Field Of Dreams Question (1 Viewer)

[Michael Pakula]

I was watching Field Of Dreams recently and there is something I do not
understand and hopefully someone here can clear it up for me.

I just wanted to know if James Earl Jones character Terrance Mann was a ghost the whole movie as he does walk into the corn field at the end of the movie. This would not make sense as many of the other characters could see him.


-Mike

 

[todd s]

I think it means he dies and can go. I don't understand the Doc character. It is weird how the players can't leave the field. Yet, they find this kid on the highway and he turns out to be the doc. I guess he was a wandering ghost. I also don't like end with all of the cars coming. Just for the implications that soon all of those agents will be descending and soon Shoeless Joe will be doing Nike ads.

 

[Quentin]

Dunno why this is spoilerized...the movie is over a decade old!

Terrance Mann is not a ghost and he does not die. He is "allowed" by the player ghosts to travel with them to...wherever.

Why? Dunno...but, he is very much chosen for the task, and plans to write about it when he returns. He even says as much.

 

[Quentin]

Dunno why this is spoilerized...the movie is over a decade old!

Terrance Mann is not a ghost and he does not die. He is "allowed" by the player ghosts to travel with them to...wherever.

Why? Dunno...but, he is very much chosen for the task, and plans to write about it when he returns. He even says as much.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yeah, cause people will believe that book.

"no really, i was hanging out with Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb and Jackson and they said..."

"sure they did buddy"

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yeah, cause people will believe that book.

"no really, i was hanging out with Ruth, Gehrig, Cobb and Jackson and they said..."

"sure they did buddy"

 

[Quentin]

Heyyyyy...in a world where thousands of people flock to a field in Iowa for no apparent reason? Sure, they'll believe the book!

 

[Quentin]

Heyyyyy...in a world where thousands of people flock to a field in Iowa for no apparent reason? Sure, they'll believe the book!

 

[Michael Hall]

Be forewarned: this is all speculation and might not make a whole lot of sense.

Well, the impression that I got was that since Doc Graham had lived a fulfilling life beyond baseball (as a doctor, naturally), he appeared as an astral projection to Ray in Minnesota in his "final form" (that of an older man). He told Ray of his one regret (not getting to bat), found out that Ray could make this dream come true, and through the "ooo-eee-ooo" of spirituality and the afterlife, was able to revert to his younger self, allowing him to follow this dream. He was happy with his life, but the one doubt was able to be erased, and when that was done, he had the choice of either staying in his dream, or doing what was necessary to help others. As I'll explain further below, he chose the latter.

The players on the field, I would imagine, were so haunted by the fact that something they loved was taken away from them that they stayed in the form of their most memorable experiences (i.e. as baseball players in the prime of their careers). The players were holding on to their lives (so to speak) as athletes, and therefore, if they left the field, they would still be ghosts, but they would revert to their older selves, because the field held all the magic, in a sense.

When Karin falls off the bleachers and chokes on the hot dog, Doc Graham makes a choice: he can either stand on the field and stay a baseball player for the rest of his ghost life, or he can follow his true path, go where he is needed, and save a little girl's life. Having already fulfilled his dream (the one at-bat), the choice was easy. He cast off his youth and became the person he was always meant to be: Doctor Archibald Graham. He saved a little girl's life and even though he gave up his youth (so to speak) to do so, he did what he was supposed to do.

Now, whether or not a ghost who leaves the field and becomes "old" will be able to return from the corn and visit the outside world again, I do not know. I would assume that once you leave the field and reenter it, not only are you unable to return to your baseball player state (for lack of a better word), you will never be able to leave the corn again. Thus, when Doc goes back into the corn, he has achieved both of his goals in life: his most important (to help others) and his most personal (to get an at-bat in a baseball game). There is no need for him to return from the corn; he is able to be at peace.

Going one step further, on the topic of fulfillment of dreams, since Ray's dream (along with his father's for that matter) has been achieved, will his father return to the corn, never to step foot on the field again, or will he be able to return. By the Doc logic I mention above, I would think that he would not. Terence Mann would be able to come back, as he is not dead and intends to write about what he sees (his purpose, if you will, has not been fulfilled), but would Ray's father be able to do the same? And what happens when the baseball players feel at peace with themselves and baseball; will they no longer come to the field? Will a new generation (so to speak, I know I'm saying that phrase a lot) of baseball players come onto the field from the corn? Who knows?

Again, this is all speculation and might not be as well formed as I would like, but I hope it made some amount of sense to someone.

 

[Michael Hall]

Be forewarned: this is all speculation and might not make a whole lot of sense.

Well, the impression that I got was that since Doc Graham had lived a fulfilling life beyond baseball (as a doctor, naturally), he appeared as an astral projection to Ray in Minnesota in his "final form" (that of an older man). He told Ray of his one regret (not getting to bat), found out that Ray could make this dream come true, and through the "ooo-eee-ooo" of spirituality and the afterlife, was able to revert to his younger self, allowing him to follow this dream. He was happy with his life, but the one doubt was able to be erased, and when that was done, he had the choice of either staying in his dream, or doing what was necessary to help others. As I'll explain further below, he chose the latter.

