Fides
When Antonio's bicycle is stolen, he loses more than a bike. The brand name of the bicycle "Fides" (Faith in Latin) suggest it has symbolic value. What is the significance of that symbol? What does Antonio lose? Are there other symbols in this film?
Throughout the film, Antonio emphasizes his need for the bicycle for his job in order to support his family. However, the bicycle serves a deeper and deeper meaning for him as the movie continues, as the loss of his Fides (his faith) grows as he realizes the opportunity that was squandered. At a time in fascist Italy where unemployment was high and many suffered from poverty, Antonio needed his job in order to bring his family out of despair. At the beginning of the movie, him and his wife pawn their sheets just to get the money for the bike, which truly emphasizes the state of need they are in for money. When Antonio loses the bicycle, he is of course disgruntled about the threat to his new job that has now presented itself, as without the bike Antonio cannot work. As he loses faith that he will find the bike, he begins to lose faith in his job prospects and loses faith in the potential wellbeing of his family. When Antonio and Bruno are in the restaurant, Antonio laments on his potential earnings from his job and tells Bruno about all the things he had planned with the money. This scene truly emphasizes the hopefulness Antonio once had for the improvement of his socioeconomic status, but the loss of his bike diminishes this hope into nothingness. The more time that passes, the less faith Antonio has in finding his bicycle. Soon, his hope for finding his bike turns to utter desperation to find it, leading him to grasp at straws in accusing a man of stealing his bicycle without undeniable evidence, and finally resorting to stealing another man’s bike. These final scenes speak to how quickly Antonio’s resolve deteriorates as he searches for the bicycle, which is directly tied into his family’s livelihood. He has become so desperate that he becomes a thief like the person who stole from him. This rapid deterioration in his character is truly symbolic of what a huge loss and potential destitution can do to a man.
ReplyDeleteBicycle Thieves is centered around the concept of a poverty stricken region in Italy with skyrocketing unemployment rates. Due to this, many of the people in the film appear to succumb to the desperation of needing a job and take the first opportunity they can get, regardless of what the actual job entails. Even before Antonio’s bicycle is stolen, we can see him realize that not every job is equal to the excitement of the idea of actually having one. Moments before he loses his bike, we see him half-heartedly putting up posters, struggling to complete the task given double the amount of time the trainer needed. It is easy to see that Antonio does not believe in something here, whether it be himself or the job, and It is almost possible to argue that this is the moment his faith is being shaken right before he loses it, metaphorically and literally. Having his faith stolen and lost is a representation of Antonio losing his faith in the government and himself. Desperate to find a way to provide for his family and beyond frustrated with the government for not taking proper care of its citizens, he anxiously searches for a way to get his bike back as it is the one thing tying him to a chance at a better life. There is a small detail that hints to his loss of faith in the government, and that is that he finds himself at a communist meeting. Although it is not the point of why he is there, it is a subtle way to show his solidarity amongst the people and against a fascist regime. As the film progresses and any remaining hope of finding his bike dwindles, Antonio becomes visibly more and more frantic and defeated. These feelings come out in the relationship with his son, Bruno. At the start, we see a loving, doting father who is close with his kid, but later on as the story unfolds, Antonio grows slightly more hostile and neglectful towards him. He subconsciously guilt trips Bruno at the restaurant into thinking they cannot pay, pays little attention to him almost being hit by a car, and outright slaps him. Antonio’s loss of faith in himself causes him to turn his attention inward as he focuses on his shortcomings as a provider, when in reality his inattentiveness nearly destroys one of the most precious things in his life.
ReplyDeleteThe film Bicycle Thieves centers around a poor family living in post-World War II Rome. At the start of the film we see Antonio, the head of said family, as he is selected as one of the lucky few to get a job. The only requirement is that he must own a bicycle. We learn that Antonio has recently sold his bicycle to be able to afford food and other necessities for his family. With the help of his wife Maria, he is able to buy a new one. The first day of his new job, Antonio’s bike is stolen and he must go on a quest to find it before he loses his job. Losing Fides, his bike, has a lot more implications than just losing a bike or even his job. When Antonio loses Fides, he loses his pride as the head of his family. Family dynamics were, and still are, very important to members of families- especially men. Throughout history, men have been expected to be the breadwinners, to provide for and protect his family. From what we can tell, even at their poorest, Antonio still found ways to provide for his family. When the new job came along, it filled him and his entire family with hope that they could finally break out of poverty. When the bike was stolen, so was that dream and Antonio feels responsible. When he lost the bike, he lost faith in his ability to provide for his family.
