Heaven is for Real

Randall Wallace

Discussant: Andrei Jorillo

Denzel Ortiz
Teejay Jacinto
Paul Vincent Bodollo
Princess Abunda
Keiane Brines
Movie Trailer
 Literary Map

Text Dependent Readers Dependent

Formalism Approach Biblical Interpretation Moral Philosophical Readers Response

Sub Theme I Sub Theme II Sub Theme III Sub Theme IV

Grand Theme
 First Phase:
Text Dependent
Formalism Approach
 Formalism Approach

Introduction

Based on a true story, this movie portrays the astonishing

story of a little child’s journey to Heaven and back. It is an
amazingly directed glimpse into Heaven that will encourage
those who doubt the existence of God and excite those who
believe in Him.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Todd is one of the main characters in the

movie, He is a Pastor in Crossroads
Imperial, Nebraska. He preaches on the
Todd Burpo local church to tell people not to doubt a
single thing about god. He is also a volunteer
firefighter when he is not focused on his
church.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Colton is the second main character in

the movie, He is a four year old boy that
survive miraculously in the operation
Colton Burpo
room. He was also the boy who went to
heaven and saw Todd's grandfather and
her unborn sister. He said that he sat on
gods lap and he saw his face.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Sonja is a supporting character in this movie

she was the one who discovered that Colton's
sickness is not any ordinary sickness and that
Sonja Burpo they should bring him to the local medical
center. She also called all their close friends to
pray for Colton during his operation.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Cassie is one of the supporting characters in the

movie she is the older sister of Colton. She
punched two kids who was badmouthing his
Cassie Burpo brother in the movie.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Jay is a local friend of Todd in Crossroads

Imperial. He is also Todd's Banker and a board
member of the local church that Todd is a
Jay Wilkins
pastor at.
 Formalism Approach

Characters

Nancy is a church board member and a friend

of Todd. She has a marine son that died and she
was bitter because god chose to return Colton's
Nancy Rawling
life and not his son's life. Nancy eventually
realize that not everything can stay with you
forever.
 Formalism Approach/Explication

Settings

Imperial, Nebraska is the city where

the Burpo's live during the story. Todd
Burpo is the pastor at a church in
Imperial and Colton was born in
Imperial. Downtown Imperial is
pictured at the left. This story took
place in the early 2000’s.
 Formalism Approach/Explication

Theme

Faith, Miracle, and Healing are the Themes of the

movie because it shows how god can create a way
for us to feel his presence through someone or
something.
 Formalism Approach/Explication

Conflict
Man vs Himself

Todd is contemplating whether Colton is telling the truth or not because

he's just an innocent little boy and the fact that Colton knows somethings
that his parents didn't even tell him.

Man vs Society

After Todd and Colton's story was published in the local news paper
people around their are started to question Todd as a pastor and what
he really is preaching is the truth.
 Formalism Approach/Explication
Plot Elements
Rising Action: Colton suddenly
had surgery and miraculously
survive then he said he went to
heaven during his the time of his
surgery.
Exposition: Todd is a pastor
in Crossroads Imperial, Nebraska
and sometimes a firefighter
volunteer.
Climax: A news article
about Colton and his
adventure to heaven is
published and the town is
questioning Todd's beliefs.
Falling Action: Todd has now realize
that heaven is for real and is now
accepting that god has communicated
through his son Colton.
Conclusion: Todd and Sonja are expecting
a new child and Todd saw on the news about a
child who is painting the picture of Jesus
himself and asks Colton if that what Jesus
really looks like.
 Formalism Approach

Exegesis

A small-town businessman, pastor and volunteer

firefighter Todd Burpo and his wife, Sonja are struggling
to make ends meet during a tough year. After their young
son, Colton undergoes emergency surgery, Todd and
Sonja are overjoyed at the child's miraculous recovery.
However, the Burpo’s are unprepared for what happens
next Colton says that he went to heaven and back, and
tells his parents things that he couldn't possibly know.
Like meeting people he didn’t even know before hand
and seeing Angels sing and even see God’s true face.
 Sub Theme I

Believing in what’s real and what’s not is a person’s

freedom, whether it’s about God or somebody else what
matters is that our faith in God is strong and
unbreakable.
Biblical Interpretation
 Biblical Interpretation

Hermeneutics

Psalms 19: 1-2 In the book of Psalms chapter 19 verses 1

“The heavens declare the glory
of God;
the skies proclaim the work of
his hands.
Day after day they pour forth
speech;
night after night they reveal
knowledge”.
and 2 It is said that “The heavens declare the
glory of God” this means that the heavens
which God created resembles him in all of his
glory. Meaning to say when we move on to the
next life, when we see Heaven we also see God
because Heaven is the reflection of God and
seeing that reflection means that God has
accepted us to his kingdom with all of its glory.

