And sometimes, the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.’ A clear message derived from the Biblical passage of Saint Thomas. This is why the Conductor states ‘sometimes seeing is believing. This is an almost exact replica of the films plot: ‘Hero Boy’, as the screenplay dubs him, is unsure in his belief of Santa because he hasn’t seen him. This nickname may be a reference to ‘doubting Thomas’, the Apostle who refused to believe in Jesus’s resurrection on the Third Day. The Scrooge puppet, mastered by the Hobo, dubs the hero as a ‘doubter’ in attempt to frighten him. The protagonist acts as the ‘doubters’ of society, taking a spiritual journey (made physical by the train) to find himself and thus find God. The narrative appears so symbolic and allegorical because it is simply a metaphor for God. It only struck me this year, like a ton of bricks, what it could be. I don’t know if it’s because of the nameless characters (except Billy and Santa) or mythical themes of belief and dreams, but I couldn’t help feel the film was trying to tell me something. However, the past few watches have gotten my brain ticking as to what the whole thing means. Ever since primary school, it became a ritual to watch this cosy festive classic at the dawn of every December. The Polar Express has been a Christmas favourite in my family for years.
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