Mac is portrayed as near death at the beginning of the film, having woken up in a drunken stupor in a boundless, empty flatland with nothing in his possession, a shot that scholar Roy M. Anker said "pointedly reflects the condition of his own soul".. The dialogue in other scenes suggests the threat of mortality, including a moment when Mac has trouble singing due to his bad voice and says, "Don't feel sorry for me, Rosa Lee, I'm not dead yet." In several lasting shots, the vast sky dwarfs Mac, Rosa Lee and Sonny, starkly symbolizing their isolation, as well as the fragility of human existence. The fact that Mac sustains his newfound life with Rosa Lee and Sonny after his daughter's death, rather than reverting to his old pattern of alcoholism and abuse, is consistent with a recurring theme in Foote's works of characters overcoming tragedy and finding in it an opportunity for growth and maturation..
Mac is portrayed as near death at the beginning of the film having woken up in a drunken stupor in a boundless empty flatland with nothing in his possession a shot that scholar Roy M Anker said "pointedly reflects the condition of his own soul" The dialogue in other scenes suggests the threat of mortality including a moment when Mac has trouble singing due to his bad voice and says "Don't feel sorry for me Rosa Lee I'm not dead yet" In several lasting shots the vast sky dwarfs Mac Rosa Lee and Sonny starkly symbolizing their isolation as well as the fragility of human existence The fact that Mac sustains his newfound life with Rosa Lee and Sonny after his daughter's death rather than reverting to his old pattern of alcoholism and abuse is consistent with a recurring theme in Foote's works of characters overcoming tragedy and finding in it an opportunity for growth and maturation