The Meaning of Sport in Two Films: Any Given Sunday and Field of Dreams
Sport has been a significant part of society for centuries. In part, sport is a recreational activity, a social activity, and a means of competing. However, sport also holds greater significance for many people. It represents something that goes beyond just competing or just winning and says something about the way people interact and work together to achieve their dreams. At the same time though, the meaning of sport has been lost over the years. Winning has become so important to some that the joy of sport has been lost. For others, sport has become so intertwined with making money that the meaning has eroded. In today's society, the joy and meaning in sport has begun to be lost. Two films that deal with these issues are Any Given Sunday and Field of Dreams. Both films offer a view of sport that attempts to remind the viewer of the meaning inherent in sport, showing the viewer that sport is something scared and suggesting that people need to remember what sport once was and not allow it to erode further. While this overall message is shared by the two films, there are significant differences in the details of the messages provided and in the way they are communicated. This will now be considered in detail by comparin
g various aspects of the two films. This will show that the two films present slightly different views and present these views in different ways, while sharing an overall message about the meaning inherent in sport and how important it is to hold on to this meaning. It has now been seen that the two films share some significant similarities. Most importantly, both films show that in current times, sport has begun to lose its meaning. Both films can be considered as a way of calling on people to recall their love of sport and to stop the meaning of sport from being eroded completely. The major difference is what the two films suggest as the meaning of sport, with Any Given Sunday offering themes of sacrifice and loyalty, while Field of Dreams suggests that the meaning of sport is something deep, significant, and indescribable. Even though this meaning is different in each film, the same overall message is conveyed, which is that there is meaning inherent in sport and that this meaning needs to be held on to. The final question that needs to be asked refers to what sport means to individuals, if it is not all about winning. This is one area where there is a significant difference between the two films. In Any Given Sunday, there is a theme of sacrificing for the team, while being the kind of person that can rely on others and that can be relied upon. In Field of Dreams, sport is more important because of a meaning that is deep, sacred, and largely indescribable. In Any Given Sunday, Tony expresses the theme of sacrifice and reliance in his half-time speech to this losing team. He asks that every team member be willing to sacrifice themselves for the team. He also says that every team should be able to look into the eyes of the man next to them and know that they are also willing to sacrifice themselves. This creates a strong image of a team of people believing in each other and relying on each other to such a degree that they are able to function as one. For individuals then, sport becomes about having faith in other people, while respecting that people also have faith in you. This includes giving up and being willing to sacrifice your own needs for the team. This same message is presented via Tony's own story. The film shows how he has been relentlessly loyal to his team and to his players. It is clear that he has put the team's needs so much ahead of his own, that he has no significant life of his own to enjoy. In doing this, he has even lost part of himself, which is clear in his speech where he describes how he can no longer stand to look in the mirror. It is significant that despite all the mistakes he has made in his own life, and despite and his regrets, he has never once let his team down. In this way, Tony represents the ultimate sacrifice, where he has truly sacrificed himself for the team. Tony has also shown himself to be loyal and completely reliable. This is suggested where Tony describes how his agreements with Christina's father only required a handshake. This shows that Christina's father knew that Tony's word was better than any signature and illustrates how reliable he is considered. It is also significant that despite all the pressures against Tony, including Christina, he continues to do what is best for the team and never deserts them. This illustrates that the themes of sacrifice and reliance are not only related to players of sport. Another way the themes of sacrifice and reliance are shown is through the comparison of Willie Beamen and Jack Rooney. While they are both quarterbacks, it is seen that their approach to the team is significantly different. Beamen only has regard for himself and is only concerned about his own needs. He does not show the loyalty, the willingness to sacrifice, or the reliance that is needed. These become the aspects that lead to his downfall. Jack Rooney is quite the opposite. He supports his team, rallies his team mates, is a positive forc
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Approximate Word count = 3718
Approximate Pages = 15 (250 words per page double spaced)
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