Socratic lessons can be articulated in all manner of ways. Pedro Blas Gonzalez examines John Huston’s 1947 fable about avarice and greed.
This is a story told from the perspective of time and the ironic constitution of the former, as this relates to human existence. What is so daunting about Dobbs’ fate does not seem important, that is, until we attempt to make sense of it. How does Dobbs’ story play out in actual human existence? Because cinema employs a closed-ended logic, that is, a resolution, the viewer is afforded a propaedeutic for future action.
propaedeutic | ˌprōpēˈd(y)o͞odik | formal
adjective: (of an area of study) serving as a preliminary instruction or as an introduction to further study.
noun: an introduction to a subject or area of study.
Via: Senses of Cinema