A good but lost man: Pulp Fiction's Jules Winnfield (2024)

In 1994 Quentin Tarantino released his most famous work, Pulp Fiction, a crime film that presents several intersecting stories set in Los Angeles. It stars John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis, Tim Roth, Ving Rhames, and Uma Thurman, among many other talented artists.

The title refers to the pulp magazines and hardboiled crime novels popular during the mid-20th century, known for their graphic violence and punchy dialogue.

Pulp Fiction remains iconic in film history and pop culture due to its signature characters, unforgettable quotes and stylised imagery. The film exemplifies Tarantino’s staple trademarks, such as over-the-top violence, drawn-out monologues and occasional humour within the brutality.

One-half of the film’s leading focus criminals is Jules Winnfield, played by the notoriously talented Samuel L. Jackson.Winnfield is significant within the film’s storyline as partner-in-crime to John Travolta’s Vincent and working for Marsellus Wallace. He and his partner carry out whatever tasks Marsellus gives them, whether that’s executing local punks or keeping his wife company while he’s out of town.

He differs from his partner in many ways when it comes to method and outlook. This is emphasised through his characterisation as the narrative progresses. Despite being a violent man with a short fuse, Winnfield demonstrates his interpretation of a moral code, accompanied by a familiar scripture he reads. In Winnfield’s eyes, he is a lost yet good man who wants to make himself a righteous one. He exemplifies this mentality and objective in his dialogue, including the insightful line, “the truth is, you’re the weak, and I am the tyranny of evil men. But I’m trying… real hard to be the shepherd.”

Winnfield initially comes across as a fast-talking intimidating hitman who has a juxtaposing presentation within his methods, such as quoting the bible before a brutal shootout. We eventually see more depth to his character when he becomes increasingly tired of Vega’s incompetence and life as a hitman.

After the duo survive a surprise shooting attack, Winnfield’s outlook develops. His purpose now has a new meaning that doesn’t have room for killing for money.

Furthermore, he is upset and frustrated with Vincent after he further complicates things by accidentally shooting Marsellus Wallace’s mole, Marvin, in the face. They find refuge at his friends Jimmie Dimmick’s pad, get cleaned up by The Wolf and dump the bloody vehicle at Monster Joe’s. This ordeal leads to Winnfield compromising his career as a hitman internally.

Winnfield’s final development point comes at the film’s explosive conclusion. He goes to eat at a diner where two thugs called Pumpkin and Honey Bunny carry out a robbery. The sight of the guns and the sound of the yells for money satisfyingly conclude this arc. He finally realises that life is more than material goods or violence.

Due to Pulp Fiction’s non-linear order, this is the last image we see of the character, even though it isn’t the end of his story. Winnfield’s story concludes with a meeting with his boss Wallace after he adopts a violence-free perspective on life.

Thanks to Jackson’s terrific performance and Tarantino as a director, Winnfield has some of the film’s most iconic and stand-out moments. These include the infamous apartment scene where Winnfield interrogates someone who has crossed his boss while eating the man’s burger.

This scene involves the classic lines “say what again! I dare you! I double dare you motherf*cker!” and “does he look like a bitch?”. There is also Winnfield’s reciting of Ezekiel 25:17 before he guns down his victim. The scene demonstrates the character’s multiple ways of being intimidating, from being unnervingly friendly to exploding until the other party is a stumbling mess.

While dripping in his enemies’ blood is a bountiful character image, Jules’s complexities are far deeper. Winnfield is also in one ofPulp Fiction’smost absurd yet comical scenes, in which he and Vega discuss what Big Macs are called in different parts of the world.

As a result of these scenes, the character has impacted cinema following his initial appearance. His brilliantly performed lines: “say what again! I dare you, I double dare you mother f*cker!” and “I don’t remember asking you a goddamn thing!” are constantly quoted and referenced in pop culture.

His character is what generates most of Pulp Fiction’s popularity among film fans, being recognised as one of the ’90s most iconic characters. He captures and dominates every scene he appears in and is one of the first things people think of when thinking about the film.

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