The main protagonist of his story bullet in the brain Tobias Wolff is someone who represents our present-day life. The character of ‘Anders’ shows the real-life struggles of growing up. This is evident from his attitude. He is a critic, sarcastic, and comic. Right from the beginning of the story until Anders is shot a bullet in the brain that finally leads him to his death.
In a rather comic way, he even challenges the robbers at the bank as if it was a script being played. Unfortunately, he gets into an argument with one of the two robbers and further instigates them to take any action that takes away his life ultimately. However, it is important to note that whatever was said or reacted by Anders in bullet in the brain analysis is a reflection of his childhood memories.
Synopsis of a bullet in the brain analysis
Just as the banking hours are about to close, Anders arrives at the bank. He is standing in the queue for his turn at the counter. At the waiting queue, he is behind two other women who are having some “stupid conversation” according to him and turns off his mood immediately. Shortly, the bank teller counter is shut closed early than usual. As a reaction to that, the two women grumble about it and turn to Anders for his participation as well. However, Ander does not involve himself annoying the two ladies.
Following soon, the whole environment at the bank goes cold and silent as twos masked men enter. They have arms and have taken the security guard as their hostage. The robbers warn everyone to remain quiet if not they shall be “dead meat.” This remark makes a bullet in the brain analysis of Anders nostalgia and he quips a sarcastic comment to the women he was criticizing earlier.
While robbers are still capturing the bank and controlling everyone under their target, Anders is full of cynicism not caring about the threat he is under. He even manages to crack a joke in such a situation. He even slams the robbers for their language inviting more trouble for him. After the robbers call out for the bank teller who vacates her desk earlier. Anders further comments on the situation as “Justice is done.”
However, this time his comments are not gone unnoticed as one of the robbers is completely in attention towards Anders. The robber aims his pistol at Ander’s stomach warning him to shut up. But Anders keeps challenging the robbers and even has an eye to eye contact with them.
After a moment, Anders realizes a strange uncomforted with the pistol pointed at his abdomen. Moving up, the robber tilts Ander’s head towards the ceiling of which paints with the pistol still aimed at him. All this while, Anders is still unable to remain in his sense and has a strong urge to burst out laughing. He tries hard to concentrate on the mural painting but does not find them interesting at all.
In his subconscious mind, he is playing the events going around him and manages some sarcastic commentary as well. This catches the robbers attention and displeases that Anders is finding him “comical”; or “some kind of clown” He gives a final warning to Anders to behave himself if not he will be “history,” Again Anders tries to focus on the paintings to distract himself from the events but fails miserably. This time round the robber pisses off Anders.
The robber uses yet another cliché from a gangster movie which finally tickles Anders bursting out in a laugh. As a reaction to Ander’s disobedience, the robber aims at him and fires a shot in his head. As soon as the bullet hits the skull what begins is the travel of information then activates by the brain and bullet in the brain analysis.
A bullet in the brain movie
In the year 1998, a digital adaptation of Tobias Wolff’s ‘Bullet in the Brain’ launched by David Von Ancken. The format of the bullet in the brain short film is similar to the theme of its original work.
Towards the end of the movie, a voice-over is playing depicting what the protagonist DOES NOT remember followed by what he DOES remember from his life. Keeping with the speed of the bullet approaching to hit his brain. There are many flashbacks playing of those people and memories that Andres has come across during his lifetime.
In the next sequence, we get to know the young Anders, as a child. Anders is out at a field with his cousin, a recollects a grammatical error he had made while a baseball game. Anders is wearing the same watch as what he wears as an adult today. The mention of this watch is distinctive in the movie, and not taken from the book version bullet in the brain analysis.
As the bullet enters into Anders brain, which will finally lead him to death. All he remembers is a good day of summer that he has spent with his cousin. It was the good old days of his childhood.
The bullet in the brain summary
Once the bullet has entered Anders’s brain, Ander falls back to his childhood memories which come out to be the best time of his life. This symbolizes innocence and happiness bullet in the brain analysis where Ander is as a carefree child. Another memory that Anders remembers is his college professor reading out some work of Greek times that moves Anders.
Significantly, Anders has developed a love of books, literature, and languages. This indicated that Anders was a wise and intellectual person. Conversely, at present, Anders has become intolerant to language. He finds his career too boring and routine and has lost passion for it.
The bullet in the brain analysis closing scene brings us to a time where Anders is playing a baseball game. Then two new players join, whom Anders welcomes excitedly. This is no more the case in his present scenario as he is unreceptive to new people around him. When one of the players suggests playing shortstop, because “they is” the best position, the mispronunciation immediately catches Anders attention because of the way it has a sound to it. This mispronunciation remains with Anders until his last breath as death draws closer and closer.
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