Humility breeds humility. The most humble act a person can do is sacrifice themselves in some way for another human being. That humble act then breeds humility in that the one receiving the sacrifice is now brought to humility just by standing before the one who sacrificed for them. That is ultimately an act of redemption.

Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” (1994) arguably contains the best illustration of this put on film. It’s shot in a circular time line in which the film is told in different “short stories” and in which we enter the story somewhere in the middle before returning back to the opening scene by the end. At first viewing one may not notice that every one of the main stories ends in some sort of scene of redemption for a character or two involved.

The scene I want to focus on is probably my favorite scene in any film of all time. The last story in “Pulp Fiction” shows Samuel L. Jackson’s character Jules along with John Travolta’s Vincent in a restaurant having breakfast . They begin to discuss the morning’s big event in which they were shot at in near point blank range and came through unscathed. Jules sees this as a life changing miracle and immediately announces to Vincent his plan to retire from his life of crime. Vincent sees this as foolish and “mocks” him for his decision before leaving the table for the restroom. While gone, Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer) and Pumpkin (Tim Roth) proceed with their stick-up of the restaurant demanding everyone hand over their wallets. Jules pulls out his gun and makes Pumpkin sit down across from him in Vincent’s seat. He has Pumpkin take out his wallet and take the money for himself saying he’s not letting Pumpkin steal his money but rather buying Pumpkin’s life.

Jules makes Pumpkin listen to a passage of scripture that he has “memorized.” Ezekiel 25:17 The path of the righteous is beset on all sides with the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon those with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know that I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. Jules then discusses who exactly he is and who Pumpkin represents in this passage. He acknowledges that he is the tyranny of evil men but that he’s trying so hard to be the shepherd. H then lets Pumpkin and Honey Bunny go in peace, essentially saving any for of violence which may occur in a normal stick-up.

Jules becomes the shepherd in that he successfully shepherded the would be thieves out of wrong doing and into a life where sacrifice is the ultimate form of living. Jules was humbled by God giving him life when he clearly should’ve died. Pumpkin was humbled by Jules giving him life by “buying” his life from him Humility breeds humility. And redemption is the result of that breeding.

It’s interesting to note as Roger Ebert did in his “Secrets of Pulp Fiction” (www.godamongdirectors.com/faq/secrets.html) “Jules, who believes he has been saved by God, lives--while Vincent, the scoffer, dies.” A life of believed humility, redemption, and ultimately salvation breeds life deserved. Scoffing of humility, redemption, and salvation breeds death.

Humility. Redemption. Salvation. None have never been more evident on screen.