Donnie Darko. An extremely unique movie character. Plagued by emotional problems, he is labeled as a schizophrenic. However, in reality, he is suffering from a severe case of fear. The fear to die alone. He believes that crime and disorder will solve his fear, but the only true way to solve fears is to confront them. In Donnie’s case, it was a true act of love that freed him of his greatest fear.

Donnie was a very smart teenager: Academically, philosophically, and theologically. However, he severely lagged behind socially. Donnie often insulted others whom he disliked publicly. This led him to be suspended from school, and often scolded by his superiors. The reason for his emotional ‘imperfections’ was a great suffering from fear. Donnie was a lonely person, and he even greater feared dying alone. He spends time listening to Frank, who tries to convince Donnie that committing crimes will solve his emotional problems. But in Donnie’s case, hatred won’t remove his fears, only love.

Donnie had visions of the future. Visions of crimes that he was going to commit. These crimes would ultimately end the lives of many of Donnie’s loved ones. Had he actually committed the crimes, his fears would have escalated. Love, the strongest positive human emotion, was able to save Donnie’s spirit. If he had chosen to save his own life, many of his loved ones would perish. Because he chose to end his own life, instead of those around him, he committed an act of true love. Donnie did not die lonely, knowing that he was saving the lives of those he loved. Fear no longer had control of Donnie Darko.

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