The scientist, the writer and the (wo)man of faith continued
The writer represents art; the scientist science and the guide -the Stalker - the spiritual aspect. The film is in opaque color - only the Stalker’s daughter and the Zone with weird powers are in color.
The scientist, with minimal imagination who also proposes the idea of the destruction of the Zone, denies that there is a source of hope and hides a continuous state of depression similar to the situation of the society outside the zone.
The writer represents the pessimist - at the time of undertaking the trip he does not believe in anything and has lost the ability to be surprised or curious. A narcissist, his writings feel empty of inspiration.
By the end of the film he understands that he has no control over anything.
According to Tarkovsky, the main character Stalker is a seemingly weak person. But it is precisely his faith and desire to serve others make him invincible.
For Tarkovsky, Stalker represents the real artist, represents the truth, he offers the flawed spiritual character an opportunity, perhaps because of his imperfections.
The characters walk and talk about the ephemeral nature of art, about culture, about life and death and the mystical and the concrete. But neither the writer nor the scientist have the bravery in the zone to ask for what they want. The Stalker is a story towards despair, in which the goal is unimportant, and the trip itself becomes wisdom.
In the words of Tarkovsky, the artistic creation produces the last miracle against lack of faith, cynicism and emptiness in the contemporary world. Also the writer and the scientist are victims of the society. The writer in the film thinks about the boredom of life in a world that is subject to rules. Perhaps, that is why the writer is comfortable in the area, where he finds something unknown, capable of surprising him.