Pulp Fiction Study Flashcards

What type of story telling is shown throughout the film?

Non linear

How does the opening scene and the ending scene provide symmetry?

They both take place in the Diner with the ending scene picking up where the opening scene left off.

What “miracle/ divine intervention” does Jules experience?

Jules is shot at multiple times by a gunman who ambushes them, but miraculously he is unharmed.

What is Pulp Fiction’s art style inspired by?

The pulp magazines of the early 20th century.

What causes Butch to go back to his apartment for?

His gold watch that had been passed down to him.

What did Vincent do when Mia Wallace had overdosed on the Heroin from his coat pocket?

Vincent took Mia to Lance’s house where they gave her an adrenaline shot to the heart.

Why does the contrast in Jules and Vincent’s response to the “Divine Intervention” matter?

This is because their fates differ dramatically from each other due to their perception on this “miracle”. Jules decides to quit being a hitman and “walk the earth” while Vincent continues his work and ends up dying because of it.

Who is it that comes to help Jules and Vincent after Vincent accidentally shot Marvin in their car?

“The Wolf” or Winston Wolfe

How does Butch get the forgiveness of Marsellus after he betrays him by winning the boxing match?

Butch and Marsellus are both captured and after Butch escapes he goes back and rescues Marsellus from his captors. Marsellus tells Butch that “they are cool” and to leave Los Angeles and never return.

Who directed Pulp Fiction?

Quentin Tarantino

What item was constantly showed but never fully revealed?

The briefcase

Why was Pulp Fiction being an indie movie so important?

Because it showed that movies that had a smaller budget could still be extremely successful.

What movement inspired Tarantino’s style in Pulp Fiction?

French New Wave

How is Vincent dismissing the “divine intervention” ironic?

This is because we already know what happens to Vincent after he dismisses the miracle and chooses to keep going on with his line of work. This irony is caused by the non linear storyline

Why is the definition of “pulp” being displayed at the beginning of the film important?

It establishes a direction and tone for the rest of the movie.

How was “machine gun dialogue” used between the characters?

Through the fast and witty dialogue between characters such as Jules and Vincent. An example of this was the dialogue in the scene before Jules and Vincent enter the building to take the briefcase.

What is the fake cigarette brand shown in not only Pulp Fiction, but most of Tarantino’s films?

Red Apple Cigarettes

The dance scene was an example of what type of choreography?

Improvisation

Why was John Travolta’s inclusion in the dance scene important for the time?

Due to Travolta’s previous inclusion with many famous films with important dance roles (Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Urban Cowboy). This also goes along with the films theme of Redemption as this was Travolta’s redemption as an actor.

How was the theme of morality and the ambiguity that comes with it shown during the film?

Moral ambiguity is shown when Butch has to decide whether or not to go back and save Marsellus. It is also shown throughout the movie through the grey area of there not really being any definitive “good guys” or “bad guys”.