This will be the last Cinematic Chiasmus article I write for a while. It’s been a fun run. Starting with Innerspace on January 16, I’ve published seven new Cinematic Chiasmus articles, which is an absolutely breakneck speed compared to my normal rate over the past 10 years.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is a nice way to end my streak of new articles in this series. It’s a wonderful film that never gets old, even 20 years later. And now we’ll have something new to admire about it. So set sail with me as we unearth this film’s treasure trove of symmetry.

The Chiasmus

Here are the events of this film listed in chronological order so that you can see how they match up:

A. Young Elizabeth Swann sings a pirate song on a royal navy ship
 B. Mr. Gibbs treats Elizabeth sternly
  C. Lieutenant Norrington tells Elizabeth he wants to kill all pirates
   D. Lieutenant Norrington brings a boy named Will Turner aboard his ship
    E. Royal sailors are shocked by the sight of a destroyed ship after Will drifts to them
     F. Elizabeth discovers that Will is a pirate and saves him from certain death
      G. Elizabeth glimpses a pirate flag as the Black Pearl sets sail in the distance
       H. Teenage Elizabeth finds a gold piece she’s hidden away since the day she met Will
        I. Elizabeth gets constricted into a dress for Captain Norrington’s benefit
         J. Will delivers a sword for Captain Norrington’s ceremony
          K. Will is sad he’s unable to tell Elizabeth how he feels about her as she departs
           L. Captain Jack Sparrow barely reaches Port Royal with his tiny boat
            M. Captain Norrington is given a sword and obtains the rank of Commodore
             N. Jack distracts a couple of guards by mentioning the Black Pearl
              O. Elizabeth faints, and Jack saves her by removing her corset
               P. Jack is arrested, and he takes Elizabeth hostage to save himself
                Q. Jack and Will engage each other in a swordfight
                 R. Mr. Brown proves to be a dishonest man by taking credit for Will’s swordfight
                  S. Pirates in prison pitifully attempt to break free
                   T. While Elizabeth is in bed, a servant discusses her potential marriage partners
                    U. The Black Pearl crew rows ashore in a frontal attack on Port Royal
                     V. Commodore Norrington orders Governor Swann to take precautions to save his life from a pirate attack
                      W. Elizabeth is taken prisoner by cursed pirates after she invokes the right of parley
                       X. Jack is left behind in the jail by his fellow pirates
                        Y. Jack condemns two of his former crewmen, even though they reveal they’re already cursed
                         Z. Elizabeth makes a deal with Captain Barbossa to leave Port Royal, but he deceives her into staying on the Black Pearl
                         AA. Commodore Norrington refuses to make a deal with Jack, despite Will’s rash appeal
                          BB. Will helps Jack escape his cell and commandeer the Interceptor
                           CC. Will’s father was a pirate, but Will can’t accept that fact, leading to a brief fight with Jack
                            DD. Jack hunts through Tortuga and tells Mr. Gibbs that Will is Bootstrap Bill’s son
                             EE. Elizabeth’s hunger is satiated by Barbossa, and she sees the cursed pirates in moonlight
                              FF. Jack selects a new crew, and Will learns Jack’s backstory and why he wants to shed Barbossa’s blood
                               GG. The cursed pirates bring Elizabeth to their island
                                HH. Jack says that, like a pirate, Will is obsessed with treasure
                                 II. Barbossa gives a speech about the curse of the Aztec treasure
                                  JJ. Jack tells Will to wait and not do anything stupid while he goes on ahead
                                  JJ. Will doesn’t follow Jack’s advice, and he goes forth to rescue Elizabeth
                                 II. Barbossa cuts Elizabeth’s hand and drops her gold piece to try to break the curse
                                HH. Will steals his treasure (Elizabeth) from the cursed pirates
                               GG. Will brings Elizabeth away from the cursed pirates’ island
                              FF. Jack is surrounded by his old crew, and he explains that he knows whose blood Barbossa needs to lift his curse
                             EE. Elizabeth’s wound is soothed by Will, and they talk about the curse
                            DD. Barbossa follows the Interceptor, and Jack plans to tell Barbossa that Will is Bootstrap Bill’s son
                           CC. The Interceptor is fast, but it can’t outrun the Black Pearl, leading to a long battle
                          BB. Jack escapes his cell while Will remains trapped as the Interceptor is destroyed
                         AA. Will makes a rash deal with Barbossa, despite Jack’s attempts to weasel more concessions
                         Z. Barbossa forces Jack and Elizabeth off the Black Pearl, stranding them on an island, and she deceives Jack into getting rescued
                        Y. Elizabeth promises to marry Commodore Norrington, even though she doesn’t love him
                       X. The cursed pirates reveal how they imprisoned Bootstrap Bill underwater
                      W. Elizabeth is imprisoned in a cabin after Jack recommends it
                     V. Jack tells Barbossa not to kill Will in order to save his cursed pirates from an impending attack by Commodore Norrington
                    U. The Black Pearl crew walk on the ocean floor in a sneak attack on the Dauntless
                   T. While Elizabeth is confined to a cabin, her father discusses her upcoming marriage
                  S. Cursed pirates on the Dauntless viciously attack
                 R. Jack proves once again to be dishonest by giving Will a sword and betraying Barbossa
                Q. Jack and Will join forces to swordfight the cursed pirates
               P. Elizabeth frees Jack’s crew, and she leaves them to help Jack
              O. Elizabeth saves Will and mentions how painful a corset is
             N. Jack distracts Barbossa while Will breaks the curse of the Black Pearl
            M. Commodore Norrington’s men stab the now-mortal pirates and regain control of their ship
           L. Jack rows a small boat to the Dauntless
          K. Jack is sad to learn that his crew abandoned him
         J. Will arrives at Jack’s execution
        I. Jack is put in a noose on Commodore Norrington’s orders
       H. Will finds the courage to admit he’s loved Elizabeth since the day they met
      G. Elizabeth glimpses a parrot, which signals that the Black Pearl is nearby
     F. Will proves himself to be a pirate by saving Jack from certain death
    E. Royal soldiers are surprised to see the Black Pearl after Jack falls in the water
   D. Commodore Norrington allows Will and Jack to escape
  C. Elizabeth kisses Will after calling him a pirate
 B. Mr. Gibbs greets Jack warmly
A. Jack sings a pirate song aboard his beloved Black Pearl

Lifting the Curse

You might not believe it, but this article has been a work in progress for more than a year. Based on my original notes on this chiasmus, I knew it was going to be a tough one to complete. And it was. Everything I wrote down from C to K had to be scrapped and rethought.

However, as I struggled through each point, I kept feeling a calming influence come over me. So I knew I was on the right track.

If you don’t mind, I’d prefer to keep any deep insights into this one to myself. I’m just pleased I made it to the finish line, so I’m going to rest up after so much symmetrical thinking over the past seven weeks. Appropriately enough for a film about the sea, I’ll just wave goodbye.

This is the Deja Reviewer bidding you farewell until we meet again.

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