I first saw Cast Away in a theater in San Diego with my best friend Jason. It was in the summer opt 2001 and after all that Tom Hanks had done in the 90’s I really looked forward to seeing this film. After seeing, however, I was struck with the fact that God is surprisingly absent from the film. Stuck on an island for 4 years, Chuck Noland doesn’t even say a prayer.
I’ve changed my mind about Cast Away, however, after watching several more times. A film that names its central character Chuck and is titled Cast Away instead of castaway is worthy of careful consideration. God is surprisingly present in the film even though Chuck Noland never transparently acknowledges it.
The isolation the film makers cause you to experience on this island is fascinating. Without music, without a bird, and without bugs there is no music until Chuck finally gets off the island. Just the powding of the surf. Chuck can’t make fire. He tries and tries but he can’t do it. That is until Wilson comes into his life. Once Wilson arrives he can do it. Look what I have done. I have made fire! Chuck cries out. Chuck thinks he can do whatever he wants to do. But in the end he acknowledges that he came to an end of himself and wanted to kill himself. But the log broke the tree instead and received a warm feeling that he could go on. He acknowledges that he couldn’t get off the island until he found the sail to harness the wind just suddenly washed up on shore. It was angel wings that he puts on the sail.
