THINK LIKE A KOAN! A Daily Meditation on Decoding The Big Lebowski.

[Stumblin Stumbleweed]

What the fuck is with this guy? Who is he?

[Nolan Hofstadter]

RE-POSTED FROM 20140318 GENERAL DISCUSSION

"All the Dude ever wanted, was his rug back."

"This a-here story I'm 'bout to unfold is a story 'bout the story itself.  And, I reckon it's 'bout them tellers too. The Coen Brothers! What I find so durned interestin' is how sneakily these fellas spun a golden yarn into them threads that make up that thar rug.  Same said rug that, in the parlance of our times, "tied the room together."

And here's the story, Dudes: Once upon a time there was a story. But it weren't no ordinary story. It were a story 'bout a story. Hell, it were a story 'bout a pickle barrel full of stories. Now this a-here story caused such a warmin' inside me . . . well, I wanted to hear it again and again.  And then, and then . . .  I begun to see things!  Deep in the pile of that thar rug, hidden as it were down in the warp and weft.  Why, there's a story deeperin' I ever figured.  A story within a story, and that story within yet another story.  And that there's the story!  "Welp, that about does her.  Wraps her all up."     

To tell the truth, friend, the warp and weft of all this sometimes leaves my head a hurtin'.  Maybe I'm better for it though!  My room does seem much tied together now.
   
           But, oh what a wonderful feelin'
           Just to know that you are near,
           It sets my heart a-reeling
           From my toe(s) up to my ear(s).
                      The Man In Me (Bob Dylan)

I RETURN TO THE ABOVE METAPHOR FOR THE PURPOSE FRAMING THE POST THAT IS TO FOLLOW. THE FIRST-LEVEL-STORY OF THE DUDE STANDS ON ITS OWN. THE ACTING, THE DIALOGUES, AND THE ENTANGLEMENTS OF HUMAN BEINGS ALL UP IN EACH OTHERS' PROJECTS! THESE ELEMENTS--DEFTLY SCRIPTED, SCORED, DIRECTED, AND EDITED--MAKE FOR A CULTURAL PEARL THAT WILL STAND THE TEST OF TIME. A CULT FILM.   

NOW, I HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED FOR 'CHRISTIANIZING' THE BIG LEBOWSKI. SORRY, I DO NOT HAVE A DOG IN THAT FIGHT. I HAVE TO NO END ENJOYED THE FIRST-LEVEL-STORY OF THE FILM. THAT SAID, WHAT I AM ABOUT HERE IS EXPLICATING THE SECOND-LEVEL-STORY AND LEAVING THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THIRD-LEVEL-STORY TO THE DUDES AT LARGE. THAT LINE, I WILL NOT CROSS.

[Stumblin Stumbleweed]

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Also, some dudes might be interested in this exposition of the concept of kairos, the moment when affordance, opportunity and correct action coincide. This concept can apply equally well to the examples given in the linked article, archery, weaving and rhetoric, as it can to many other spheres of human activity, from bowling to musical performance and perhaps even coitus.

[Nolan Hofstadter]

FOLLOW THE WALRUS

HE FITTED RIGHT IN THERE

   

I AM HE AS YOU ARE HE AS YOU ARE ME AND WE ARE ALL TOGETHER²

I AM THE WALRUS.  I AM THE WALRUS.  I AM THE WALRUS.¹

I IN THEM AND THOU IN ME, THAT THEY MAY BE PERFECTED INTO ONE³

CODED SIGNALS OF SIGNIFICANCE: THRICES GALORE:  thrice scene dislocations [see above reply "The Anti-Strike"]; thrise "Jesus" (one in chapter title, Jesus' monogram, the Dude), thrice use of "8" (one in chapter number, two by Walter regarding eight-year-olds); thrice Donny's insistence, "I am the walrus"; and, thrice "your roll, your roll, your roll."

CODE MATCHES: The sign (The Ben-Hur Auto Repair); the song ("We Venerate Thy Cross"). Now add Lane 23 (see above previous posting, "The Anti-Strike").  The Dude and Walter are sitting in waiting area 23, Donnie triangulated in the Dude's arm.

LEBOWSKI CODE: This "what-have-you" has something to do with the Gospel of John.

J & E Pearls, Inc.  Our motto, "We dive deeper."  Brother's Shamus, We may have found the "focus pearl" for the Western strand!
_______________________________________________________
REFERENCE 1: The Big Lebowski, Scene 8 The "Jesus" (27 min)

REFERENCE 2: The Beatles: "I Am The Walrus": The Magical Mystery Tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyPvGsSPsZg

REFERENCE 3: Gospel of John 17:23
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+17%3A23&version=DARBY

[Nolan Hofstadter]

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Also, some dudes might be interested in this exposition of the concept of kairos, the moment when affordance, opportunity and correct action coincide. This concept can apply equally well to the examples given in the linked article, archery, weaving and rhetoric, as it can to many other spheres of human activity, from bowling to musical performance and perhaps even coitus.

That's fucking interesting, man.  That's fucking intesting.

[DigitalBuddha]

"LEBOWSKI CODE: This "what-have-you" has something to do with the Gospel of John. "

Highly unlikely; in fact, probably bullshit. 

IMHO

[jgiffin]

Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
Also, some dudes might be interested in this exposition of the concept of kairos, the moment when affordance, opportunity and correct action coincide. This concept can apply equally well to the examples given in the linked article, archery, weaving and rhetoric, as it can to many other spheres of human activity, from bowling to musical performance and perhaps even coitus.

