Part I: The Dawn of Man
What does the monolith represent?
Does the Dawn of Man sequence promote or challenge the theory of evolution?
Is a theory like evolution reconciliable with the Church's teachings on Creation?
How might the Dawn of Man sequence be reconciled with Genesis 1 and 2, or is this not possible?
What is the pedagogy of the monolith? Does the monolith take the initiative, or do the apes? Does the monolith force itself upon the apes, or does it attract them while respecting their freedom?
What is the connection between the monolith and the eerie voices we hear when it appears?
How do the apes interact with the monolith? What is the significance of the way the monolith seems to initially shock the apes, and then to comfort them?
What do the apes gain from the monolith in the Dawn of Man sequence?
Contrast the way the ape sees the bone before and after the encounter with the monolith.
According to the movie, what is man's chief concern at his Dawning?
Is this view/idea pessimistic? Realistic? Incomplete? Unfounded?
What is the relationship between the ability to view the bone as a weapon and the ability to conceive of the idea of God?
Does the monolith give to man anything in addition to mere intelligence? What is the relationship between intelligence and the ability to love?
Part II: From the Bone Throw to the Moon Monolith
When and where do we see the monolith appear for the second time in the movie?
What guidance does the monolith provide to mankind this time? (you will not know until later in the film)
What is the relationship between the first monolith and the second monolith?
What is the relationship between what is revealed by the first monolith (Dawn of Man) and what is revealed by the second monolith (on the moon)?
Is it any clearer after this section of the movie that the monolith has given man not only intelligence but something else, something more important? What might this thing be?
How do the astronauts interact with the monolith?
Do we hear the voices again?
Why was the monolith's appearance kept totally secret?
What is the significance of the monolith's shape and structure?
Part III: Voyage to Jupiter
Why does the main character of the film continue to change? Or, who is the main character of the film?
What is the significance of Hal's beating Dave at chess?
Dave says he isn't sure if anybody could say whether or not a computer is capable of genuine emotion. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Why were 3 of the 5 astronauts on the Jupiter mission put into hibernation?
What is the tone of the film, especailly at this point in the movie? Would you describe it as sad, lonely, slow paced, realistic, exciting, etc.?
What are the major themes of this motion picture?
Why does Hal say that he has detected a fault in one of the spaceship's instruments, if this instrument tests to be functional?
What do Dave and the team decide to do regarding the supposedly faulty instrument? Why do they decide this way?
What does Hal know about the mission that Dave and the crew do not?
How does this knowledge of the mission affect Hal's behavior towards the crew? Is Hal conflicted? How so? Could a computer really be conflicted?
Hal always refers to "human error" as being the explanation for problems, and never accepts any of the blame himself. Why does Hal do this? Is he correct in doing so?
What is the relationship between human beings and computers?
Could a computer ever program itself?
What does the video reveal about the mission (the one that plays after Hal is unplugged by Dave)?
Why does the video play at this moment?
If Hal is in control of the spaceship's functions, could he not have done Dave in more easily?
How does Dave manage to overcome Hal's obstinance in not allowing Dave re-entry into the spaceship after Dave picks his friend up with the pod?
What was missing from Hal's judgement of the situation? What trumendous virtues does Dave show which prove to make the difference in his confrontation with Hal?
In what way does Hal prove to be selfless and/or a hero?
Part IV: Jupiter and Beyond the Infinite
Why the title for this section?
We see the monolith floating around Jupiter. How many times have we seen the monolith now?
What is the significance of the alliance of the planets/sun? Does this make any sense? Is this superstitious, or pagan in spirit? Can Christians see meaning in this phenomenon?
What has Dave decided to do after the purpose of the mission has been revealed to him?
We hear voices again. What does that imply?
What happens to Dave upon encountering the monolith orbiting Jupiter?
Dave winds up in a room. What is going on when Dave looks into different rooms, sees himself, and then seems to have become himself in the new room? (watch film to know what I mean)
Finally the monolith appears for a fourth time in the film. When does this occur?
What is the significance of the camera slowly zooming into the monolith from Dave's finger?
What happens to Dave/humanity when he touches the monolith for this fourth time?
What is significant about the number four?
What is the relationship between what happens to Dave at the end of the film to what happens to the apes at the beginning of the film?
ADDITIONAL NOTES
What is significant about Hal's "concern with the mission" and the "strange runors floating around [before the mission]" etc.?
Is Hal baffled by the mission itself? Is he baffled by the monolith? Is he jealous or angry with mankind?
Dad says: Hal has interior conflict due to knowledge (or semi-knowledge) of mission but the command to keep it a secret. Human error in programming.
Hal: More determined to save mission or jealous and determined to stop mission? (In later case, he would have had to change his mind before showing Dave the pre-recorded video explaining the purpose of the mission.)
Why couldn't Hal just as easily have killed Dave?
Dave realized his mistake (the lips), just as we can realize our mistakes. -human intelligence and imperfection
Monolith can send and receive signals just as Christ does with his Body/Bride, the Church (working on theory that monolith #2 sent radio beacon/emmission to monolith #3 (the one floating in Jupiter space).
Dad: So message made it clear that Hal knew about mission. So he was schizophrenic.
Why are planets aligned every time man encounters monolith?
Dad: You know there is a book...
Universe looks like eye, fetus: Universe/God takes same form as human beings, or has parallel form...
Dad: "He's getting taken across the universe to get trained by the aliens to the next stage of evolution."
But evolution usually does not involve "intelligent design", whereas this movie seems to advocate for an intelligent designer.
Dad: "Intelligent designer seems to fill in gaps/to act at key points in evolution, but evolution still happens."
So, movie is appealing because it makes sense, merging science and religion.
"He's being very cautious." -Tommy
He looks at people and then becomes them. Looks at monolith...becomes monolith.
See God > be like God
Knowledge > Being
ADDITIONAL NOTES
What is significant about Hal's "concern with the mission" and the "strange runors floating around [before the mission]" etc.?
Is Hal baffled by the mission itself? Is he baffled by the monolith? Is he jealous or angry with mankind?
Dad says: Hal has interior conflict due to knowledge (or semi-knowledge) of mission but the command to keep it a secret. Human error in programming.
Hal: More determined to save mission or jealous and determined to stop mission? (In later case, he would have had to change his mind before showing Dave the pre-recorded video explaining the purpose of the mission.)
Why couldn't Hal just as easily have killed Dave?
Dave realized his mistake (the lips), just as we can realize our mistakes. -human intelligence and imperfection
Monolith can send and receive signals just as Christ does with his Body/Bride, the Church (working on theory that monolith #2 sent radio beacon/emmission to monolith #3 (the one floating in Jupiter space).
Dad: So message made it clear that Hal knew about mission. So he was schizophrenic.
Why are planets aligned every time man encounters monolith?
Dad: You know there is a book...
Universe looks like eye, fetus: Universe/God takes same form as human beings, or has parallel form...
Dad: "He's getting taken across the universe to get trained by the aliens to the next stage of evolution."
But evolution usually does not involve "intelligent design", whereas this movie seems to advocate for an intelligent designer.
Dad: "Intelligent designer seems to fill in gaps/to act at key points in evolution, but evolution still happens."
So, movie is appealing because it makes sense, merging science and religion.
"He's being very cautious." -Tommy
He looks at people and then becomes them. Looks at monolith...becomes monolith.
See God > be like God
Knowledge > Being
