"The greatest adventure of escape!"
Papillon - Symbolism & Philosophy
Symbols & Motifs
The Butterfly (Papillon)
The butterfly tattoo that gives Henri Charrière his nickname is the film's central symbol. It represents freedom, transformation, and the soul's ability to escape physical confinement. Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, Papillon's journey is one of metamorphosis through immense suffering, ultimately leading to his liberation. The symbol is a constant reminder of his identity and his ultimate goal, a piece of him that the prison system can never take away.
The tattoo is prominently displayed on Papillon's chest. The name itself is used throughout the film. The final shot of him being carried away by the ocean waves evokes the image of a butterfly taking flight, leaving the barren rock of Devil's Island behind. Production designer Anthony Masters also reportedly embedded butterfly imagery subliminally into sets and shadows throughout the film to reinforce this theme.
The Ocean
The ocean is a powerful, dual symbol of both the barrier to freedom and the only path toward it. For most of the film, the shark-infested waters surrounding the penal colony represent an impassable obstacle, a constant, menacing reminder of their entrapment. However, for Papillon, it also represents hope and the possibility of escape. He constantly studies the currents, seeing not a cage, but a potential conduit to the outside world.
The sea is a constant visual presence, from the initial voyage to the final, iconic scene. Papillon's final leap from the cliffs of Devil's Island into the waves is the climax of his struggle. He entrusts his life to the very element that held him captive, transforming it from a symbol of imprisonment into one of liberation.
Coconuts
Coconuts symbolize survival, resourcefulness, and friendship. In a place of extreme deprivation, a simple coconut represents life-sustaining nourishment. Dega's act of smuggling coconuts to Papillon in solitary is a profound gesture of loyalty and a literal lifeline. Later, coconuts become the key to freedom itself.
Dega arranges for Papillon to receive coconuts while he is in solitary confinement, an act for which Papillon endures six months of darkness rather than betray his friend. In the film's climax, Papillon engineers his final escape from Devil's Island by creating a raft from sacks of coconuts, using their natural buoyancy to brave the ocean currents. This demonstrates his ingenuity and turns a simple object of survival into a vessel of freedom.
Philosophical Questions
What is the true nature of freedom?
The film explores whether freedom is merely the absence of physical restraint or a state of mind. Papillon's relentless pursuit suggests that physical liberty is paramount. However, his famous line, "Me they can kill... You they own," implies that Dega, by adapting to prison life, has surrendered his inner freedom. The film forces the audience to consider if one can be spiritually free while physically imprisoned, or if the soul's freedom is meaningless without the body's. Papillon's ultimate choice to risk death for a chance at liberty suggests the latter.
What is the greatest crime a person can commit?
Through Papillon's surreal dream sequence, the film proposes that the ultimate transgression is not against society, but against oneself. The judge accuses him not of murder, but of "a wasted life." This raises the philosophical question of what it means to live a worthwhile existence. Is it to follow rules and accept one's lot, or is it to struggle against impossible odds for a higher ideal? The film champions the idea that to give up, to stop striving, is the true failure of the human spirit.
Can the human spirit truly be broken?
"Papillon" presents two contrasting answers to this question through its main characters. Papillon himself is the embodiment of an unbreakable spirit; the more the system tries to crush him, the more resolute he becomes. Dega, on the other hand, represents a spirit that, while not completely extinguished, is bent into submission. He finds a way to endure by giving up the hope of escape. The film suggests that while the spirit can be eroded and worn down to a state of resignation, a determined will, like Papillon's, can endure anything.
Core Meaning
The core meaning of "Papillon" revolves around the indomitable nature of the human spirit and the unquenchable thirst for freedom. Director Franklin J. Schaffner crafts a powerful statement on how a person's will can refuse to be broken, even under the most inhumane and soul-crushing conditions. The film posits that true imprisonment is not just physical confinement but the death of hope. Papillon's relentless struggle, even when escape seems impossible, asserts that to be human is to strive for liberty. The narrative critiques penal systems that aim not to rehabilitate but to process and break individuals, ultimately celebrating the profound idea that as long as the will to live freely exists, a person's spirit cannot truly be caged.