It isn't right that other men should fight and die.
I need to serve.
Right in the middle with the other guys, no less danger, just…
while everybody else is taking life, I'm going to be saving it.
Watching the story of Desmond Doss in Mel Gibson’s Hacksaw Ridge,
I’m reminded of Dostoevsky’s The Idiot which tells the tale of a young man who, similarly to Desmond,
is so honest and kind, so pure of heart,
that others consider him to be suspicious, naïve, or even, an idiot.
The real purpose of the story however is to portray what can be described as ‘a truly beautiful soul’,
and to explore the struggle of innocence and goodness in a corrupted world.
With the world so set on tearing itself apart,
it doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me to wanna put a little bit of it back together.
Today; I want to dive deeper into the perilous journey of the truly beautiful soul;
discuss the structure of its narrative arc,
examine the qualities and beliefs of its character,
and reflect on why it is so important to remember and honor the stories of these unlikely heroes.
To take another man’s life that is the most egregious sin in the Lord’s eye.
Nothing hurts his heart so much.
The first thing that makes Desmond’s journey stand out
is that his character does not change over the course of the film.
The great moral lesson that is often found at the end of a story
has already been figured out at the beginning of his.
Instead, the conflict is found in the struggle to maintain his beliefs in the face of various external circumstances.
From a storytelling perspective; this is referred to as a Flat Arc.
In Creating Character Arcs, K.M. Weiland writes;
Also called the ‘testing arc,’ the Flat Arc is about a character who does not change.
He already has the Truth figured out in the beginning of the story,
and he uses that Truth to help him overcome various external tests.
The flat-arc protagonist will be confronted with tremendous opposition.
He will at times be shaken.
His commitment to the Truth will be tested to the breaking point
– but he will never step away from it.
So what is the truth that Desmond has to defend?
For starters, there is his unwillingness to kill another human being.
I ain’t got no problem with wearing my uniform, saluting the flag and doing my duty,
it’s just carrying a gun and taking a human life.
While this conviction stems from his Christian faith, it is basically a categorical imperative
as found in Kant’s moral philosophy, which is based on logic rather than religion.
In either case; it’s a moral principle that must be obeyed at all times;
and when Desmond signs up to serve in the military, it is one that is obviously challenged;
You know quite a bit of killing does occur in a war?
I mean, that’s the essential nature of war.
Yes sir.
By refusing to pick up a rifle, Desmond becomes an outsider within his own unit.
In this part of the story; The protagonist is still going to be in reaction mode.
This does not mean he’s passive; it just means he’s not in control of the conflict
– the antagonistic force is.
In contrast to the Positive Change Arc, the character is going to spend the First Half
of the Second Act getting punished for believing the Truth.
Everyone around him will try to convince him he’s an idiot for opposing the Lie.
Private Doss does not believe in violence, he does not practice violence.
Do not look to him to save you on the battlefield.
We see this as they try to get rid of him by declaring him mentally unfit,
You hear voices Desmond?
No sir.
But I understand that God talks to you is that right?
Sir I am not a crazy person.
By court-martialing him for disobeying orders,
He flaunts his contempt by directly disobeying a series of direct orders from his commanding officer.
And by relentlessly bullying him.
But like Dostoevsky’s idiot, it’s not just his belief in non-violence that is under attack.
It is also the essence of his personality, his goodness and innocence, that are being challenged.
We meet Desmond as someone who is sincere, gentle and selfless,
which Mel Gibson emphasizes by the genuine, if not somewhat cheesy style of these early scenes
of Desmond’s family life and his blossoming romance with Dorothy.
Ever since you stuck me with that needle my heart's been beating real fast.
Every time I think about you it beats faster still.
But these qualities only seem to make him more of an outcast among his fellow men.
See I don’t think this is a question of religion fellas, I think this is cowardice.
To them, he is seen as someone who is afraid of violence,
who is too naive and child-like to be taken seriously.
See, there you go thinking it all out.
Did you figure this war is gonna fit in with you?
Your ideas?
What you got there Dessy?
And who isn’t masculine enough to be with the woman he loves.
Now this would be the kind of broad that deserves a real man.
And it is here that the true antagonist is revealed,
the Lie that opposes Desmond’s truth, which is;
There is no place for love, goodness and compassion in a violent world,
and especially not in men who are tasked with protecting the innocent from, well, other men.
