Planet of the Apes: Relationship between Taylor and Nova

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What do you guys think? There was this one quote I liked:

The fish trap exists because of the fish. Once you've gotten the fish you can forget the trap. The rabbit snare exists because of the rabbit. Once you've gotten the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words exist because of meaning. Once you've gotten the meaning, you can forget the words. Where can I find a man who has forgotten words so I can talk with him?

I forget who it's by. I wonder if that ties in with Taylor and Nova's relationship.

Zhuangzi, ancient Chinese Philosopher.

I think this is in regard to words as simply structure that represent meaning. Without words meaning still exists, and is not limited by words, evidenced by those whom are deaf/mute or just mute, as Nova was in the Planet of the Apes. The lack of language wasn't much of an obstacle in the relationship between Taylor and Nova, because meaning was clearly there in Nova's eyes, expression, and gestures.

Interesting in the movie, that language was the key to civilization and as long as humans could not speak or learn; the speaking apes were not threatened by the mute humans.

I was fortunate to be able to watch the movie, when it first came out, in the 60's. My first memory of questioning reality as I knew it. The only example I can think of that equals it in questioning reality, in today's society, was the movie "Avatar".

The ending scene with Taylor and Nova on the horse, with the statue of Liberty sunk in the sand was awesome, with Taylor's realization that he was on earth the whole time, and evidently nuclear destruction had destroyed human civilization. Then Taylor's rage and classic words:

"We finally really did it. You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you. God damn you all to hell!"

What I find interesting at this point my life, is remembering that I thought civilization was the only reality at that point in my life, and could imagine nothing else; the thought of it being gone in the movie was gut wrenching, and I shared Taylor's sentiments.

The movie, Avatar was quite different; some are lost in civilization today, overwhelmed by structure, to the point of being separated from meaning.

In the movie "Planet of Apes", in 1968, I was sad and afraid of losing that structure; but I think the response to Avatar, in the next century, for many, was the opposite, in the realization of how separated from meaning they were because of that structure.

Nova may have been the lucky one, not to have been trapped in civilization. The meaning that it held for Taylor, meant nothing to Nova, she wasn't missing a thing.

I used to walk those kind of beaches in my youth, desolate, and separated from civilization. I too, now, realize that, that is our home, not these constructs that we have created.

On a trivia note:

I never realized that Rod Serling who wrote many of the scripts for the "Twilight Zone" and had creative control, wrote the script for the "Planet of the Apes". Rod Serling was truly one of the most creative minds in TV history, in presenting a script that questioned the small and large issues of existence.

I found the relationship between Taylor and Nova more profound than the relationships between the apes. Nova seemed smarter than the other humans, aside from Taylor, Dodge and Landon. What set her apart? Her wanting to learn about Taylor? Or did Taylor give her the trigger she needed to jumpstart the human potential?

I think her close relationship to Taylor exposed her to his language and the emotional connection gave her the motivation to speak his name. Yes, the trigger that ignited the flame of intelligence that was still there. What we are exposed to as humans is what we become, and in the movie, her exposure to Taylor evidently made a big impact in her life.

Taylor schtupped her until she giggled.

ruveyn

Okay, when was that established?

Even without Taylor, there was something that set her apart from the other primitive humans. When she was caged with him, she instantly gravitated toward him. Why did she want to bond with him and not other humans?

For any male that watched the show, they probably mostly noticed her beauty; I have to admit that is what set her apart for me; and it was no suprise that she ended up with the leading man. This was the commercialized part of the movie for me. One wouldn't expect any human to look like a model living in the wild, but she did.

The same is applicable to the movie he was in "The Ten Commandments" when Heston was rescued out of the wilderness and found by a group of maidens; swooned over him and said "look a man, a real man" Women living in the desert with fair skin.

But, there was a patriarchal element in both movies, and he was seen as the aplha male, so I guess from that perspective, she as the most attractive female would have been the most successful at getting his attention as a mate. I also felt like she had an "Eve" like personna, as the inevitable "chosen one". "Like it was fate, and meant to be".

Perhaps there was a little religious overtone there, or I just couldn't get separate him well enough in my mind, from the "10 Commandments", that had made such an impression on me, in the 60's. When I left the movie I think that is what passed through my mind, they could be like Adam and Eve starting civilization all over again.

Yeah, but there was something that made her seem more able to learn what Taylor and the apes were trying to teach her. She didn't seem as clumsy with her mannerisms. There was one scene where Zira asks the caged humans, "What do you want? Do you want some sugar?" and the hand has the sugar cube in his hand and plops it in his mouth primitively. Nova doesn't seem to display any primitive characteristics.

Looking at the movie from within the movie, she is a genetic and/or cultural oddity in this regard; her beauty, her mannerisms, her intelligent gestures; she is more of what we consider a modern civilized human. I get the feeling that this may be part of what the intention was in the movie, that she was the next step of advancement in the culture, with or without the influence of Taylor, and Taylor enhanced her potential.

She was more domesticated and the other humans were more masculinized and primitive acting, as is the preconceived notion for many of our ancient ancestors.

That makes sense. We see more male primitives than females though.

Intersting, in the the modern primitive cultures in the Amazon are egalitarian and the males and females are of more androgynous appearance. Some of the primitive people are indeed beautiful. However the fossilized remains of our ancient ancestors reveal very masculinized features on males and females, that aren't seen as "beautiful" in our modern day culture.

However, when strength is a requirement of survival, those robust features may have been a sought out quality for both males and females in those ancient days.

Modern day primitive cultures though, are a gentle people, because cooperation between them means everything for survival to them. Natural food sources are abundant in tropical rainforests. And, they aren't required to bring down large mammals to survive, like ancient ancestors did.

Please, tell us how you inferred this.

It was a G rated movie, so as Reuvyn often states in other threads, "there is not one iota of evidence to support this." However, many movies in that day, left these things up to one's imagination, and I wouldn't doubt if that was not part of Reuvyn's imagination when he saw the movie. I, on the other hand was eight, and had no way of inferring it at the time. I thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend, and that was it.

One way or another it wouldn't matter, it is obvious she was emotionally involved with him, and emotions underlie all of our logical actions, according to research.

I found it really funny and cute when Taylor said "Nooo... Va!" and she put her hand over him mouth, causing him to smile.

Here's a fan fiction story on the Internet somewhere called "Nova before Taylor" : http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7236126/1/N ... ore_Taylor