Signs Film Analysis

In the movie Signs, directed by M. Night Shyamalan, the four characters are all brought together by an already existing tragedy, the death of a mother and wife, Colleen. The movie Signs shows how one person’s perspective on their own beliefs can change after a disastrous scenario that can either make or break a person and the people around them.

Merrill, the younger brother of Graham, is living with the family because of Graham’s inability to care and protect his family. Merrill, throughout the movie, is seen as not the father figure but as an older brother. He is younger, stronger, and faster than Graham. He was an all-star baseball player, who broke many records when he played, including the record for most strikeouts. When asked why he always

Graham resigned as reverend and unintentionally stepped back from his duties as a father figure. He has two philosophies in life, one is that everything is by luck, everything just happens. The second philosophy is that God has a plan, everything has a purpose and there are signs given to one in life. Of course he believed in the first idea, that everything is luck, in the beginning of the film. He thought that all people are on their own, yet he had his family with him at all times, so he actually is never physically alone. When Colleen died is when he lost his religion, he blames God for taking her. Graham sees Colleen’s death as something to be dreaded but it actually “meant to be”, from the words of the driver that hit Colleen. Colleen was hit by Ray, the town’s veterinarian, who fell asleep at the wheel at the same time Colleen was walking. She was pinned between the car and a tree, “she won’t be saved,” said the sheriff. Graham has his last words with her, and realizing he will never be able to talk to his wife again, becomes filled with grief and sadness. He begins to ignore his tasks as a parent for Bo and Morgan. Colleen’s death has shaken him but he doesn’t know that she was a sacrifice so that his family could survive the alien attack. If Colleen would have still been alive, collecting Bo’s unfinished water glasses, making sure Morgan had his inhaler in the basement, she would have altered their chances of