The Idea of an Essay, Volume 3

144 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 3 sickness and suffering, and leaves in her place a new, innocent child. The birth of Ofelia’s brother is followed very shortly by the death of Vidal, symbolizing the end of Franco and his reign of terror. The child is left in the care of the common people who value the ability to make choices and choose their future. Similarly, shortly after the death of Franco Spain will be restored to democratic rule and once again the government will be run by officials of the people’s own choosing. Furthermore, before Vidal’s death, Mercedes tells him that the child “will not even know your name.” Spain was given a chance to start anew, unstained by the memory of Franco’s atrocities. Ofelia’s brother not knowing Vidal’s name is also significant because it represents the years following Franco’s reign when Spain chose to ignore Franco’s countless crimes. For a long time after Franco’s death, the democracy was so fragile that in 1977 officials passed the Amnesty Law, pardoning all political crimes committed during the Spanish Civil War (Hajji 84). The law was passed in order to ensure that the democracy would not be threatened in the investigations and arrests that otherwise would have ensued. To maintain stability, not only were war criminals pardoned, but “[r] ather than speak openly about the Franco regime’s crimes, Spain adhered to an unspoken Pacto del Silencio or Pacto de Olvido” (Hajji 84). This strategy was effective in that it strengthened the democracy, but it also left many questions unanswered and many people longing for justice. Therefore, in October of 2007 the Historical Memory Law was passed by Spain’s parliament. This law “recognized each person’s right to...investigate crimes pertaining directly to one’s family,” and thus began the process of justice in Spain (Hajji 85). However, Pan’s Labyrinth was produced in 2006, a year before the law was passed. Therefore, when the film asserts that democratic Spain will not know the name and crimes of her former oppressors, this assertion was accurate based on the knowledge available at that time. In addition to symbolizing people or periods in Spain’s history through the use of its characters, the film also demonstrates several aspects of life under fascist rule. One facet of fascism that the movie emphasizes is the relationship between fascism and choices. Fascism was a regime that did not offer those ruled by it a great degree of freedom to choose. However, against this stark background of determinism, Guillermo del Toro, the director of Pan’s Labyrinth, wanted to use the film to explore “the way your choices define you”