The players on the field, I would imagine, were so haunted by the fact that something they loved was taken away from them that they stayed in the form of their most memorable experiences (i.e. as baseball players in the prime of their careers). The players were holding on to their lives (so to speak) as athletes, and therefore, if they left the field, they would still be ghosts, but they would revert to their older selves, because the field held all the magic, in a sense.

When Karin falls off the bleachers and chokes on the hot dog, Doc Graham makes a choice: he can either stand on the field and stay a baseball player for the rest of his ghost life, or he can follow his true path, go where he is needed, and save a little girl's life. Having already fulfilled his dream (the one at-bat), the choice was easy. He cast off his youth and became the person he was always meant to be: Doctor Archibald Graham. He saved a little girl's life and even though he gave up his youth (so to speak) to do so, he did what he was supposed to do.

Now, whether or not a ghost who leaves the field and becomes "old" will be able to return from the corn and visit the outside world again, I do not know. I would assume that once you leave the field and reenter it, not only are you unable to return to your baseball player state (for lack of a better word), you will never be able to leave the corn again. Thus, when Doc goes back into the corn, he has achieved both of his goals in life: his most important (to help others) and his most personal (to get an at-bat in a baseball game). There is no need for him to return from the corn; he is able to be at peace.

Going one step further, on the topic of fulfillment of dreams, since Ray's dream (along with his father's for that matter) has been achieved, will his father return to the corn, never to step foot on the field again, or will he be able to return. By the Doc logic I mention above, I would think that he would not. Terence Mann would be able to come back, as he is not dead and intends to write about what he sees (his purpose, if you will, has not been fulfilled), but would Ray's father be able to do the same? And what happens when the baseball players feel at peace with themselves and baseball; will they no longer come to the field? Will a new generation (so to speak, I know I'm saying that phrase a lot) of baseball players come onto the field from the corn? Who knows?

Again, this is all speculation and might not be as well formed as I would like, but I hope it made some amount of sense to someone.

 

[todd s]

Michael, that's a good take on it. I think the movie would have worked better that after Ray plays catch with his dad. All of the ghosts would leave. All having fufilled their "Dreams".

 

[todd s]

Michael, that's a good take on it. I think the movie would have worked better that after Ray plays catch with his dad. All of the ghosts would leave. All having fufilled their "Dreams".

 

[Ric Bagoly]

I've always thought of Field Of Dreams as the story of the Apocalypse, but in a benevolent way. The cornfield literally became a portal between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Not only that, but I think ANYONE would be able to come back thru the portal if necessary, it only BEGAN with the baseball players, and I wouldn't be surprised if similiar portals(possibly representing different things other than baseball) were consequently opened up around the world, allowing those who are alive to walk hand in hand with loved ones who had passed away.

Terence Mann certainly did not die, but was allowed to enter the afterlife for the express purpose of coming back and telling billions of people what was in the next world, and he probably wasn't the only one. The thousands of people arriving at the field at the end were most likely going to connect with their loved ones, and the whole world would be at peace.

 

[Ric Bagoly]

I've always thought of Field Of Dreams as the story of the Apocalypse, but in a benevolent way. The cornfield literally became a portal between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Not only that, but I think ANYONE would be able to come back thru the portal if necessary, it only BEGAN with the baseball players, and I wouldn't be surprised if similiar portals(possibly representing different things other than baseball) were consequently opened up around the world, allowing those who are alive to walk hand in hand with loved ones who had passed away.

Terence Mann certainly did not die, but was allowed to enter the afterlife for the express purpose of coming back and telling billions of people what was in the next world, and he probably wasn't the only one. The thousands of people arriving at the field at the end were most likely going to connect with their loved ones, and the whole world would be at peace.

 

[DanielCo]

Wow, I really don't understand that. The whole purpose of all these events was Ray's regret at not getting along with his dad. The movie HAD to end with that game of catch. Joe got his chance at baseball. Terence got his renewal at writing. Moonlight had his chance at-bat. Ray finally got to enjoy baseball with his dad. Nice neat package.

 

[DanielCo]

Wow, I really don't understand that. The whole purpose of all these events was Ray's regret at not getting along with his dad. The movie HAD to end with that game of catch. Joe got his chance at baseball. Terence got his renewal at writing. Moonlight had his chance at-bat. Ray finally got to enjoy baseball with his dad. Nice neat package.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

because not everyone has seen this movie.

CJ

 

[todd s]

Daniel,
I mis-wrote what I meant. I think the movie should have ended right after their game of catch. No cars coming, no more ballgames. I think after he and his father finish their catch. The portal closes. Similar to the movie Frequency's ending When the aurora borealis ends and the guy cannot contact his father in the past.

 

[DanielCo]

Fair enough Todd. I can see that more. But, as a filmic device, I like the dramatic pull out and seeing all those cars coming (although why I don't know since everyone went "home"). It is a great shot and only takes another few seconds. Everytime I'm on a plane and landing at night, I love seeing all those car lights mapping out the city roads.

 

[WillG]

I always wondered about when Ray is talking to Annie about easing Terrence Mann's Pain, she is resistant about him going to Boston even though she had a dream about him going to a Baseball game with Mann. It does not click with her until Ray mentions taking Mann to a Baseball game. You would think that as soon as Ray started talking about going to see Mann that Annie would mention the dream.