Matt Page- The Sixth Sense

There is a lot of symbolism in this film. Some of it is obvious, like setting the film during the Halloween season. This is the mythological time when the nature god dies and awaits rebirth in the spring. Fall is the time of the dead, which is opposite the season of spring, which involves resurrection and rebirth. The establishment of a holy place or sanctuary is also an important theme in this film. The boy, Cole, seeks a place of peace from all the dead spirits and finds that place in the church. Another sense of the sacred in this film comes from the use of religious and secular icons such as little figurines of Jesus, the saints, and even plastic soldiers and puppets. Aside from these figurines being religious, they also remind the viewer of those who have passed on to the after life. People I have talked to about these films seem to fault it for its communication with the dead, but I believe is too powerful and filled with too many symbols to dismiss. The film is a fantasy, but the story is filled with important truth and crucial life issues.