fiction Cineaste ." . N.p., 07 Sept. 2011. Web. 2 Dec 2011.
Klawans, Stuart. "Pulp Fiction." Nation 20 June 1994: 883. Questia School. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Nile, Richard. "Pulp Fiction: Popular Culture and Literary Reputation." Journal of Australian Studies (1998): 66. Questia School. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
Stone, Dr. Alan A. "Pulp Fiction. (Reel Life)." Clinical Psychiatry News July 2002: 32. Questia School. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
"Pulps and Detective Fiction." American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 3: 1920-1929. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

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