"Double Indemnity:" Power Can Lead a Man to Kill

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            The one question that has been repeating in my mind throughout this film has to do with the motives of Walter Neff. Why does he decide to help Phyllis Deitrichson kill her husband? What motivates him to commit such a crime, when he seems like a decent, honest man? He does not have a dire need for money, and he is no criminal. He is nothing but a simple insurance agent, so why does he get involved with such a scandal? I think the main reason has to do with power. At times, it seems as if Walter has more authority in the relationship between him and Phyllis, with his smooth remarks and insurance agent status. But at the same time, Phyllis has some sort of “power” over Walter as well. She knows that once she has him in her clutches, he will do anything for her, even commit murder.

This image shows the exact relationship I just mentioned. Walter is in Phyllis’s house, and has made himself at home on her couch with a drink. He acts like he owns the place, and has everything under control. He also decides to start calling her “Baby,” which exemplifies the power he has over her (and almost a disrespectfulness too). But, Phyllis is positioned above Walter in the shot, staring down at him with a sly look on her face. It is almost like she can see right through him. She knows that Walter is attracted to her, and along with the sob story of her horrible marriage, she persuades him into helping her murder her husband and collect extra money on his life insurance. Phyllis is the definition of a “femme fatale:” an attractive woman who leads a man into danger or disaster.

          When Walter first meets Phyllis he is immediately taken by her, and returns to her house the following day. He cannot take his eyes away from the anklet she wears on her foot, or the way she walks up the stairs. But he knows he must be respectful because she is married. This is where we see a different side of his personality come out. It is the side that has one goal and one goal only: to win the affections of Phyllis Deitrichson. So maybe Walter isn’t a criminal. Maybe he isn’t a crazy murderer, but just a simple insurance agent who fell for a dangerous woman. And that is his motive for killing some innocent man.

A Tough Life for Harvey (Journal: Main Ideas)

             From what I have read so far, The Quitter is definitely exploring the topics of free will vs. fate. Just as Oedipus seemed fated to kill his father and marry his mother, Harvey seems fated to live a life of oppression and peer-pressure. Harvey was born into a Jewish family in a rough neighborhood, which almost makes certain that he will have a rough childhood. Because of his parents’ lack of understanding for American culture, he is on his own in the world of making friends. At the same time, he exercises free will by deciding to constantly fight the tough kids in his neighborhood, and similar to Oedipus’s rage, Harvey holds the capacity for great anger. Unfortunately, this does not help him in his quest for companionship, and the combination of fate and free will again drag the main character to his demise.

            When it comes to having a girlfriend, Harvey gloomily states that he “was afraid to ask them out” and “really felt like a creep.” As much as he wanted a nice girlfriend who would be a sympathetic listener, he makes it clear that it was just not an option for him. He did not know how to talk to girls, he did not have a car, and he was not rich, and these factors greatly lowered his self confidence. To him, loneliness was inevitable, and he had no choice but to deal with it and move on. Harvey has obviously been a “quitter” for his entire life, but I would argue that it was not always fate that got the best of him. It was the “easy” choices Harvey made, of his own free will, that lead him into such a state of depression. Although he cannot control where he came from, he can control where he goes in life, and should stop blaming his failures on his family situation.

            I really admire the incorporation of the “modern-day Harvey” into the story. These additions remind the reader that they are being told a story from the point of view of a man who experienced it firsthand. This Harvey has different opinions and outlooks of his life than he had when he was an adolescent. He now says, “You can’t impress everybody…,” which is something he did not realize in high school when he wanted to be the “star” of everything he attempted. This Harvey does seem wiser, because he can look back on his life, but I can still sense the frustration he has about all the misfortunes he encountered when he was younger. Understandably, it is hard to dismiss how we perceived the world while growing up.

            The theme of identity molded into Harvey’s story suggests that Harvey wants to be the best. But, he bases this standard off of his peers. When he tries to be a football star, he determines the best to mean being on the frontline. The coach does not allow this to happen. When he tries to be more outgoing at school, being the best to him means beating up other boys. Therefore, he does not have many friends. While Harvey wants to choose his identity in these situations, in the end, his environment and peers choose for him.