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Donnie Darko Theory

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Donnie Darko Theory
Donnie Darko, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone and Patrick Swayze is an edgy,complex, psychological thriller about a suburban American teen dealing with the pressures of modern life and psychosis inducing anti-depressants. As well as being a masterpiece of modern cinema, Donnie Darko is also an excellent example of modern tragedy, as defined by Northrop Frye's Modal theory.

Firstly, the movie takes place in the month of October, a subtle (though not necessarily intentional) link to the Modal theory in which Tragedy is connected to autumn. Secondly, Donnie Darko fits perfectly into the modern "tragic hero" description, he is a regular, upper-middle class teenager who is intelligent and relatively personable, if somewhat antisocial. His
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