Film Study “Cast Away” - Assignment from Mr. Chesser

1. Do a character sketch of the Tom Hanks character, and do the best job you can on a character sketch of Wilson.

Chuck Noland (played by Tom Hanks) was a system analyst at FedEx in 1995. He was in his thirties, pudgy, in a serious relationship with his girlfriend Kelly. In a FedEx airplane crash accident in a tropical ocean, he survived and woke up on an uninhabited island. Despite the loneliness, with his strong will, he had been fighting for living, for being rescued everyday until a ship found him four years later. Things had been changed in the four years. He was assumed dead. Extremely shocked and disappointed, he met Kelly’s husband and was told she has become a mother. His heart was broken because Kelly was all his hope when he was on that island. Still, he went back to work as a professional and delivered the unopened package which was washed up to the island four years ago.

Wilson, Chuck’s one and only best friend on the island, was a personalized Wilson volleyball. It was created by Chuck when he accidentally cut his hand bleeding when making fire. He angrily threw the ball, leaving the bloody hand print on it. Gradually, Chuck drew a red face on the ball using his blood, made its hair from leaves, and started talking to “him”. Chuck took him wherever he went. Unfortunately, on the last voyage Chuck paddled out to the ocean seeking for rescue, Wilson drifted away in the ocean. Chuck made all his effort to save his life. Unwillingly, he gave up the struggle in despair, shouted “I’m sorry, Wilson!”, and cried for losing Wilson.

2. While on the island, the Tom Hanks character survives quite nicely. What are two things or ideas that help keep him alive?

The two things or ideas that help keep him alive are his strong will to survive and Kelly, his girlfriend. Even Chuck had been all alone for four years, he never gave up the hope of going back home, back to Kelly.

3. Why did the Tom Hanks character “Need” the volleyball, do you think?

At Chuck’s point of view, the volleyball was not a volleyball, it was Wilson, his best friend. He needed Wilson to keep him company while he was waiting for rescue on that uninhabited lonely island.

4. Would you want to leave the island? Why or why not?

Yes. I would want to leave the island because I would be driven crazy living like this. I need family, friends and a social life.

5. What do you think of the believability of this film? Do you think this could really happen?

Yes, similar situations could really happen. In fact, a real case happened years ago in Asia when people found a man had lived by himself in the mountain for years.

6. How many thumbs for this film? Why?

Two thumbs up. I like the plot very much. When Chuck finally met Kelly, when they both realized that they could not be back together, their hearts broke, mine too.