This movie was a really interesting point of view on the new settlers of America. The movie focused on a single family of eight and their lives once in America. The family had been exiled from their settlement because of their religion. Which is interesting because all that came to the Americas, came in order to escape religious prosecutions in their homeland. The family had to pack up everything a basically flee. Yet, the father was unconcerned with fleeing and leaving the settlement, his sense of individuality was fascinating. He showed no concern for this family’s well-being. One of the first scenes was the family praying to the woods once they had left their home. It seemed as though they could be praying for salvation and sanctuary in the woods. If I were put in this position, I would not want to the leave the settlement in order to stay alive. I would think that if we left then our chances of survival would go down to slim to none. Another part of the movie that was really intriguing was the scenes of the oldest daughter and the witch interacting. The witch took the shape of the rabbit, and then the overall demonic goat leader of the cult. At the end of the movie the oldest daughter completely leaves her religion behind to find safety and life in that of the satanic practices taking place in the woods. The goat brings her to the woods and shows her all the naked women waiting for her. Eventually all the women begin to levitate and fly away. This could symbolize so many things. Flying in many contexts usually shows a sense of freedom and liberation. To me this showed a freedom to be who every you want to be in the new world. The daughter was finally free from the religious chains that her family and society of the new world had bound her in.
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