Groundhog Day Essay

661 Words3 Pages
In the movie Groundhog Day, Phil Connors, an egocentric news reporter is trapped on a day where a groundhog predicts the coming of spring if it comes out of its burrow. The town of Punxsutawney has the largest Groundhog Day celebration. However, Phil hates Groundhog Day and is stuck in an endless time loop where he wakes up on Groundhog Day over and over again. Over time, his purpose changes from fulfilling hedonistic desires to wanting true love and he becomes a completely different person. In the movie, Phil has complete free-will and limited control of his life. These themes also relate and contrast to the myth of Sisyphus and the Guest as well. First, Phil has complete free-will over what he does from day to day. At first, Phil decides that he wants to accomplish his selfish goals first. For example, he punches Ned Ryerson in the face because he annoys him. He also uses the time loop to his advantage by finding out more about a girl named Nancy Taylor everyday and eventually having sex with her. However, towards the end of the movie, he moves away from these goals and desires intimacy instead. He falls in love with Rita and tries for many months to try and get close to her. Whenever Phil feels like he is getting close, it ends in a slap in the face from Rita. He also decides to help the old homeless man on the street. The homeless man was close to dying and Phil fed him and gave him hospitality in his finals hours of life. Phil uses the free-will to fulfill his hedonistic goals first, but later uses it to do selfless deeds. Second, Phil has almost no control over his life. On the first Groundhog Day, there is a blizzard when Phil has to leave down. Phil exclaims “I am the weather!” This statement is very ironic because he doesn’t even have control over what his happening in his own life. Phil feels like his existence from day to day is meaningless and
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