ReplyDeleteAntonio loses his faith in society and also himself at the end of the movie. He struggles to receive any actual help in retrieving his bicycle except for his friends. Even they stop looking with him after a day. The policeman are nonchalant in their attempts to help him find the thief and his bicycle. Throughout the movie there is a clear understanding of the economic fallout of Italy after World War 2. There are many unemployed people looking to pawn off anything they own in order to pay for their next meal. When Antonio attempts to find a job he is only given one because of his skill. Less skilled people are seen clamoring over jobs such as bricklayers. The government and private sector do not have enough jobs for the people. The bureaucrat giving out the jobs is attempting to do everything he can but it is just not enough for the people. When his bicycle is stolen from him he looks almost in awe as no one around him has to come to help him chase down his bicycle. Everyone around him is only looking out for themselves. The struggle in the country influences how much people try to look out for each other. While Antonio is wrong in his accusation of the young man he still is treated like a criminal, even though he was a victim. Antonio and his son are chased and hollered at by an increasingly frustrated mob that did not even consider Antonio’s truthfulness from the beginning. He loses faith in himself at the end of the movie when he becomes what he has hated and showed so much anger towards: a thief. He understands the circumstances that lead to lying and stealing but is still ashamed with who he has become. What is worse is that he tried to send away his son on a bus in order to steal the bicycle but his son sees him commit the crime anyway. Antonio struggles to see himself as a good man or father when he is told to be ashamed of himself by the en who catch him. Antonio finds himself humbled when his son holds his hand out to comfort him. Antonio struggles with society's interpretation of him as well as his own understanding of what desperation has caused him to become.
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ReplyDeleteWhen Antonio loses his bike, he loses faith in his family’s future, hence the brand “Fides” on the bike. A bike usually represents freedom because it is used when a person is traveling somewhere. If you cannot travel somewhere, you are stuck. In Antonio’s case, him and his family reverted back to being stuck in poverty after he was not able to get his bike back. This bike resembled a good future for them. Antonio put all his faith into getting this bike for him and his family. He even gave up his bed sheets. Antonio put in a lot of hard work and sacrifices to purchase the bike in order to free his family from as much poverty as they were in. Also, there was a theme in the film of his faith rising and falling. In the scene when the bike was stolen, the Fides bike traveled downhill, and I think that could have resembled his faith in that very moment. His faith was going downhill as the bike was speeding away from him. It was a sudden panic moment for him and he couldn’t do anything about it. Then, he needed help so he went to visit the fortune teller lady. To get to her it was up the stairs and so his faith rose. When the lady did not give him the news he had hoped for, he traveled back down the stairs with his faith declining. The final scene is his faith evening out at an all time low. He tries to steal his bike/another bike back because he is desperate for one so he attempts to. Unfortunately, he fails and comes to a realization that he and his family may never be able to get out of their situation. He leaves the scene holding his sons hand. I think they were indirectly saying everything will be ok to each other because they still have one another. Even though their faith may be lost, there is still family and family helps one another get over hard situations.
The bike symbolizes a lot in this movie. In this time, a bike means lot. A bike means you have a form of transportation you can control yourself, and get around the city. When Antonio has his bike stolen, he has to resort to public transit. The movie clearly shows this method is slower and worse for everyone. With the brand being fides or faith, it clearly shows that bikes are needed for have a better life. A bike means freedom. A bike is having a hope, a dream, that things will be better. The bike is putting your faith into the system in hopes of rewarding you and your family with opportunities. This is what Antonio does when he gets his bike. To many of us, a bike is simply just a transportation tool. They are used in urban areas for alternative to cars. Back then however, the bike was similar to a car today. It allowed people to rely on themselves to go out and succeed. When Antonio’s bike is stolen, he loses all of that. He loses his freedom that the bike provided him. He is stuck waiting in line for a bus, has to walk most of everywhere, and has to rely on other methods. Antonio loses his chances for a better life when he loses his bike. As the inspector says, a bike is required for the job. (However, I have my doubts, as Antonio is able to travel all across Rome with ease it appears.) He searches for 2 days trying to recover his bike. When his bike is stolen, he essentially, loses his faith. This is a downward spiral that is seen through his desperation for his bike. He needs to find his faith. When Antonio loses his ‘faith’, he loses his freedom.
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