Simon <[e-mail]>

Pulp Fiction

Folie:

PULP(pulp) n. 1. A soft, moist, shapeless mass of matter.
2. A magazine ar book containing lurid subject matter and being characteristically printed on rough, unfinished
paper

American Heritage Dictionary: New College Edition


The main characters are:

Vincent Vega, a white criminal who has just come back from Amsterdam
Jules Winfield, a Negro, a criminal too
Marcellus Wallace, their boss, and the boss of the Califroniyn criminals
Mia Wallace, his wife
Butch Coolidge, a boxer
Fabienne, his girlfriend
Pumpkin and Honey Bunny, a couple who rob liquor stores and small shops
Maynard and Zed, two hillbillies

Folie Ende


Vincent and Jules are driving to an apartement building. Vincent talks about his being in Amsterdam. They have
to fetch a suitcase which belongs to Marcellus. In the room 49 three guys are having breakfast: Brett, Roger and
Marvin. They betrayed Mrcellus by taking his suitcase. Jules and Vincent find the suitcase and kill Roger.

film: Marvin situation

They arrive at Jimmie's. His wife is comming home soon and Jimmie doesn't want her to see the bloody car so
Jules phones Marcellus who sends the Wolf. The Wolf is a guy who solves problems. After having cleaned the
car Jules and Vincent pull off their suits and get into Bermuda shorts and T-shirts.
They decide to have breakfast together and go to a café. Jules wants to quit his job and just walk around the earth
until God tells him that he has to settle down.
In the same café Pumpkin and Honeybunny are sitting. They want to rob the café. They take all the wallets of the
patrons. When Pumpkin wants to take Jules' wallet Jules overpowers him. Because of his becoming
religious he gives Pumpkin all his money and let them go. Then they bring the suitcase to Marcellus.
On the same evening Vincent has to take Mia out for dinner because Marcellus has to do some work. Before he
fetches Mia he buys some cocaine of high quality.
Mia and Vincent go to Jack - Rabbit - Slim's.
When they come back to Marcellu's house Mia finds the cocaine in Vincent's jacket and sniffs it. She doesn't
expect this concequences. She ODs. So Vincent's only conclusion to this problem is to bring her to Lance. Mia
gets an adrenalin shot and feels better.
The same evening Butch has a fight. He and Marcellus made an agreement that he will loose. But he decides to
win the fight and get a lot of money by betting. After the fight Butch leaves the stadion for an apartment, where
his girlfriend Fabienne is waiting for him.
The next morning Butch noticed that Fabienne forgot his watch in the other apartment. So he has to go back and
fetch it.
Vincent is waiting for him there. Butch takes his watch and finds a gun in the kitchen. When Vincent comes out
of the bathroom Butch shoots him.
After that he drives back. At an interesection Marcellus coincidentally crosses the road. Without thinking Butch
accelertes and hits Marcellus and then crashes into another car. Both on their feet again Marcellus shoots at
Butch. Butch runs into a shop where he can overpower Marcellus but before he can kill him Maynard, the owner
of the shop knocks them down. Then he phones Zed. When Zed comes Butch and Marcellus are sitting in the
back of the shop, tied.

Simon <[e-mail]>

film: The Zed - and - Maynard situation.

Something about the characters:
Jules is a very religious person. He quotes the Bible but he never thinks of that. When he witnessed the miracle
in the apartment he first starts thinking about what he is doing. And decides for himself that he can't go on like
this. Maybe the religion including th miracle makes him think about what he is doing and about the stories, loves
or life of a person he has just shot. So he changes his lifestyle.
Vincent is a full time criminal. He never thinks about what he is doing. He can only stand his job by taking
cocaine. So he must never think of people he kills. In the end Vincent gets killed but you don't mind because the
book ends with a scene where he is playing in.
Marcellus Wallace is the head of the criminals in California. He can't stand being betrayd. He thinks he can do
anthing he wants. If there is any problem he sends some of his henchmen to solve the problem. Mostly by killing
somebody. He has got many friends in the higher society so he never has problems with the police. He always
has to be the best in everything he does.
Mia Wallace: She isn't pleased with the life shi lives. She married another man but Marcellus. She wants to
show him that he has to notice her too. Maybe he just does his business and never takes her out for dinner or
something. She takes drugs - cocaine - because she wants to stand the situation. But before she got Marcellus
wife she had had no life neither. She will never change her lifestyle because she has no problems because of
Marcellus and if she gets one she will sniff a line of cocaine and the world is perfect.
Last but not least Butch Coolidge: He is a boxer but he privately is very sensitive. He doesn't want to kill
anybody. He wants to get some fast money which he can get by betraying Marcellus. He just wants to live
without any financial worries. But he has got a strong personality. He can't leave people in bad situations. You
can see that at the Zed - situation in Maynard's shop. I think Butch is an honest and easy guy.

I don't think that there is any great meaning in that book.
The book shows very good that authors and producers of films can make everybody think that these criminals are
"good" ones no matter how many guys they have killed.
Quentin Tarantino always writes about criminals. The characteristical thing about him is that none of his books
have a great meaning and that he never wrote a book with the intention to preach any moral.
About the violence in the book:
I think the best thing to do is to quote Quentin Tarantino:
"To me violence is a totally aesthetic subject. Saying you don't like violence in movies is saying you don't like
dance sequences in movies. I do like dance sequences in movies, but if I didn't, it doesn't mean I should stop
dance sequences being made."

© Simon Reisenbauer