A.I./Pinocchio Essay

         The novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi and the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence directed by Steven Spielberg have numerous similarities, not just because of how much the fairytale drives the plot in the movie. At the very core of both stories, the plots follow the negative events that unfold when a machine is brought to life and given the qualities of a human child. However, that’s also where a lot of similarities end. 

Although the robot child David from the movie is inspired by the story of Pinocchio to find the Blue Fairy to become a real boy, he is already more lifelike than Pinocchio could ever be. The marionette eventually gets his wish granted after numerous run-ins with police and near-death experiences while David remains an imitation of flesh and bone throughout the entire story. As children, the two characters’ behaviors are complete opposites. From Pinocchio’s inception of coming to life, although still as a marionette, he is not a well-behaving child. As he takes numerous adventures all over the place, in and out of peril; almost all derive from bad behavior. Pinocchio is desperate to become a real boy, but often quits doing what it takes to become a real boy. Children can sometimes be resentful to authority, as it often relates to maturing and preparing to be functioning members of society. Kids must go to school to get used to structure above anything else, but Pinocchio continually refuses.

On the other hand, David is very obedient as a child. It’s not his fault that he doesn’t understand human nature at first, although he is designed as a sophisticated 12-year-old. His family of Henry, Monica, and eventually Martin all have resentments towards David at different times because it is hard for them to adjust to a sudden 12-year-old (or at least the equivalent of) that they must take care of. They all expect David to behave like a normal child because he looks like and talks like one at the same time that he is learning how to be human. David has awkward interactions with his parents, ones that make Monica and Henry want to get rid of him in multiple instances. They brought David into their home to replace their biological son Martin, who they believe is all but dead as he’s frozen in this chamber. In a miracle turn of events, Martin rejoins the family but now with a new brother the same age as David. Siblings will always have rivalry. There is the animal kingdom effect, where Martin felt that David was encroaching upon his territory and engaging him in different trials to prove who is better between the two. Despite all this, David is loyal to his family and searches for their love and protection when they do not want it from him.

Another connection I found interesting was which aspects both creators focused on when making these creations human. In Carlo Collodi’s case, many physical and emotionally shallow characteristics were in his focus. For Spielberg, the entire purpose of creating David, and his reason to live, was for love. He does not have many human characteristics like eating or even breathing but is so emotionally mature in knowing what he wants. Collodi imagined that a marionette would still need to eat, but many of the other characteristics of the story are unrealistic.  

Like all children, it’s hard to predict and control their behavior. When imagining how a machine would take human form, the interpretations can have many differences while not being wrong. David and Pinocchio shows what can happen when too much of human nature is used unnaturally.