why is there a bird in arrival

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The Oscars tend to favor dark dramas and historical biopics over fantasy and sci-fi, but Arrival, Denis Villeneuves newest film, might force the Academy to make an exception. The movie, about aliens who land on Earth and the woman (Amy Adams) tasked with understanding their language, has all the potential to be a huge awards season hit, thanks to a powerful lead performance by Adams, a smart, twist-heavy script, and a concept so real and unsettling that no viewer will be able to walk away without being shaken to his or her core. And, like, all the best sci-fi movies, Arrival leaves audiences with plenty of questions. Many of them are big ones, such as whether youd make the same choice as Adams Louise at the movies end. But even the small ones stick with you long after you leave the theater, like what the bird in Arrival actually means.

Spoilers ahead. If you saw the movie, chances are that you were more focused on the massive, stunning aliens or on Adams stellar performance than on the little canary who appears in a handful of scenes set inside the shells. Yet the bird is impossible to ignore, and its unmentioned and seemingly unnecessary presence alongside the scientists raises questions. While no answer is given in the film as to why the bird is there, and neither the filmmakers nor the cast have talked about it, some Reddit users have found their own explanations. According to user zambabamba, the bird is taken into the shell for the same reason why canaries are taken into coal mines: to test if the air there is dangerous for humans.

Since the scientists in Arrival dont know if the air inside the shell is harmful and filled with toxic gas, they need a way to test it. And so they bring in a bird, who would be injured or killed by any type of dangerous gas before they would, giving them a warning to immediately leave the shells if needed. And, as Reddit user LT_Warf points out, since the shell takes 18 hours to refill its atmosphere, the birds declining health can be used as an alarm to tell the scientists when its time to leave and avoid being caught in dangerous air.

Pretty cool, right? The bird may seem inessential, but its actually key to the scientists health and survival in Arrival.

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These language sessions that Louise has with the aliens throughout Arrival are very important, especially for some subtle details sprinkled within these scenes. One of these details comes in the form of a caged bird. Despite being in the background, the birds chirping is hard to miss, even for those enthralled with what message the aliens are trying to convey. But theres a reason why the bird is there, and its because of the old idiom “canary in a coal mine.”

This is one of the main reasons the scene is so important, where Louise removes her hazmat suit and approaches the aliens directly. As the birds begin to sing, indicating that she is safe, Louise’s choice to make contact with the aliens demonstrates a level of trust with them that provides her with the ability to decipher their coded messages, completing the circle of the communication theme.

The expression alludes to a time when coal miners would carry canaries into the mines to help them identify harmful gases. The miners could escape just in time because the canary would perish from the gases before the miner did. Canaries have been used since John Scott Haldane’s experiments with using animals to illustrate the effects of toxic gases. This practice dates back to the early 1900s; in 1986, canaries were replaced by electric gas detectors.

Though the phrase “canary in a coal mine” is a bit archaic, Arrival relies heavily on it to keep the main characters safe—at least in the first few scenes. In a sense, Louise is also a canary in a coal mine because, because of the gift the aliens give her, she becomes the one who is receptive to their messages and aids in alerting humans to impending dangers.

Louise and her group of scientists and military personnel are unsure of what to expect when they first board the alien ships in Arrival. They wear hazmat suits and carry a caged bird with them in case the aliens try anything to protect them. Even though the chirping can occasionally be annoying, it is an inevitable evil.

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The Arrival scientists require a means of testing the air because they are unsure if it is hazardous and full of poisonous gas. They then introduce a bird, which would be harmed or killed by any kind of hazardous gas before they would, alerting them to the need to evacuate the shells right away. Furthermore, as Reddit user LT_Warf notes, the birds’ deteriorating health can be used as a warning to scientists when it’s time to depart so they don’t get caught in hazardous air because the shell takes 18 hours to refill its atmosphere.

The bird in Arrival may seem insignificant, but it’s actually essential to the scientists’ survival and well-being.

Spoilers ahead. If you saw the movie, chances are that you were more focused on the massive, stunning aliens or on Adams stellar performance than on the little canary who appears in a handful of scenes set inside the shells. Yet the bird is impossible to ignore, and its unmentioned and seemingly unnecessary presence alongside the scientists raises questions. While no answer is given in the film as to why the bird is there, and neither the filmmakers nor the cast have talked about it, some Reddit users have found their own explanations. According to user zambabamba, the bird is taken into the shell for the same reason why canaries are taken into coal mines: to test if the air there is dangerous for humans.

The Academy tends to prefer historical biopics and dark dramas over fantasy and science fiction, but Denis Villeneuve’s latest film Arrival may force the Academy to break its tradition. Thanks to Amy Adams’ strong performance, a clever, twist-heavy script, and an eerie concept that will leave no viewer unnerved, the film, which is about aliens who land on Earth and the woman (Amy Adams) tasked with understanding their language, has every chance of becoming a major awards season hit. Additionally, Arrival raises a lot of questions for viewers, just like the best science fiction films do. Many of them are significant ones, like if you would choose to follow Adams Louise’s path in the film’s conclusion. However, even the little ones, like the true meaning of the bird in Arrival, stay with you long after you leave the theater.

FAQ

What does the bird symbolize in The Arrival?

The origami birds that are seen throughout the novel not only symbolize the man’s culture, but becomes a symbol of culture in general. Because the origami bird is something particular to the man’s home country, he finds comfort in its familiarity… More summaries and resources for teaching or studying The Arrival.

Why do they have a bird in a cage in Arrival?

The caged bird is taken into the space ship for the same reason why canaries are taken into coal mines,that is to test if the air quality is hazardous for humans. The bird’s health would have deteriorated or even worse,the bird would have died if any dangerous gas was present.

What does the canary symbolize in Arrival?

The idea was that if the cavern began filling up with otherwise undetectable toxic gasses (for example – carbon monoxide or methane) then the bird would die before any people did. As such, the bird’s death would serve as a warning signal for the miners to get out.

Why did the aliens in Arrival come?

Costello explains that they have come to help humanity, for in 3,000 years they will need humanity’s help in return. Banks realizes the “weapon” is their language. Learning the language alters humans’ linear perception of time, allowing them to experience memories of future events.