In the movie Tree of
Life the marriage between Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien represents the conflicting
philosophies of the path of nature and that of grace. By echoing the
interconnectivity of everything through the title itself and the elaborate nature
scenes, the movie develops the question of what exactly is the meaning of life
and its culmination. As Jack looks back on his memories in recent light of his
brother's death, the differing meanings of life established by his parents are
staged. While Mrs. O'Brien leads a life of Grace characterized by selflessness
and sacrifice, Mr. O'Brien leads a life of nature characterized by power and
strength. The relationship between nature and grace is emphasized through the
awe produced by catastrophic disasters and the mystery and beauty of nature
which creates but to destroy. This allows for the family to cope with the
passing of baby O'Brien by showing what little significance a single death is
compared to the backdrop of eternity.
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