Analysis: Pulp Fiction (cont'd)

Jeff Messerman asked a question about Quentin Tarantino and narrative structure which I responded to here, specifically breaking down the plot structure of Pulp Fiction in which I concluded:

But after reading the script several times, I have come to the conclusion that Tarantino, whether he intended it or not, hit upon non-linearity as the only way he could tell one particular storyline in the script, the tale which comprises the ‘moral’ center of the movie, the story around which the screenplay’s Themeline revolves. That story involves the fates of Jules and Vincent.

Following up on that, here's something you might find interesting: Going through the script and tagging each scene sequence as part of a timeline.

PULP FICTION

TIMELINE

PUMPKIN AND HONEY BUNNY (P. 1-7) PRESENT DAY

The Coffee Shop heist

JULES AND VINCENT (P. 7-26) MONDAY

’74 Chevy (“Le Quarter Pounder”)

Apartment building shoot-out with four guys

Kill Roger and Brett (but not Marvin), then Jules and Vincent shot at by Fourth Man, but they survive and blast Fourth Man away

Jules and Vincent get black briefcase from Brett et al

BUTCH COOLIDGE AND MARSELLUS WALLACE (P. 26-27) MONDAY?

Butch takes a bribe from Marsellus to lose prize fight in the 5^th round

VINCENT, BUTCH AND MARSELLUS (P. 27-30) MONDAY? (LATER)

Carrying the black briefcase, Vincent enters Sally LeRoy’s topless bar

Butch finishes with Marsellus and meets Vincent at the bar (immediate bad vibes)

Marsellus greets Vincent

Fact introduced: Vincent to go out Marsellus’ wife, Mia, “tomorrow”

VINCENT, LANCE, AND JODY (P. 30-34) TUESDAY (NIGHT)

Jody talks about tattoos and body piercing

Vincent scores heroin

Vincent reveals his Malibu was recently keyed

VINCENT AND MIA (P. 34-38) TUESDAY (LATER)

Marsellus’ house

Vincent meets Mia

VINCENT AND MIA II (P. 38-50) TUESDAY (LATER)

Jackrabbit Slim’s

Lots of dialogue, flirting, and cocaine

VINCENT AND MIA III (P. 50-53) TUESDAY (LATER)

More flirting

Mia snorts Vincent’s heroin and overdoses

VINCENT AND MIA IV - WITH LANCE, JODY (P. 53-64) TUESDAY (LATER)

Vincent crashes car into Lance’s house to get Lance to help

Shot of adrenalin and Mia comes back from the dead

VINCENT AND MIA V (P. 64-66) TUESDAY (LATER)

Back at Marcellus’ house – drop off

BUTCH AS A YOUNG BOY (P. 66-68) 1972

Butch hears story about how his POW father died in Vietnam

The importance of the watch

BUTCH AND TAXI RIDE – AFTER THE FIGHT (P. 69-77) WEDNESDAY?

Hear over radio about the fight

Butch ‘escapes’ and taxi ride

BUTCH AND FABIAN – PART I (P. 77-82) WEDNESDAY (LATER)

Butch hooks up with Fabian in motel room

Sex

BUTCH AND FABIAN – PART II (P. 83-84) WEDNESDAY (LATER)

More Butch and Fabian

BUTCH AND FABIAN – PART III (P. 84-92) THURSDAY AM

More Butch and Fabian

She forgot his watch

BUTCH GOES AFTER WATCH – PART I (P. 92-94) THURSDAY (LATER)

Convinces himself he needs to go back to apartment to get watch

BUTCH GOES AFTER WATCH – PART II (P. 94-97) THURSDAY (LATER)

In his apartment, Butch finds watch

Kills Vincent (Vincent is dead)

BUTCH GOES AFTER WATCH – PART III (P. 97-101) THURSDAY (LATER)

Butch has run-in with Marsellus

They both end up in the pawn shop in the clutches of Zed and Maynard

BUTCH AND MASELLUS (P. 101-109) THURSDAY (LATER)

Zed, Maynard and the Gimp

Butch escapes and saves Marsellus

Marsellus allows Butch to go free

BUTCH AND FABIAN (P. 109-111) THURSDAY (LATER)

They leave town

JULES AND VINCENT (P. 112-115) MONDAY (SEE PREVIOUS)

The same scene as earlier, only now from perspective of Fourth Man (in bathroom)

Continue scene which ended with shooting

Jules convinced they survived due to miracle

JULES AND VINCENT – PART II (P. 115-120) MONDAY (LATER)

With Marvin in the back seat, Jules and Vincent drive

Jules announces he is going to tell Marsellus he wants to quit

Vincent accidentally shoots Marvin

The guys determine they have to go somewhere to clean up the mess

JULES AND VINCENT – PART III (P. 120-126) MONDAY (LATER)

At Jules’ friend Jimmie’s house

Jules calls Marsellus who calls “The Wolf”

JULES AND VINCENT – PART IV (P. 127-139) MONDAY (LATER)

The Wolf oversees the clean-up operation, prepping Marvin’s body for disposal

Jules and Vincent dress in UC Santa Cruz and “I’m With Stupid” T-shirts

JULES AND VINCENT – PART V (P. 139-143) MONDAY (LATER)

At Monster Joe’s Truck and Tow where Marvin disposed of

Decide to get breakfast

COFFEE SHOP –(P. 143-159) PRESENT DAY/MONDAY (SEE PREVIOUS SCENE)

Jules and Vincent eat breakfast

Jules firm in his decision to quit the business

Interrupted by Bunny and Honey Bunny robbery (intro scene)

Two futures:

1. We see Jules blowing Pumpkin and Honey Bunny away

2. We see Jules work out of the situation without killing them

Non-linear stories are tricky, but when they work, they can make the narrative that much more interesting.