Captain Phillips Essay

Ryan Stouffer 2/2/14

Religion 11 Mr.Dole

Captain Phillips Essay

Throughout the film Captain Phillips characters can be seen with inclinations to do wrong or who naturally have a sin as a part of their nature. Each sin is spurred on for different reasons and could be deemed justifiable or understandable depending on the circumstances, especially in the perspective of the viewer. Such sins that can be seen in the film include greed, wrath/anger, and pride shown by Muse, Najee, and Captain Phillips, respectively, with pride also being applicable to the pirates. Even though these sins in principle are large ones, their motivation, which can be seen in the movie or an historical context, gives a lens of understanding as to why a character acts or needs to act a certain way. Although each sin committed could be detrimental to someone the consideration of the benefits of the characters’ sins outweigh the risks in the mindsets of the perpetrators. However, each sin has a consequence, some of which show that it is not so worthy after all to give into sin; the results of which are seen throughout the film until its end.

In the case of Muse the sin that is most prevalent is greed, with a bit of pride. Muse’s main goal and ambition is to take the Maersk Alabama and get as much money as he can from his raid and further use of the ship. However, Muse’s sin is more layered than that. Muse’s greed and motivation stem from a recurring trend in his home country of Somalia, in which piracy, under the thumb of war lords and other oligarchical figures, has become a way of life, usually when there is seemingly so other or productive choice. With these factors in mind one might infer that Muse may in fact have started out stealing and committing...