Opinion ID: 3038576
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Themes

Text: [12] Although both works explore themes of death, relationships, and sex, they do so in very different ways. “The Funk Parlor,” a murder mystery, is driven by a series of murders, which catalyze the salvation of the business. The use of death in “Six Feet Under” is quite different: there, death proFUNKY FILMS v. TIME WARNER ENTERTAINMENT 10455 vides the focal point for exploring relationships and existential meaning. As noted by the district court, the general theme of “Six Feet Under” “is that sex and death provide focal points for relationships,” while the predominant theme of “The Funk Parlor” is that “sex and religion don’t mix.” In addition to the numerous murders that take place, “The Funk Parlor” traces a number of religious themes (tension between members of the Protestant and Catholic communities, religious conversion, and a general fear of God). Much of the story takes place at the Polish deli owned by Sophie’s family, and several of the deaths take place at “Overlook Point.” Characters continually brush up against lawenforcement officials investigating the series of murders. Meanwhile, the religious themes serve as a conscious moral structure against the backdrop of the mass killings that take place. The characters must come to grips with religious expectations, agonizing that they will “burn in Hell” and that “God is punishing us.” John Funk considers religious conversion and seeks confession as a source of absolution. Sophie, meanwhile, is obsessed with religion and, for much of the story, appears ready to enter the convent to become a nun. “Six Feet Under,” by contrast, is a neo-realistic, postmodern account of family and romantic relationships, without any overarching religious themes or overtones. Themes of love, romance, death, and sexuality are explored entirely through the characters’ complex interactions. The story focuses on the characters’ longing for connection, their insecurities, and their complaints. Unlike “The Funk Parlor,” none of the main characters are murderers or murder victims.