Analysis of Narrative Resolution - Trainspotting


Analysis of Narrative Resolution - Trainspotting


The film Trainspotting has a full circle ending where the audience understands the reasoning behind the characters actions as the ideological themes are resolved. Themes such as friendship, betrayal, and addiction between others. Also, the moral message varies from person to person as the audience understands and becomes more empathetic towards the main character, Mark Renton. 


Even though one of the most recognisable themes of the film is family and friendship, it is not represented as expected. Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, Tommy and Begbie are not friends. They all use each other for their own benefit and let themselves end either in prison or in the hospital with an overdose. Tommy dies due to Renton’s irresponsible choice that led Lizzy (Tommy’s girlfriend) to break up with him, making him depressed and rely on heroin to numb his pain. He contracts HIV and proclaims that he has AIDS when Renton goes to visit him after his own overdose episode and getting clean. Renton never confesses to Tommy although he does feel responsible. Even in Tommy’s funeral, Renton is not respectful enough to be quiet during the ceremony and, instead, talks to one of Tommy’s friends about what happened to him. The friend explained about “toxoplasmosis” and how it was the source of Tommy’s disease which he mixed with heroin and resulted in his death. In a way, Tommy was destined to become an addict as he was addicted to exercise in the beginning and when life got complicated, he saw heroin as a solution. 


On the other hand, Renton did escape addiction after his overdose and got the opportunity to leave that life behind. He moved to London as an opportunity to become a normal and mundane citizen. A lifestyle that he desperately needed and which he had started to appreciate more. But when Begbie, Sick Boy and Spud come back into his life for the purpose of business, Renton agrees to help them once more, but their relationship is clearly damaged. The four of them don’t even seem friends anymore, more like business partners instead. The hostility and anger from Begbie and Sick Boy is probably what made up his mind about betraying them in the hotel room. The moment when Renton decided to take the bag full of money from Begbie’s arms while everyone was asleep, is Renton’s last “hurrah” before giving up this lifestyle once and for all. At this point, the audience is already aware of Begbie’s character and actions so even though it is not morally correct, the betrayal seems fair and deserved. When Renton is making his way out of the room he notices Spud awake. There is a nonverbal exchange between them that could mean “come with me” or “don’t do this”. Renton does not bear a grudge against him as he understands that he is unique in never having hurt him, but Spud decides to stay where he is and lets Renton leave. At the end, Spud is left with an amount of money as a sign of gratitude and as a representation of their “friendship”. 


By the end of the film, the audience understands that the narrative resolution was Renton’s growth as a character: how he grew up from a child who used his drug addiction to avoid responsibilities, to a man who wanted to embrace those responsibilities and preferred to live a simple, boring life. Mark Renton left his friends and old lifestyle in the past to become a better individual and citizen, which could be considered a happy ending taking into account the first time the audience saw Renton and how much he has changed in comparison.










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