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THE Ontology of SANTA Claus: MIRACLE on 34TH STREET

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THE Ontology of SANTA Claus: MIRACLE on 34TH STREET Содержание / Table of Contents |Философия кинонарратива / Philosophy of Kino-Narrative| Кино|теКст / Kino|text John RYDER / Джон РАЙДЕР | The Ontology of Santa Claus: Miracle on 34 th Street| John RYDER / Джон РАЙДЕР USA, New York Rector of Khazar University. Baku, Azerbaijan. США, Нью-Йорк. Хазарский университет. Баку, Азербайджан. Президент. Доктор философских наук. [email protected] THE Ontology OF Santa Claus: Miracle ON 34 TH STREET The 1947 film Miracle on 34 th Street is an iconic American film associated Онтология Санта Клауса: with the Christmas season. It tells the story of a man who claims to be the ‘real’ Santa Claus, and the process by which he comes to be recognized as «Чудо на 34-й улице» such by otherwise normal and rational people. On the perfectly reasonable assumption that Santa Claus does not exist, the film is simply a pleasant «Чудо на 34-й улице» — классический американский рождественский fantasy with strong associations with American culture. However, the case фильм. В фильме рассказывается история человека, объявившего себя that the film makes for the reality of Santa Claus is unusually clever, and Санта-Клаусом, и судебного разбирательства, результатом которого oddly compelling. In this paper, we consider the ontological issues raised by явилось признание его Санта-Клаусом вполне нормальными здраво- the film. More specifically, we bring to bear philosophical insights developed мыслящими людьми. Фильм — милая сказка, если считать Санта-Клау- within the American Naturalist tradition to demonstrate that indeed, there са выдумкой. Однако поднятый в фильме вопрос о статусе Санта- Клау- really is a Santa Claus. са и его решение оказываются неожиданно глубокими и интересными. В статье рассматриваются онтологические вопросы, которые ставит Key words: ontology, Santa Claus, epistemology, belief, fictional charac- фильм. Более того, привлечение философии американского натурализ- ters, ordinality ма помогает доказать реальность существования Санта-Клауса. Ключевые слова: онтология, Санта-Клаус, эпистемология, вера, фикциональный характер, порядок n the early summer of 1947 Miracle on 34 th Street premiered in The Film INew York City. It became, and to this day remains, one of the First, however, some background and a plot summary are in order. most iconic of American films. The reasons it has assumed this sta- The story begins on Thanksgiving Day, which in the U.S. is typi- tus are varied, and they no doubt shed some light on aspects of cally the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving is one of the American culture and character. The film takes place during the most important national holidays in the U.S. It purports to have its Christmas season, and thus it has become associated with Christ- roots in an event in 1621 in the Plymouth Colony in New England, mas and is frequently broadcast each year in December, much as peopled by Calvinist Christian separatists from England who called for example Ironiya Sud’by is associated with and broadcast at the themselves Pilgrims. The event was a dinner in which the Pilgrims New Year in Russia. On the most overt and obvious level it is a story “gave thanks” for the harvest, and to which they invited local na- that appeals to values and ideals that resonate among Americans, tive people who had helped them. Today Thanksgiving is typically a such as the importance of belief and the power of innocence. As family holiday and revolves around an elaborate meal with a num- we will see, some reviewers of the film have also described its plot ber of traditional dishes. as a retelling of the passion of Jesus Christ, and so the film has a In addition to family and food, since 1924 Thanksgiving Day strong audience among devout Christians as well as many others. is associated with a parade in midtown Manhattan sponsored by Philosophically, the film takes up the epistemological question of the Macy’s Department Store. The main Macy’s store is on Herald the nature, value, and justification of belief; and of greatest interest Square, where Broadway, 6th Avenue, and 34 th Street converge, for us here, it offers a foray into ontology by making a fascinating and the parade ends there with marching bands, dancers, and sing- and compelling case for the existence of Santa Claus! Our primary ers from the parade performing in front of the store. The parade is interest will be to see how this is done and to consider some of the broadcast across the country on television, and organizers estimate ontological issues involved. that in our time some 50 million people watch some or all of the 48 | 2(7). 