District 9 Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

District 9 Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

District 9

District 9 is itself a symbol of the countless refugee slums that exist in the world today. We are able to see the nature of this type of environment in this film. The filth, mistreatment, savagery, oppression and racism that occurs. District 9 is a symbol of what real people go through on a day to day basis in order to survive.

Stolen Computers

Wikus goes into an alien shack to find computer parts hanging from the walls. The computer parts are a symbol that he is creating technology that is far more advanced than what is allowed in the slum and Wikus investigates immediately and finds the black fluid that turns him into a prawn.

Black Drip

After Wikus's exposure to the fluid, we see Wikus a few hours later eating like he's been starved. Suddenly a black liquid falls from his nose. It is a symbol that he is beginning to change from the inside out into one of the aliens. That what splashed together is far more dangerous than he is making it out to be.

Body Bag

Wikus goes into the hospital to get a check up after vomiting at his birthday party and passing out. It's discovered that he has a claw and is turning into a Prawn. The MNU then stuffs him into a black bag and takes him away. The symbol of the black bag is that he is no longer human, but an experiment and property of MNU so they can take his DNA to use for the weapons they haven't been able to fire.

Claw

Wikus's left arm turns into a claw after being exposed to the fluid. While it is a symbol that his transformation is permanent, it is also a symbol that Wikus is a weapon as he can operate the alien weapons; the MNU will stop at nothing to harvest his DNA and organs for their own use.

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