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The Deep Message Of Dune Explained
“The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience. A process that cannot be understood by stopping it. We must move with the flow of the process. We must join it. We must flow with it.”
This is Dune’s main theme, summarized in one perfect paragraph.
You might’ve watched this movie and muttered to yourself what’s with the Bull? What does the Worm mean?
What’s with the dreams and even that little mouse that Paul sees twice?
Well, they all tie directly into Dune’s theme.
Dune, like all great movies, is chock-full of hidden details, motifs, and messages that nod to it’s theme.
In this article we’re doing a deep dive on some of them. And I mean deep. I wrote 4 pages of notes while watching this movie.
If you want the video version of this article, you can find it right here.
Let’s start with the bull.
The Bull
Paul says that his grandfather fought bulls for sport. There’s also loads of Bull imagery in this movie, including the bull head, and the bullfighter statue in Paul’s room.
Dune wants audience members to walk away with the lesson that we must “flow” with the process of life to understand it. We must join it.
What does a bullfighter do?
They wave a red flag to draw the Bull’s attention, and they side-step it at the last minute, moving with the animal — joining it.
It’s a dance. And a dance can only be performed when you’re coordinating your movements with a partner.
To me the bull is a reminder to have courage as well. Before Leto dies, he glances up at the Bull head on his wall.