2012 | Международный журнал исследований культуры International Journal of Cultural Research © Издательство «Эйдос», 2012. Только для личного использования. www.culturalresearch.ru © Publishing House EIDOS, 2011. For Private Use Only. Содержание / Table of Contents |Философия кинонарратива / Philosophy of Kino-Narrative| Кино|теКст / Kino|text John RYDER / Джон РАЙДЕР | The Ontology of Santa Claus: Miracle on 34 th Street| parade on television. The parade route itself is typically lined with American cultural mythology is supposed to be profound. Of course 3.5 million people. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is, in other the overt occasion for Christmas is the birth of Jesus, but there are words, a nationally central ingredient of one of the most important other, secular values that the holiday is also supposed to celebrate: national holidays. Furthermore, traditionally the final float in the goodwill, peace, friendship, generosity, family, and similar virtues. parade is an elaborate sleigh with Santa Claus riding on top, and So even while often happily going into debt to pay for all the gifts it is generally said that when Santa Claus reaches the end of the they are buying, Americans will say, presumably without irony, that parade at Herald Square the Christmas season has officially begun. the “true meaning” of Christmas has been lost. Kris Kringle was also Miracle on 34 th Street begins with the Macy’s parade, thus the saying this, even in his capacity as a ‘department store Santa’, which ’34 th Street’ of the title. Though the year is, presumably, 1946 (the is to say as a player in the very commercialization process he be- film premiered in June 1947), the parade had already become an moaned. One can imagine that Macy’s owner and managers would important component of the holiday, and the Macy’s store was fa- find this somewhat disconcerting. mous across the country. One of the film’s central characters, Do- There were other features of Kris’s behavior that they also found ris, is an employee of Macy’s and is responsible for organizing the disturbing. For example, Kris defies one of the fundamental princi- parade. She learns to her horror, and at the last minute, that the ples of retail commerce by suggesting to a child and parents a gift man hired to play Santa Claus on the final float is drunk. Doris asks that Macy’s did not sell but that could be purchased at Macy’s chief the man who informed her of this fact, and who himself looks like competitor. The store managers were horrified by this, though very Santa Claus, if he might fill in. Having had some experience he is quickly the store was receiving feedback from customers who were persuaded, and Doris hires him on the spot. He gives his name as delighted that Macy’s was demonstrating such a refreshing consid- Kris Kringle and, crucial to the plot of the film, he later claims to eration for the customers’ interests. The owner of the store realized be the real Santa Claus. Kris does such a marvelous job as Santa that this unusual policy was in fact good business, and so supported Claus in the parade that Macy’s offers him a position playing Santa Kris. The store psychologist remained suspicious. Claus in the store. This is also an American tradition that continues The psychologist becomes convinced that Kris is mentally dis- today, wherein small children will be brought to a store, or now to a turbed, and quite possibly dangerous, as a result of Kris’ unusu- shopping mall, to sit on the lap of Santa Claus. Santa will ask them al actions and his insistence that he is in fact Santa Claus. At this whether they have been good children during the year, and they point things go badly for Kris. He is removed from his position as will tell Santa what presents they would like for Christmas. Kris was Macy’s ‘store Santa’, and eventually he is recommended for perma- given this position at Macy’s. nent commitment to a facility for the mentally ill. Fred, who has One of the film’s central topics is the question of the proper befriended Kris, convinces him to fight the commitment, and Kris place of belief, particularly belief in the patently unreasonable. The agrees to allow Fred to arrange a formal hearing before the New theme is expressed through the relation of Doris and her six year York State Supreme Court to determine his mental condition. The old daughter Susan. Doris, who is a single mother and an aspiring State of New York in the person of its District Attorney (DA), allying professional, is a confirmed realist who has little patience for flights itself with the store psychologist, argues that he is insane because of fancy and imagination. She has made it clear to Susan that San- he claims, and presumably believes, that he is Santa Claus. The logic ta Claus is a fictional character, and so Susan keeps her emotional of course is that everyone knows that Santa Claus does not exist, so distance from Kris and at first is not drawn into any aspect of the anyone who genuinely believes himself to be Santa Claus must be Santa Claus fantasy.
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