Essay Database

Taxi Driver The Martin Scorsese film Taxi Driver represents a "descent into hell" through society's acceptance of pornography, violence and loneliness. The characters of Travis, Betsy, Senator Palantine and Iris are all typical of real people, either surrounded by or living in a world of lies. After the passenger (or viewer) gets into the cab, the driver begins with a blurred tour of the grungy, dark and dismal streets of New York and the faceless …

…say to get the votes, even though he doesn't mean any of it. Betsy surrounds herself with these lies, as does Iris who believes that Sport (her pimp) really cares for her. She lives in a hell of drugs and prostitution, where she is losing the innocence of her youth far ahead of her time. It all ends with a burst of blood and violence, as the 'rain' comes down to wash the scum away.