I really didn't want to analyze this film, and even now I'm unsure whether or not it is worth it. Pan's Labyrinth is an excellent film. Everything from the script to the costumes pulls me right into that world; yet there is something unsettling about the movie. This is the second time I've watched it and come away plagued by this strange sensation - this movie may define the term "haunting" in relation to film (fittingly, I decided to turn on the Donnie Darko soundtrack while I write this).
Pan's Labyrinth is a fairytale; that is its first and most unique aspect. I think that we often disregard fairytales as juvenile or childish, just like Ofelia's mother did. One of the things I've learned this semester is that symbolism can become an incredibly meaningful part of my life, and the symbol has a transformative power, even if I fail to properly uncover the meaning of it.
The faun is an unsettling character. Throughout the film I am always questioning his motives and actions. He is Ofelia's only guide and connection to the Underworld where her spirit belongs, but yet he cannot be entirely trusted. But is that really so strange? Perhaps it is only a poor teacher that is honest with you. Relating this back to Christianity, there are a lot of examples of Christ testing his followers and allowing their failure to occur as a means of instruction. In the third and final task Pan tells Ofelia that she must give up her brother in order to complete her journey. Her refusal is a rejection of the Faun's word as authoritative, but it ends up being the right choice. Ofelia's brave decision reminds me of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson from the essay, "Self-Reliance": "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string". The Faun had to test Ofelia to discover whether her soul still retained part of its original divinity.
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