Let's face it: we've all wanted to be able to just pull a hole out of thin air and vanish into it—no more cares, worries, or responsibilities. Well, in Time Bandits, Kevin and the dwarves are actually able to do that. Granted, the dwarves just want to steal stuff and make an easy getaway using cosmic holes. But for Kevin, the escape is more profound: he's able to get out of the lonely, digital-watch-laden coldness of his parents' world. Running around with Napoleon and Robin Hood sounds a lot more fun than watching that awful game show, doesn't it?
Questions about Escape
- Which characters besides Kevin feel the need to escape? What are they trying to escape from?
- Is escape just a matter of running away? Or is it finding a state of mind in which a character feels free?
- Has Kevin escaped his life at the end? Either way, is that a good thing or a bad thing?
- Does the Supreme Being offer an escape for those who need it? What does that say about the nature of this universe?
Chew on This
Take a peek at these thesis statements. Agree or disagree?
Escape is a state of mind, and the characters need only shift theirs in order to be happy.
Escape must be physical and literal for the characters to be happy.