Parasite: The Fallacy of the Metaphorical

  South Korean director Bong Joon Ho is no stranger to social commentary in his films. From the satirical jab at factory farms in Netflix produced “Okja”, to the classist dystopian train of “Snowpiercer”.  Tackling the class divisions touched upon in the other latter film, Ho’s commentary is even more refined and honed in his latest venture that is “Parasite”. Told through the lives of two families on opposite sides of wealth; Parasite tells a genre bending tale of what some are willing to do to achieve that wealth. Alongside the intersection of our families, Ho sprinkles in many iconic items or actions that represent said wealth. One very important item is a Scholar Stone that our poor family, the Kims, receive from a friend of the son Ki-Woo. The stone is a metaphor, as stated by Ki-Woo himself in the film. However its meaning shifts a few times throughout the film. First is its intended meaning to bring wealth and prosperity during the start of the film. After it is received  and the Kim’s are making progress in their plans, the stone seems to truly be working as intended. However as we move through the story, the stone starts to become a representation of the divide of classes. At the film’s turning point, and as the Kims home begins to flood, the stone is seen floating in the water. First, since the stone is floating, it means that it is most likely a hollow fake. With this in mind the metaphor has changed. The promise of wealth and prosperity has become just as unreal as the rock. Also this serves as a sort of warning. With this change in meaning, we also have to see that the motives and actions of the Kim family are just as ethereal at actually changing their lives as the rock was. Although their motives aren't entirely without merit, they do harbor an uneven maliciousness. The plans they create can only get them so far in keeping the lie alive. Just as the stone’s true nature is shown after the flood, so is the Kim family’s nature. The kims have soon gotten themselves too deep into a situation that will be their downfall. And just as the film has shown us that they are underserved in society, it has also shown us that they aren't entirely unskilled. The film then perpetuates the message that sometimes the only way to move up is to not take the easy way out.