Captain Fantastic: Issues and Ideologies. Rituals. (Pt. II)


 Captain Fantastic: Issues and Ideologies. Rituals (Pt. II)


There is a big difference between the rituals that each side of Leslie’s family holds for her. Her parents, more traditional and part of society, have this common ceremony where her own wishes of what she would like to happen to her body are not being respected. On the other hand, Ben and their children end up holding a ceremony where they remember their mother happily and do as she wished with her body and ashes.

The traditional funeral shows that the event itself is not for Leslie, but for those still alive. A chance to mourn her (whether they knew her or not) and support the closest family to her. Meaningless words are always being shared in this type of events: the priest and those giving their respects to Leslie’s parents – Jack and Abigail – being good examples of this. An impersonal ceremony held for those alive which was not even what Leslie wanted for herself.
As a comparison to this, the personal ritual that Ben and his children have in the name of Leslie seems more meaningful and respectful to her own dying wishes. She wrote in her testament that, as she practiced Buddhism, she wanted to be cremated and (to prove her sense of humour) her ashes to be thrown down the toilet of an airport. They cremated her body in a beautiful location, where she was being remembered happily with songs, music and dancing, celebrating her existence and her memory.

In this situation, it is very easy to empathise with both Ben and Jack. Ben had lost his wife, the love of his life, and the mother of his six children, while Jack had lost his only daughter. It is fair to respect Jack’s opinion on what to do with Leslie, as he seeks closure in the only way he knows, but he was disrespecting his daughter’s wishes as he did not understand why she would like to be cremated and have her ashes thrown to an airport toilet. Jack just wants normal and traditional in spite of going against Leslie. In the depressing funeral he held, dozens of people were wearing black and sat silently in order, mourning for her loss, when she wanted the exact opposite.
In comparison, Jack desperately wants to fulfill and celebrate her as she had wanted: in a positive, colourful and happy environment. Through film form, his ritual is more likeable and appealing to the audience as their children sing her favourite song, play music and are happy together. It is not a fair allegiance though, as Jack is at a ideological disadvantage but it is compensated with film form and the narrative of Leslie’s desires.

This contrast about the nature of the traditional funerals with Jack’s appealing ritual does make the audience think about why individuals follow traditions in spite of someone’s beliefs and/or wishes. Funerals should not be a social event where everyone goes to pay respects to a family they barely know, – it should be a family and close friends reunion, where the individual should be celebrated however they wanted to be celebrated. Everyone is entitled to do with their corpse what they feel necessary, even if it is inspired by religion, tradition or sense of humour. The scene where Ben and his kids dispose of her ashes in the airport toilet is shocking, but funny nonetheless. It was what she wanted and those wishes should be respected in spite of agreeing or not.



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