Match Point/Neitzsche

Zachary Gross

Professor Aello

Why Tragedy

Position Paper Outline

Match Point: Outline

Nietzsche

Thesis: In the film, Match Point, the rational and the irrational collide as Nietzsche describes in his theory.

In the film, Chris’ indecisive mind is really rational and irrational in the film.

IA. Chris’ wife Chloe is the rational in the film.

A. Chloe loves Chris and is a really sweet girl, but she doesn’t have too much of a wild side.

B. Chloe wants a better future for Chris, having her father give him a

dependable, stable job with a good amount of responsibility.

IB. Chris is living two separate lives. He is constantly being begged and

forced to make love to his wife (even though he has no desire)

because she so desperately wants a baby.

II. The rational in his mind can’t find himself to break up with or hurt

Chloe because of his rational guilt.

2A. Chris’ mistress Nola is the irrational in the film.

A. Nola has a wild side that Chris is attracted to. She isn’t stable or

responsible in any way.

B. Nola is a struggling actress and has nothing to offer Chris financially.

He knows that breaking up with Chloe would leave him with no job and no home.

2B. With having no desire to have sex with his wife, Chris is sexually

attracted to Nola, wanting to have sex with her all the time, numerous

times a day. Not being able to impregnate his wife, Chris has no

problem getting Nola pregnant with an unwanted child.

Conclusion: The world is restored to order in a rational way, where Chris stays with his wife, Chloe. He gets to keep his financially dependable job and not lose everything that he has in his normal life. Even with his decision, Chris has to live with his own guilt and having hallucinations of the neighbor and Nola.