xc - COTD2

This film tells the story of Harold, a young man obsessed with death and haunted by answerless questions that is until he meets Maude, an eighty-year-old extroverted woman that is obsessed with life and its avails. Although, Maude does not answer all of Harold's questions she leads him to realize that there is a light at the end of everyone's tunnel. Although these two are polar opposites they obviously help each other in many ways in the film. Maude introduces Harold to her way of life and liberates him from the self-imposed prison and loveless life he has been stuck in for so long.



Harold was born an only child who was raised by a single mom. His mom seeks control of all aspects of his life as most mothers do and shows virtually no emotion at all. She wants him to fit in with society and abide by the dominant social norms. She gives him no chance to think for himself as she speaks for him in almost every situation whether its filling out a dating form or talking to dates for him when they come to visit. She serves as a wall to remind Harold of his past and to constantly remind him that he has nothing else but her, which may be why he is so obsessed with death. He performs various suicides much to the displeasure of his mother. Maude played a better role model to him than his mother. She acted wild and crazy and continually demonstrated freedom, something Harold wasn't familiar with.


Funerals serve as a way for Harold to be closer to his obsession with death which spawns from his obsession for some sort of emotional connection with his mother, however as Maude becomes a part of Harold’s life his obsession with death becomes more of an expression of affection to Maude as in one part of the movie where he drives his car over a cliff, but in reality, he is not in it when it plunges to the ground. He walks away, playing his banjo and dancing, which are things that Maude had taught him. By driving his car over the cliff to make people think he has “died” again, Harold will be happier since he enjoys being “dead,” but the banjo and his dancing are symbols of the effects of his relationship with Maude. She shares many of her ideas and beliefs with Harold before she commits suicide, teaching him to dance, play the banjo, enjoy his life more and really live life to thProxy-Connection: keep-alive
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fullest.  She claims that by “aiming above morality” he can live his life better, and tells Harold that he should do things he enjoys and not be a part of societies restricting social norms. Maude committing suicide signifies that she feels she has done her part in helping Harold be a happier person and has succeeded in teaching him how to love and enjoy life, which are specific qualities he never had before their encounter and most likely would have never had without her. She allows him to understand this by later telling him to go and love some more.

ver had without her.She allows him to understand this by later telling him to go and love some more.