?The central conflict in There Will Be Blood (2007) is found in the relationship between the two main characters, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) and Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Daniel's clear-cut oilman customs and Eli's archaic spiritual beliefs represent the overall struggle between oil and religion. Paul Thomas Anderson describes Oil as the factor that draws the line between Daniel and Eli and ultimately causes them to develop a deep-rooted hatred for each other. They each represent one side of the juxtaposition: Daniel as oil and Eli as religion. This juxtaposition of oil and religion creates tension and drama by highlighting the parallels between the two main individuals and alluding to religious events and stories found in the Bible. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The characters of Daniel and Eli are seen as "shadow selves" of each other. They overcompensate for their spiritual emptiness by making their fair share of empty promises to people, to each other, and to themselves. At the beginning of the film, Daniel agrees to give money to the church in addition to the money he was already giving to the Sunday family for their land. Eli continually pesters Daniel about the money he owes the church. However, every time Eli asks for money, Daniel finds an excuse not to give it to him. Eli's constant harassment of Daniel contributes to Daniel's angry outburst in the final scene. In addition to not paying the money he had promised to the church, Daniel also breaks his promise to allow Eli to bless the well. By blessing the well itself rather than allowing Eli to give the blessing he prepared, "Plainview demonstrated that he knows the true source of power in Little Boston and that any religiosity drawn from the well will be under his authority." , and not under that of Eli. » (Murray). Daniel wants the well's success to be linked to its name rather than Eli's religion. Eli made his share of empty promises, but his were mostly to his congregation and himself. He tried hard to look like a saintly figure, but he lived up to his title. He was hypocritical in his treatment of Daniel and abused the sacrament of baptism. In the final scene, he admits to lusting after women and embezzling church funds. Eli seems to be aware of these similarities between himself and Daniel. As we see in the last scene, Eli's last words are: "We are family!" We are brothers! We are brothers! Daniel, please forgive me, I beg you..." Eli was referring to the fact that he and Daniel had become brothers through the marriage of HW (Dillon Freasier) and Mary Sunday (Colleen Foy) but , whether Eli realizes it or not, he was also hinting that their similarities in character should have been the factor that brought them together instead of driving a wedge between them As well as using Eli and Daniel as the. "shadow selves" of each other, the film contains different images and allusions to signify the struggle between oil and religion. In the scene following the blessing of the well, Eli confronts Daniel about. his debt to the Church of the Third Revelation and Daniel responds by harassing Eli with crude remarks and physical beatings in the puddle of oil, putting oil on his face, then mocking his credibility as a. as pastor This is a foreshadowing of Daniel's actual baptism in which Eli takes the opportunity to openly mock and physically strike Daniel in front of his congregation. . They use baptisms, 2007.