Jules Winnfield
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) is a hitman working alongside Vincent Vega for Marsellus Wallace in Pulp Fiction. He lives in Inglewood, has jheri curled hair and drives a beat up 1974 Chevrolet Nova which he otherwise describes as "tip-top". Jules seems to value friendships and loyalty, appears to be thoughtful, can be gregarious and talkative but has a slow temper, is a remorseless professional killer and is capable of psychologically tormenting a victim before "popping a cap in his ass." After narrowly avoiding death, Jules is stunned and swiftly re-evaluates his life, deciding to retire as a hitman and "walk the earth like Caine in Kung-Fu."
Pseudo biblical passage
In the final diner scene Jules tells how if someone heard him recite the Biblical passage Ezekiel 25:17, this meant they were about to die. The passage is heard three times in the film, first when Jules and Vincent reclaim Marsellus's briefcase from the doomed Brett, next when the narrative picks up again at this same scene to begin "The Bonnie Situation" and lastly when Ringo hears it during the epilogue at the diner. Jules's version of the passage reads as follows:
- "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brothers. And you will know My name is the Lord when I lay My vengeance upon thee."
The actual verse is similar, yet notably different. In the King James Version of the Bible, it reads:
- "And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them."
Background
Tarantino originally envisioned Jules sporting a giant afro, but a wardrobe assistant mistakenly brought the wrong wig on the set, which was kept anyway.