Snowpiercer Society
History often has a funny way of repeating itself. The same key issues are always under consideration no matter the time period or society, and some of the clearest for today are the ideas of social equality and the growing difference between social classes. The struggle for equality is present in today's society and Snowpiercer shows us a world in which this class struggle has become heightened and demands response. Forced on the train after an artificial ice age, humans show their true intentions through the greed of power. The growing social class distinctions seen in Snowpiercer show how today's problems escalated resulting in riots and how ignoring key issues, like the growing reliance on technology, can lead to the downfall of the human
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With the increase in technology comes the disconnect from society, as seen by Wilford. He lives alone in the front car surrounded solely by the steel and gears of the engine. Because he invented the train and the “eternal engine”, he serves as "the savior of humanity", and he takes the place of God for the front train passengers. They have all become obsessed with the idea of human sustainability no matter the cost to others. In one of the last scenes of the film, Tim is found confined in the floor taking the place of an extinct part and pulling gunk out of a hole. At this point, the viewer realizes that the intention to survive outweighs the value of life itself by not only Wilford but all front of the train passengers. They have become so consumed with greed and the "magic" of the train that only their quality of life matters. In the back, however, there is a strong sense of community and lack of technology. Curtis cares so deeply when the families lose their children and vows to find them. Also, when they first revolt everyone in the back car is a part of building the ram and fighting. Amidst the battles, the back car should have lost because they had no weapons besides barbaric tools to face the advanced guns and night-vision they faced. But after ramming and bursting through the mechanized doors that keep them from social mobility, they all come together to rise above the superior technology. This is not the case in the front of the train where it's an everyone-for-themselves
With the increase in technology comes the disconnect from society, as seen by Wilford. He lives alone in the front car surrounded solely by the steel and gears of the engine. Because he invented the train and the “eternal engine”, he serves as "the savior of humanity", and he takes the place of God for the front train passengers. They have all become obsessed with the idea of human sustainability no matter the cost to others. In one of the last scenes of the film, Tim is found confined in the floor taking the place of an extinct part and pulling gunk out of a hole. At this point, the viewer realizes that the intention to survive outweighs the value of life itself by not only Wilford but all front of the train passengers. They have become so consumed with greed and the "magic" of the train that only their quality of life matters. In the back, however, there is a strong sense of community and lack of technology. Curtis cares so deeply when the families lose their children and vows to find them. Also, when they first revolt everyone in the back car is a part of building the ram and fighting. Amidst the battles, the back car should have lost because they had no weapons besides barbaric tools to face the advanced guns and night-vision they faced. But after ramming and bursting through the mechanized doors that keep them from social mobility, they all come together to rise above the superior technology. This is not the case in the front of the train where it's an everyone-for-themselves