Rick can be described as a round character in Casablanca. Since Rick is the main
character in the film, viewers gain ample knowledge of the intricacies of his
personality. From the beginning, he is portrayed as a nonchalant individual
with little concern for those around him. He has a disheveled appearance as he
struggles with alcohol and seems to manipulate others for personal benefit. When
Ilsa enters the picture, Rick displays a resentful and anger-ridden mentality;
however, this is when he begins to change. Viewers see a softer, more romantic
side of Rick in intimate scenes shared with Ilsa alone. He even begins showing
signs of compassion when he helps a needy husband and wife win the money in the
saloon that they need to pay for their papers to leave Casablanca.
As the play progresses, Rick’s actions become ever more
important to drive the plot. When he and Ilsa are up late talking at the saloon
and Laszlo shows up, Rick makes quick and strategic decisions to keep Laszlo
from discovering their secret love. Although the viewer is unsure about Rick’s
motivations to keep the secret, his later actions confirm a change in
personality. Rick, with the help of Captain Renault, devises an intricate plan
to see that Ilsa and Laszlo safely flee the dangers of Casablanca. Although
Rick must forfeit his love for Ilsa, he lays aside his selfish tendencies.
Two of the main components of a hero emphasized by Campbell
in The Hero’s Adventure are a
transformation and a sacrifice. Rick’s unexpected encounter with Ilsa in his
saloon leads to his ultimate transformation from self-centered bitterness to
community-focused loyalty to Laszlo’s French resistance to the Nazi regime. In
order for this transformation to occur, Rick willingly sacrifices his love
affair with Ilsa in honor of her marriage to Laszlo. These aspects of Rick’s
characterization undoubtedly classify him as a hero in the film.
Rick proves to hold a vital role in shaping the plot and
overall outcome of Casablanca. His decision
to send Ilsa off with her husband for good writes the perfect ending to the
beautiful. This, along with his personality transformation, characterizes him
as an importantly dynamic, round, and heroic character in Casablanca.
Emily, you make a solid case. However, I don't think that Rick really goes through a change of character. It seems as if he's reverting back into a character he once was- a character that existed in Paris. I don't completely believe that he sacrifices his love affair with Ilsa for the sake of her marriage to Laszlo. The underlying cause of this sacrifice is a simple one- he loves Ilsa. If Ilsa stayed with him he could not ensure her safety- but if she went with Laszlo she'd live fine for the rest of her life. Laszlo and Rick both had a mutual understanding of that. Undoubtedly you are right in saying he's an 'importantly dynamic, round, and heroic character in Casablanca,' but maybe not entirely for reasons you'd think. Just giving a separate perspective- tell me what you think!
ReplyDeleteJennifer,
ReplyDeleteI understand your argument, but in the context of the film I truly believe Rick transformed. Although he may have had a personality in Paris that closely resembled that of his final character at the end of the film, he still went through an impressive change in the course of the drama.
Although this example is more exaggerated than what Rick encountered, I'm going to use it for the sake of making a point. Let's say that a wonderful person with a genuine personality fell into the crutch of drugs and alcohol. For a number of years they struggled with addiction. After a prolonged period of strife, they checked into rehab and came out of the addiction, reverting back to the person they were before the entrapment of drugs and alcohol. Would you not consider them to have transformed? Just like this hypothetical individual, Rick underwent a change for the better. He is not the same person that he was at the beginning of the film.
Concerning Rick's love affair with Ilsa, I do agree that his actions were in part based on his sincere love for her. However, I believe he still made a sacrifice. After falling in love with her once again like he had in Paris, he is sacrificing the life he wishes to begin with her. He is giving up the possibility of running away with her and starting a new life together.
I agree with you Emily, he said early in the film "I stick my neck out for nobody" showing his more cynical side sense losing Isla the first time. In the end that is exactly what he does, he sticks his neck out for Isla, and also her husband which is very important. He gave up the lifestyle he really wished for himself and Isla, for the sake of not just Isla but also Victor and their marriage and future together.
DeleteWhen I first saw the character of Rick, he struck me as the prototypical expatriate. I've done a fair amount of traveling and the majority of the expats I've met generally like to be left alone and don't bother anybody. Whether you want to phrase it as "won't stick his neck out for anybody" or "mind your business", for whatever reason, leaving your own country does that to people. Maybe you can never really connect in a new place and it never quite becomes home. As an American in France, Rick didn't generally take sides on any "local" issues, but the arrival of Ilsa and the Nazis provided the motivation for him to take a stand and rediscover himself in a sense. I suspect the Nazi invasion of Paris made Rick a little more cynical, and it was refreshing to see him come back around to the side of the resistance.
ReplyDeleteI can see the arguments of both Jennifer and Emily, but I believe in the context of how we know and understand Rick, I would say he is a round character. Sure, Rick may have been different in Paris, and he may have reverted to his original self, but the point is that is not who Rick is anymore at the beginning of the film. Rick has assumed a new identity- no longer going by Richard. I believe this fact allows us to see Rick and "Richard" as two separate characters, and allows the character of Rick to grow and develop.
ReplyDeleteI will agree with Jennifer though, that Rick did not sacrifice his relationship with Ilsa to respect her marriage. He did that because he knew that she was part of something larger than himself. Laszlo may have been able to survive without her, but he may lose his entire motivation for his cause without her (Rick tells Ilsa this on the runway). Rick's transformation comes from looking beyond his personal desires as he works toward a larger goal.
Everyone is bringing up excellent points, and I am loving this conversation!
DeleteI wanted to add my opinion of Rick's sacrifice of Ilsa. I disagree with Emily when she said that he knew they could not live safely in Casablanca. Firstly, Rick is a well established person of the city with close connections with the police, he would have no problem keeping Ilsa safe. Second, had he decided to stay with Ilsa, he would have turned in Laszlo and taken the two stolen transit papers for himself and Ilsa. The plan, to Ilsa's and the audience's knowledge, was always to use the transit papers to get the two of them to America.
I also disagree with Alexander's opinion that Rick sacrificed a life with Ilsa because she was part of something larger than himself. The character of Rick is very much a rationalist. Whether he still loves Ilsa or not, he cannot forget that she left him for Victor once, what will stop her from doing it again if Victor ever makes it to America? I think that Rick let's Ilsa go with Victor because he does not want her to break his heart again, and he may not even believe that Ilsa really loves him. While this is just wild speculation, it could be possible that Ilsa was just using him and playing with his feelings because she knew that he could get her to America.
If we assume that my opinion of why Rick let Ilsa and Victor escape together is true, we can also assume that in doing this Rick is still not sticking out his neck for anybody. He would be protecting himself and insuring he won his bet with Louie by letting the two escape together. Not to mention the perks of killing Strasser, now there's one less German breathing down his neck.