The New Frontier - Exploring the Movie Further

Exploring Further

In the Legend of Bagger Vance, we see a young man named Rannulph Junuh discover his "authentic swing" or true identity. His path toward that destination is fraught with unreliable sources, loss of heart, and outright failure.

When the movie begins, Junuh lives much of his life from his true identity. He is a prodigy golfer, but deeper than that, Junuh plays with his "authentic swing." This "authentic swing" is a reflection of his true identity. It is UNIQUELY Rannulph Junuh. No one before or after him will swing the way Junuh does. When he trusts in his "authentic swing" he plays almost flawlessly, not to win but for the love of playing. In this "Garden State," Junuh wins many tournaments, matches, and titles. However, he treasures most his ability to just play the game for his girlfriend, Adelle, and the people of his small town, Savannah, Georgia.

At the height of his career, war breaks out in Europe. Junuh and many of the young men in Savannah join the war effort. As the captain of Savannah's battalion, Junuh believes the war will bring him glory. He sees it as a reliable source that can reinforce who he is. Instead, war snuffs out his confidence and trust in his authentic swing. During a tragic battle, many of the young men from Savanna die; he is the lone survivor. As a source, the war left him at a destination of despair and a loss of heart. Racked by guilt, Junuh returns to the Savannah, but not to golf. He believes he can never be who he once was.

Instead, he goes to other sources that can appease his pain; drugs, alcohol, and gambling fill his days to soothe and comfort his wounded heart. That is, until his now ex-girlfriend, Adelle, organizes a golf match and asks him to play in it. Junuh is initially reluctant, stuck in his cycle of shame and self-doubt, but Adelle and the townspeople convince him to pick up a club again.

This is where a new character enters the scene. You see, even though Junuh swings again, he no longer has his authentic swing. He lost it on the battlefield in Europe and needs someone to show him how to get it again. This is where Bagger Vance comes in. Disguised as a down-and-out caddy, Bagger is actually this incredible, smart, ninja, sage, yoda-like character who is the only source that can help Junuh. Bagger is Junuh's True Source and can help him regain trust in his authentic swing, but only if Junuh trusts and follows his lead.

During the big golf match, Junuh re-trusts his authentic swing and remembers the golfer he once was. Junuh attains success for the first time in years, and it looks like he might win the match after all- for the glory of Savannah and its people! Junuh always wanted this: to win and somehow make it up to the town he let down. Then something shifts. Instead of listening to Bagger as his True Source, Junuh listens to the praise and opinion of Savanah's people because he can't bear letting them down again. Their voices make him overconfident and drive him to the destination of making mistakes.

Ashamed of these new mishaps and the potential of letting Savannah down again, he knocks his ball deep into the woods. As Junuh walks through the woods alone, the voices of the men who died under his command echo in his mind. Overwhelmed, he reaches to pick up his golf ball and forfeit the match, believing he can't do it. But just before he does, Bagger shows up. He tells Junuh to remember who he once was- before the war- before the loss- before the shame. To remember the game he was born to play- not to win, but for the love of the game. Bagger reminds him to play the game he can only play with his authentic swing from his true identity.

Junuh takes a club and steps to the ball, and as he does, he remembers- his true identity, authentic swing, and love of the game; as he remembers, everything changes. Junuh hits the ball out of the woods and back into the match. His competitors stand shocked. Savannah's people cheer with elation. But none of that matters now. Junuh's no longer playing to win. He's playing because that's what he was made to do. He's playing because he loves playing- because it brings his heart alive. The match ends in a tie, and even though Junuh doesn't win, he recovers his true identity and authentic swing.

Because he trusted in his True Source, he went in the direction of his authentic swing. He arrived at the destination of his true identity. We are just like Junuh. Sources apart from God get between us and who He made us to be. But our True Source loves us too much to leave us there. He wants to help us recover our true identity- to live with our "authentic swing." If we go to him as our True Source and trust his voice, we will become the men he made us to be and live with joy and hope.

Further Discussion:

After reading this, what other parallels do you see between your story and Junah's? Do you see some of the other ideas from the "Truth of the Month" video in the movie? Discuss them together.