I tend to dislike Christmas movies but two of my favorite (Christmas) films are It’s a Wonderful Life (1946; dir. Capra) and The Green Knight (2021; dir. Lowery) both revolve around a central, existential question—What would life be like without the protagonist?
Despite the different genres and moral frameworks, the two films contrast how they explore the worth of their main characters’ lives and their moral weight.
Two Visions of a Life’s Impact
In It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is granted the experience of seeing what the world would look like if he had never been born. The lives of his family, friends, and community are unraveled by his absence, painting a bleak picture of a world without his sacrifices. The message is clear—George’s life, despite his doubts, is meaningful and important to the wellbeing of so many. His worth lies in the love and hope he inspires in others.
By contrast, The Green Knight flips the narrative. In the climactic closing sequences, Gawain imagines a future in which he cheats death, returns to Camelot, and succeeds Arthur as King. Yet, this vision of a life is filled with ruin, deceit, betrayal, and a personal emptiness. His life, if prolonged through cheating the wager, would not elevate others but ultimately lead to suffering. In this vision, Gawain realizes that perhaps the most honorable path is to die—to sacrifice himself to the Green Knight’s axe, ensuring the integrity of his knighthood and his moral redemption.
Morality and Flaws
George Bailey and Gawain represent two opposing archetypes of morality.
• George Bailey is inherently moral but reluctant. His flaws are not moral failings—he repeatedly self-sacrifices for others without too much second thought—but rather his struggles are internal conflicts. He is filled with regret, longing, and wishes for personal fulfillment. He sacrifices his dreams of adventure and advancement to shoulder the responsibilities left by his father. George’s arc is not about discovering morality but about recognizing the value of his sacrifices and their profound impact on others.
• Gawain, in contrast, begins as a deeply flawed character. He is selfish, impulsive, cowardly, and wayward—far from the ideal of knighthood he wishes to embody. As the Lady of the castle bluntly tells him, “You are no knight.” She makes this judgement because his actions showcase how he was too weak to shutdown his desires. However, his arc is one of moral transformation. Through his journey, Gawain learns the true meaning of honor—not in outward accolades but in the courage to face his own weaknesses and wants while understanding the consequences of his actions. His final act of kneeling before the Green Knight signifies his moral growth, even if it comes at the cost of his life.
Facing Death: A Study in Contrasts
Both films grapple with their protagonists’ relationships to death.
• George Bailey’s Crisis: George, overwhelmed by despair, contemplates suicide, believing that the world would be better off without him. His crisis is rooted in hopelessness, but through his vision of a world without him, he realizes the flaw in his belief. George learns to cherish life—not because of personal fulfillment but because of the ways he enriches others’ lives.
• Gawain’s Trial: Gawain does not contemplate suicide but must confront the agreed upon inevitability of his death. Unlike George, who learns the value of his life through absence, Gawain learns the value of his life through sacrifice. His choice to face the axe is not a retreat but an act of bravery. In surrendering himself, he becomes the knight he aspired to be. Importantly, Gawain must know full well that his sacrifice and story will likely never be told and he likely will never be recognized as a Knight by his peers. He bows his head regardless, the ultimate moral test.
The Ambiguity of Endings
It’s a Wonderful Life concludes on a definitive, joyous note. George Bailey’s realization of his worth leads to communal celebration, affirming his life despite the struggles, is inherently good.
The Green Knight ends more ambiguously. We don’t know for certain if the Green Knight’s smirk indicates that he will spare Gawain the blow, possibly knowing through supernatural means that Gawain is transformed by his visions and could return to Camelot with a new lease on life and the moral character to live a knightly life. In the other hand, I believe we ought to believe Gawain loses his head and fulfills his ultimate goal. In essence, to live the life of a knight, or for that matter a moral life, requires sacrifice. Moral games are not enough to be truly good.
Two Paths, One Question
Both It’s a Wonderful Life and The Green Knight ask what a life means in the context of others. George Bailey’s story asserts that life, no matter its disappointments, is worth living because of the positive impact we can have on others. Gawain’s story, by contrast, suggests that the worth of a life lies in its integrity, even if that integrity comes at the ultimate cost.
These moral differences underscore the richness of both films, each offering a different lens on the human condition. In one, hope is found in embracing life’s interconnectedness; in the other, honor is found in the willingness to sacrifice.
Though both these films are supernatural, one real world takeaway is for each of us to reflect on our own lives—what would the world look like without us, and what legacy will we leave behind?
The Curated Life Worth Reading 
Leave a comment