Groundhog Day and Religion

Groundhog Day is a very interesting and entertaining movie about a meteorologist who becomes trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It stars the hysterical Bill Murray as Phil Connors, a sarcastic Philadelphia weatherman who is far too full of himself. He travels with the entourage of cameraman Larry, Chris Elliott, and his lust interest Rita, played by Andie MacDowell. Phil lives through the same day, Groundhog’s day, repeatedly with no consequences. Each time around he does things a bit differently, yet little is changed. Strangely enough, the movie applies to what we are learning in religion class.

Some may say all roads lead to Rome, but Mr. Muldoon would retort with all situations lead to Kohlberg. Some would call him obsessed, but Kohlberg’s stages are actually applicable to the movie. We first meet Phil (not the groundhog) at rock bottom, stage zero (egocentric reasoning). He is completely self serving and egocentric. When the trio reaches Punxsutawney, Phil gripes about the hotel he thought he was staying at, and makes numerous other selfish comments. The best example of his egocentric ways would have to be after he realizes that he faces no consequences and starts to explore the seven deadly sins. Pride is what he began with, feeling that he was incredibly entitled, then later gluttony when he decided to eat every morning food ever conceived at the diner. Lust takes over with his lunges at a night with Rita. He then shows greed when he robs an armored car, envy at his lack of qualities desired by Rita, and anger and sloth when he loses hope and attempts suicide to no avail. He sees it as his way or the highway because he is the “talent.”

The climb up the ladder of stages was a long one for Phil. He proceeds to barely tap on stage one (unquestioning obedience), and jump straight into stage two with what’s-in-it-for-me fairness. Once on this stage he does many self-serving things such as hook up with Nancy Taylor. I considered him to be on stage three (interpersonal conformity) when he began to find out what Rita likes in a man and tried to conform to these ideals. He moved up to stage four (Responsibility to the system) when he stopped doing only narcissistic things. He slowly began to become a better person, like when he tried to help the old homeless man. However, even then he hadn’t reached his full potential, because at the end of the movie Phil finally reaches stage five (principled conscience). Once here he became altruistic. He saves a few lives, giving aid to the man choking and the boy falling from the tree, as well as just improving life like when he buys all the insurance from Ned Ryerson and helps the newlywed couple start off their marriage with wrestling tickets. Once on this level, happiness seeks him out, and all that he vainly tired to obtain finds its way to him. Rita falls in love with him and he becomes a genuine person.

This story could be viewed as a modern day myth. A myth by definition is a traditional or legendary story, usually concerning some being or hero or event, with or without a determinable basis of fact or a natural explanation, especially one that is concerned with deities or demigods and explains some practice, rite, or phenomenon of nature. Phil would naturally be the reluctant or not so reluctant demigod. In