Not to get off the point, but it's weird how frequently archery figured into Grecian (particularly Aristotelian) artistic terms. Kairos, above, Hammartia (falling short of the mark - which later somehow deviated into "sin"), toxon... I saw a show a while back, can't remember the name right now, that pointed out the same thing as to medieval terms coming from falconry.  I need to find that again...

[Nolan Hofstadter]

JESUS (THE ONE WHO LOVED THE DUDE)

Artist Dude, that a halo?



'Ray'(etym, "Counselor')                                                                 
                                                                                                                      You guys are dead in the water.                   

Like a child who wanders into the middle of a movie . . .

'Austin' (etym, "Majestic')

Good night sweet prince.                                      .                                 

                                           Donny, you're out of your element!

Life does not start and stop at you convenience, you miserable piece of shit.
                                 
I'm throwin' stones tonight


'Donald' (etym, "world rule") 'Theodore' (etym, "God's gift') 'Kerabotsos' (oronym: "care abouts us")




ALL BY WAY OF POINTING OUT: THE DUDE AIN'T ECHOIN' THE CHRIST

It is upon The Dude (the Disciple Jesus loved) that Donny's ashes cling.
No doubt, the first-level-story is about the Dude. However, the second-level-story echoes the Apostle John,
so much so a man for his time and place that Jesus says to Peter,
"If I will that he abide until I come, what [is that] to you to thee?"¹

THE DUDE ABIDES!

¹Reference: Gospel of John 21:23
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+21%3A23&version=DARBY     

[Stumblin Stumbleweed]

Jesus, man, can you change the station?
I see absolutely no evidence in the above post to suggest, even remotely, that the Coens intended Donny to represent a Christ-like messiah figure.

PS. My 50th post, this calls for an oat soda.

[meekon5]

...My 50th post...

Oat Soda's all round on that one I think!

Cheers

[meekon5]

"If I will that he abide until I come, what [is that] to you to thee?"

See even your bible quote is overly complicated:

John 21:23

New International Version (NIV)

from your own source:

Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?"

[Nolan Hofstadter]

Stumblin' Stumbleweed Dude,

I dig your style man. Got that whole weed thing going.

So Dude, to my way of thinking the sooner we crack the Western code in this ahere second-layer-story the sooner we can move on to the East. As I've said before, it's like the two primary stories--West & East--are dancin' around each other, Yin-Yang fashion.

NECESSARY SHAMUSIN' QUALITY: "You know, this is a very complicated case, Maude. A lotta in, a lotta outs. Uh, you know, fortunately, I'm adhering to a pretty strict, uh, drug regimen to keep my mind, you know [sniffs] limber."  To all Dudes: You would be mistaken if you think the Coen Brothers would place these pearls of code in easy view.  They have never done so, and never will.
 

Ben-Hur Auto Repair
   
("The Day of Rest" scene unfolds beneath a sign)

_____________________________


The Big Lebowski     >>>    Gospel of John



DONNY IS THE RANSOM

Chapter 18: Jesus (Donny, "I got $18.") i, having said these things, went out with his disciples beyond the torrent Cedron (anagram, "corned"; "I fuck you in the ass, I fuck you in the ass.") where was a garden (parking lot under a sign, "Ben-Hur Auto Repair"), into which he entered, he and his disciples.

² And Judas also, who delivered him up ("We want the money Lebowski."), knew the place, because Jesus was often there (bowling strikes), in company with his disciples (Walter & The Dude).

³ Judas therefore, having got the band (Autobahn, "Nagelbett"; "There music is a sort of techno pop."), and officers of the chief priests and Pharisees, comes there with lanterns and torches (car torched) and weapons.

⁴ Jesus therefore, knowing all things that were coming upon him (the standing pin), went forth and said to them, Whom seek ye (Are these the Nazis, Walter)?

⁵ They answered him, Jesus the Nazaraean. Jesus says to them, I am [he]. And Judas also, who delivered him up, stood with them.

⁶ When therefore he said to them, I am [he], they went away backward and fell to the ground (bowling ball in stomach).

⁷ He demanded of them therefore again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus the Nazaraean.

⁸ Jesus answered, I told you that I am [he]: if therefore ye seek me, let these go away;

⁹ that the word might be fulfilled which he spoke, [As to] those whom thou hast given me, I have not lost one of them (The Stranger, "Things seem to work out pretty good for the Dude & Walter.").

¹⁰ Simon Peter therefore, having a sword (word!), drew it, and smote the bondman of the high priest and cut off his right ear (word!); and the bondman's name was Malchus.

_____________________________

LEBOWSKI CODE: These families of strangely familiar allusions are just piling accumulating.  Chris we're going to need a safe in which to place these pearls.  Better yet, how about a safe, within a safe, and that safe within yet another safe. Yeah, that's the ticket.

P.S.: Honorable meekon5 Administrator Dude. You have pressed me into a greater explication of, and expression of the second-level-story of The Big Lebowski. I'm grateful.  

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

REFERENCE: The Big Lebowski (Scene 19 "The Day of Rest" 90min)

REFERENCE: Gospel of John (Chapter 18, Darby Translation) 
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2018&version=DARBY

[BikerDude]

Either that or it's just a movie about the Dude and some other guys.
IMO it's the lack of "clear meaning" that makes people fumble for a higher meaning.

[Masked Dude]

Just out of curiosity, why does it have to be the Gospel of John?

[Caesar dude]

So basically the film is about two fictional characters. The Dude who is believable and Jesus who isn't.

That's cool man...that's really cool.