Hermeneutics
Luke 23: 42-43
“Then He said, “Jesus
remember me when you come
into your kingdom. Jesus
answered him, “Truly I tell
you, today you will be with me
in paradise.”
Biblical Interpretation
In the book of Luke chapter 23 verse 42 and 43 the
crucifixion of Jesus one the criminals that is being
crucified told Jesus that if he is truly the messiah he said
he is why don’t he save himself and them but the other
criminal rebuked him and said,” Don’t you fear God”, he
said and then said that they are being punished justly but
he said that Jesus has done nothing wrong and is being
punished. Then comes the quote that we are focused upon
“Jesus remember me when you come to your kingdom.
Jesus replied,” Truly I tell you, today you will be with me
in paradise.” This quote from Jesus shows that if we
repent in our wrong doings even at our last moments he is
there ready to forgive us and welcome us to his paradise
that is Heaven.
 Sub Theme II

This world that God has created for us is only

temporary, Up there in the blue skies is the paradise
that we humans ought to go to. Because God is always
ready to welcome us there by his side in the paradise
known as Heaven.
Moral Philosophical
Approach
 Moral Philosophical

Questioning Beliefs

Todd questions himself whether to believe

what his son is saying is true or a lie.
Because his son is so innocent in his eyes
 Moral Philosophical

Family Struggles

Todd and Sonja had a fight because a local

news paper published a story that talks
about their son’s adventure to heaven
eventually leading to people questioning
their child’s experience.
 Moral Philosophical

Status in Life

Todd eventually got over the struggles that

He’s facing and are expecting another child
with his wife.
 Sub Theme III
The unexpected things that happens to us whether its an
accident or a miracle of some sort, we should always remember
that God made that thing happen for a reason. It maybe a small
step for us living in this temporary world but we should always
remember that, that path is always leading us to the right way in
life.
 Second Phase:
Reader Dependent
Readers Response
 Readers Response

The movie is about a child’s Journey to Heaven. It gave us

the story of a father who is loving and strong in times of crisis.
People who doubt the existence of God should watch this movie
because it shows how God created a way for every one to get
through the tough times in life, the Burpo family showed us that
every struggles in life is just an obstacle that we should just get
through. The movie also shows that self beliefs is sometimes the
right beliefs. Believing in what you know is the truth gives us
hope in every circumstance that we are in, this movie will really
open your mind about how the God has all things planned out
for us in the future, seeing the miracle that happened to Colton
gave us the feeling of hope because we know that God is always
listening to us and is always there to guide us throughout our
lives.
 Sub Theme IV
The feeling of hope is sometimes frightening but If your faith
in God is full you shouldn’t be frightened because God will
always find a way to guide you through the right path in life. He
guided many people throughout the years It’s even proven in the
bible, So being frightened is just in your mind. Sometimes we
should just stop thinking of what’s to come instead we should
think of the first step that we should take.
 Sub Theme I Sub Theme II Sub Theme III Sub Theme IV

The unexpected things The feeling of hope is

Believing in This world that God
sometimes frightening but If
that happens to us
what’s real and has created for us is whether its an accident your faith in God is full you
what’s not is a only temporary, Up or a miracle of some shouldn’t be frightened
there in the blue skies because God will always find
person’s freedom, sort, we should always
a way to guide you through
is the paradise that we remember that God
whether it’s about made that thing happen
the right path in life. He
God or somebody humans ought to go to. guided many people
for a reason. It maybe a throughout the years It’s even
else what matters Because God is always small step for us living in proven in the bible, So being
ready to welcome us this temporary world
is that our faith in frightened is just in your
there by his side in the but we should always mind. Sometimes we should
God is strong and remember that, that path
paradise known as just stop thinking of what’s to
unbreakable. is always leading us to come instead we should think
Heaven. of the first step that we should
the right way in life.
take.

Grand Theme
 Grand Theme

God is always there, He doesn’t judge you by the sin’s

you have committed rather he judges you by the good
things that you have done, God is always there ready to
forgive, give hope, and accept you in his arms. Nothing
is impossible if we put God first, we will be by his side in
the paradise called Heaven because he always finds a
way for us lead the right path in life.
Thank You!
“God’s love is Eternal”