The big question on everyone’s mind after watching Donnie Darko is, “Who is Frank?” And the follow-up to that being, “How was he walking around dead? What was he up to, apart from being the eerie texture of the film?”. Let’s jump right in and discuss the meaning of Frank the Rabbit in Donnie Darko.
Before that, if you would like a full recap of the film, check out Donnie Darko’s Plot And Characters Explained. And if that climax is driving you crazy, take a look at Donnie Darko: Ending Explained.
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The Manipulated Living And Dead Meaning
Now, suppose you take a look at the chapters in The Philosophy Of Time Travel written by Roberta Sparrow, who the town folk lovingly call Grandma Death. Two concepts stand out in that case – The Manipulated Living and The Manipulated Dead.
Once you understand the Time Travel in Donnie Darko, it’s evident that the majority of the film is set in the Tangent Universe. The Manipulated Living are all the people in the Tangent Universe who unknowingly guide Donnie to his ultimate quest – to transport a jet engine back through time to the Primary Universe. This one action is the only thing that will bring stability back to the Primary Universe.
The other entity that guides Donnie is the Manipulated Dead. Frank is just a guy making his way to Donnie’s Halloween party. He drives over Gretchen, kills her accidentally, and gets shot by a furious Donnie. Frank’s bleeding eye throughout the film is because Donnie eventually shoots him. After this, Frank becomes a Manipulated Dead and travels through time in the Tangent Universe, guiding Donnie to his mission.
Duality Of Frank The Rabbit Explained
Frank is both a Guide to save the universe and a Harbinger of Death. As the Manipulated Dead, Frank guides Donnie to do things that eventually lead to his own death and Gretchen’s, too. Everything that Donnie is led to do results in the destruction of lives and the very fabric of reality of the Tangent Universe.
On the other hand, doing this saves the Primary Universe and everyone in it. Frank’s guided by the cosmos to ultimately get Donnie to a state where he’ll be left with no other choice but to rip that jet engine off and send it to the Primary Universe. It’s saving the trunk of a tree at the cost of the branches.
- Dead Frank calls out to Donnie, saving him from the jet engine crash.
- Frank gets Donnie to flood the school; hence, he meets Gretchen and falls in love.
- Frank gets Donnie to burn Jim’s house, which causes Jim to be arrested.
- This leads to Donnie and his sister being home alone to throw a Halloween party.
- Frank gets invited to this party by Donnie’s sister, and in a freak accident, Frank kills Gretchen and, in turn, gets shot by Donnie, which starts the Manipulated Dead cycle.
Donnie Darko: Frank as Donnie’s Alter Ego
If we go with the assumption that everything that Donnie experiences through the course of the film is something his mind created and none of it is accurate, then Frank is the primary manifestation of Donnie’s subconscious, representing his darker impulses or guilt. Many of them remain impulses as he doesn’t actually kill anyone in real life but has urges. While the metaphorical angle of the film is interesting, the ending of Donnie Darko makes it quite clear that everything Donnie experienced in the Tangent Universe was indeed real.
Donnie Darko: Symbolism of the Rabbit Costume
Now, the suit itself was picked for a variety of reasons, which director Richard Kelly has discussed in a couple of interviews.
Fate and Foreshadowing
Rabbits are typically cute, but Frank’s suit is far from that. It’s dark, and it foreshadows what is in store for Donnie. Knowing one’s destiny doesn’t always spell out good things. In this film, Donnie understands that even though he can save the universe, he is still doomed. He can either live like Roberta, being called names, or die, and he chooses the latter.
Loss of Innocence
Usually, Rabbits are seen as symbols of innocence, fertility, and gentleness. That said, Frank’s rabbit suit is twisted and grotesque, not to mention the irony that Donnie caused it to happen. This suit now serves as a perversion of that innocence. This distortion represents Donnie’s loss of innocence and his growing awareness of life’s darker aspects. Whether the Tangent Universe is real or not, Donnie’s path is distorted.
What were your thoughts on Frank The Rabbit? Did you have theories about what it all meant? Drop a note in the comments section!
Barry is a technologist who helps start-ups build successful products. His love for movies and production has led him to write his well-received film explanation and analysis articles to help everyone appreciate the films better. He’s regularly available for a chat conversation on his website and consults on storyboarding from time to time.
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