It is what we men fight for, to protect our women and children,
even if private Doss’ beliefs might cause women and children to die.
All this hostility accumulates into a moment of doubt for Desmond
where significant uncertainty arises about the logic of his beliefs;
Just like any man, I wrestle with my conscience,
but what do you do when everything you value in this world is under attack?
And the qualities of his own character;
Why can’t you just pick up the stupid gun and wave it around?
But I can’t do that.
Yes you can, it’s just pride, pride and stubbornness, don’t confuse your will with the Lord’s.
Have I been prideful?
Maybe I’m prideful.
But then comes the revelation;
a reminder of why his struggle was so important,
a reminder of what is at stake.
At this midpoint, Desmond re-discovers his confidence,
and he even finds an unexpected ally in his father who,
after being exposed to the implications of the Lie himself,
Is that truly the way it works?
You fight for your country, you lose so much that was dear to you and then you’re done with?
Begins to see the light and comes to his son’s aid.
Private Doss, you are free to run into the hellfire of battle without a single weapon to protect yourself.
Moving past the midpoint, Desmond is no longer reacting to external forces, he is taking action.
The doubts he had about his beliefs are gone,
and it is now the world around him that is awakening to his truth.
I learned how to hate quick.
Learned how to judge people even quicker and I got you very wrong.
Desmond’s success is however short-lived, for his greatest obstacle is yet to come.
As the American forces are overrun, Desmond tries to help as much as he can,
but all his efforts seem in vain.
At this point, he is confident in his beliefs,
but not in his ability to use those beliefs to make a meaningful difference.
It raises the essential question; is his truth powerful enough to overcome the lie?
Is there any real value in love, goodness and compassion
in a world so corrupted by evil and suffering?
What is it you want of me?
Desmond doesn’t really get a chance to think it over
as the cries for a medic quickly call him back into the hellfire.
All right.
Saving the world, one man at the time.
Maybe it does take an idiot.
A bit of dim-witted bravery and blind devotion.
Please lord, help me get one more.
Help me get one more.
Either way; He is committed up to his neck.
He will do anything to accomplish his goal – even if it means sacrificing his life.
One more.
Help me get one more.
As the sun rises, we find that Desmond’s faith passed its great tribulation,
but it didn’t leave him completely unchanged.
His beliefs remain intact, but all the non-vital elements, like his insistence on not touching a gun,
You’re like gum on a shoe ain’t you? - Give me this.
have been discarded.
Jump on it.
You kidding?
No, I’m gonna drag you.
Stripped down to its core, Desmond’s truth is now embodied in its absolute essence.
And as a result; everyone around him now embraces it too.
All I saw was a skinny kid.
I didn't know who you were.
You've done more than any other man could've done in the service of his country.
Now, I've never been more wrong about someone in my life,
I hope one day you can forgive me.
The climax follows the soldiers as they once again attempt to take Hacksaw Ridge,
We have to go back up tomorrow.
This time not driven by brute force or hyper-masculine heroics, but by Desmond’s spirit.
Most of these men don't believe the same way you do, but they believe so much in how much you believe.
And what you did up that ridge is nothing short of a miracle and they want a piece of it.
And they’re not gonna go up there without you.
And so, with everyone having embraced the truth;
the same battle that earlier was lost, is now won.
You may however notice a discrepancy between Desmond’s beliefs
and the violence involved in the final victory.
Jesus said; ‘a new commandment I give unto you,
that you love one another, just as I have loved you.’
But I think this actually emphasizes the real purpose of Desmond’s truth;
it is not meant to rescue a corrupted world or to solve the eternal problem of human evil,
it is meant to endure despite of it.
Dostoevsky believed that the world would eventually take the best of the individuals like Desmond,
that like Christ, they are fated to be destroyed.
But fortunately, history has proven to be a little kinder.
President Truman decorates you, Desmond T. Doss, with a congressional medal of honor.
I thank God for letting me do my part in this war and saving the lives of my fellow men.
Overall, Hacksaw Ridge shows us how easily we project our own fears and insecurities on others,
how readily we deny ourselves love and compassion,
and how quickly we fail to believe;
fail to believe that we can do good even if it’s against our better judgement,
that we can be brave when all is falling apart,
and that we can keep going even though we have every reason to give up.
And to witness someone like Desmond Doss,
someone who reminds us of that strength, of that potential of the human will,
that is truly beautiful.