In chapter 2 of the Descendants, Matthew is on his way to the store within the hospital when he bumps into the nurse, Joy. She repeatedly refers to Matthew as "Mr. King," which is an interesting play on his family's position of power. He is the descendant of a family that has had power and land for many generations, having missionary ancestors, one of which even married a Hawaiian princess. I believe that Hemmings chose this specific last name because it goes against Matt's feelings toward his heritage. He states that he does not use the money from his trust and instead lives off of the money he earns as an attorney. His family's affairs are public information, and he has many people watching to see what he decides, as he is his family's largest shareholder. In this sense, Matthew is a reluctant king, and the fact that he is in the public eye at this time can be paralleled with royalty from the past, when kings, especially in Europe, had greater power and were more prominent in societies throughout the world.
-David
No comments:
Post a Comment