This scene reinforces the previous interview Mr. Rhineheart. It has the same structure as Neo’s reprimand, the same comply or suffer rules. It’s just a bit further up the pyramid, on a higher level. Both these scenes set the framework for the authoritative, hierarchical structure of the Matrix. A shift from corporate level to government level.

At government level though, things get a bit more serious. It’s not just a question of losing a job, it’s more about losing everything. Neo is given an ultimatum. Not only to cease and desist his current course of enquiry, but to also hand over Morpheus, the mentor he has yet to meet, who represents his higher self and the source of this behaviour.

Also in this scene is a reference to Neo’s duality, having two lives. One as a respectable citizen, the socially responsible and boring picture of normality. The other as a hacker, rising to exciting challenges, pitting his knowledge and creative abilities against those above him.

We all felt for him. Standing there in Mr Rhineheart’s office. You may have experienced similar… Blah, blah, blah, corporate policy, blah, part of a team, blah, blah. Yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir.

The dull, drudgery of office life, another cog in the corporate wheel. It may seem to be a rather insignificant scene, but here, we are being given insight as to the nature of the real Matrix. This is reinforced by the following interview with agent Smith, which is much of the same, just escalated to a higher level. Both these scenes set the framework for the authoritative, hierarchical structure of the Matrix.

Rhineheart is a typical heirophant, on the company level. He enforces adherence to a typical company structure. You must be at your desk on time… blah, blah, blah. Rules that make non-creative people feel superior to creative people.

The concepts behind this scene are reinforced, by the following, similar reprimand by Smith. It’s the same structure, the same comply or suffer rules, just a bit further up the pyramid from corporate level to government level.

Also in this scene is a reference to Neo’s duality, having two lives. One as a respectable citizen, the socially responsible and boring picture of normality. The other as a hacker, rising to exciting challenges, pitting his knowledge and abilities against those above him.

Although not shown, for reasons of social acceptability, it is highly likely that Neo has come to this very raw, seedy, fetish club with Choi and Dujour for the purpose of recreational drug abuse. Neo is, quite obviously, out of his comfort zone, but the situation offers him the opportunity to meet Trinity. After all, she is the one that engineered the situation. In some cultures (eg. Central and South America) drugs are used as a gateway to the shadow self or hidden aspects of one’s own personality. Ayahuasca, is one such drug, as made famous by this National Geographic report.

Trinity is actually an aspect of his own personality, the part of his mind that he’s not fully aware of. She is part of him, his creative, mischievous side and his shadow self. An entity that does the things that his conscious mind is not in agreement with.

The first thing to note is that he is surprised by the feminine nature of his shadow self, after all, he is a man. Why would he have a feminine shadow self? Of course, the answer is that, despite our social and individual adherence to a socially defined stereotype of acceptable gender traits, we all contain aspects of the feminine and masculine, regardless of biology.

This is Neo’s first step to freedom from the Matrix.

To all intents and purposes Neo is a geek, but the state in which we find him is typical of an individual who has started to question his life model.

His apartment is undecorated with little furniture and certainly no luxuries, just computers. Most would look at this situation and immediately judge Neo as a drop-out or a waster who is either on drugs or has some form of mental dysfunction. Why else would he choose to live like this?

To Neo, these things are of no importance. He has realised that following the capitalist dream is nothing more than a distraction. He knows something is wrong with this ideal and has rejected it.

He has turned his back on the accepted social norms and instead focuses all his time and money pursuing the truth.

The arrival of Choi, Dujour and friends, drop-out like characters, is further indicative of his rejection of the social norm. These are the sort of people that, for various reasons, have also rejected the shrink wrapped ideal of life. No longer accepting the “standard model” of life that has been spoon fed to them since birth, they prefer a drug fuelled, partying, short term alternative.

They don’t believe in reality either, but their direction and search for truth has lead them into a trap. However, like all these things there is an element of truth within their chosen lifestyle. This is what they offer Neo, who takes the offer. The inference is that of the use of mind altering substances.

It’s called mescaline and it’s the only way to fly.

 

Choi – The Matrix

Though it would be generally unacceptable and politically incorrect to suggest, that this was the purpose of Neo’s joining them for a bit of “R & R”, it is highly indicative that this is what it meant. Mind altering drugs have, for hundreds of years, been used as a stepping stone to open the mind and start the internal questioning process.

The mention of the “white rabbit”, refers, of course to Lewis Caroll’s “Alice in Wonderland”. A book that is famous for suggesting that things are not always what they appear to be. There is also a certain amount of speculation that the works were influenced by the use of opium, which was prevalent at the time.

Ultimately, there is only one single truth, the rest are illusions created by a dream-state induced and maintained by society. But, when you are in that dream-state, believing that illusion, how would you know whether what you believe is the real truth?

What if you were unable to wake from that dream, Neo?

How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?

 

- Morpheus

The Matrix is everywhere, it’s all around us, here even in this room. You can see it out your window or on your television. You feel it when you go to work, or go to church or pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth.

Morpheus – The Matrix

Even for those who are not computer geeks, the Matrix story resonates on psychological or spiritual level. It asks a fundamental question that somehow connects deep in our psyche.

For some, it may be the Cartesian philosophical question, for others it may be the idea of an interconnectedness that binds us to each other and the universe. For others still, it may be about a hidden organisation that secretly controls the world. Of course, there’s always those that like it because it’s a kick-ass action movie with superhuman characters and cool martial arts scenes.

Oracle: Please. You and I may not be able to see beyond our own choices, but that man can’t see past any choice.

 

Neo: Why not?

 

Oracle: He doesn’t understand them, he can’t. To him they are variables and equations. One at a time each must be solved and counted. That’s his purpose: to balance the equation.

 

The Matrix Revolutions

Of course he does represent God… or rather one side of God. He is the masculine principle, pure logic and mathematics. In his mind everything is black and white. He is control using reason.

The dynasty was started by Merovech, who maintained that he was of the bloodline of Jesus Christ. There is also another clue as to his archetype offered by Persephone:

“A long time ago, when we first came here, it was so different. He was so different. He was like you.”

 

Persphone – The Matrix Reloaded

Referring, of course, to Neo.

There are also hints to his archetype with the name of his wife, “Persephone” and the name of his club. Although we don’t really know the name of the club, it is accessed through a button in the elevator. The button, originally an emergency button marked “HELP” has had the “P” scratched off, leaving it marked as “HEL”. Persephone was, in Greek mythology, the wife of Hades, Hades being the god of the underworld. The underworld was the realm of the dead, which later became the Christian hell. Hades was not though, the devil. His realm also included Gaia (the earth) and he was considered to be the god of wealth, because wealth came from the ground.

In the Matrix, the Merovingian controls all things “material” and political. He represents the power structure. He is not just the president, emperor or king, he is symbolic of the whole structure.

But… power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. He’s gone bad. Far more interested in his own welfare than his true purpose, ie. the welfare of others. As Persephone points out…”Pompous prick.”

It is only when Neo defeats him (defeats the law) that Smith becomes “unplugged” and “free”. He becomes far more powerful than the other agents, and outside of the direct control of the Matrix. He can also rally anyone into his ranks. A law unto himself.

He is the system’s extreme reaction to an extreme situation, with only one goal, destruction of the enemy. ie. martial law.

A leader, though not through force or status, but through respect. Someone who recognises and believes in the abilities of those under his command.

Morpheus is the father figure in the Holy Trinity.

This trinity: Neo, the masculine mind; Trinity the feminine mind and Morpheus, the higher self, the product of the cooperation between the masculine and feminine.