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The character of Edward Scissorhands contains a multitude of different complex internal emotions, and emotional struggles throughout the film. Edwards quietness, shyness and inability to speak very well create many challenges for the plot and also gives the audience a great insight into Edward as a character. Edwards character embodies many themes throughout the film such as acceptance, individuality and love as he tries to find his purpose and integrate into society.
Edward was a created by an inventor but before he had the chance to be finished, the inventor died leaving Edward confused, incomplete and feeling lost. Edward was left with scissors for hands and little knowledge of the world outside world. Sometime then in the future Edward is brought into society by a door to door salesman named Peg. Along the way Edward encounters many challenges when being helped assimilate into society. Throughout the film Edward has a longing for being accepted, which is shown by Edwards endless struggle to find purpose and acceptance from others. Edwards scissors for hands are a direct symbol of this longing for acceptance. His hands create a physical barrier between him and other people to the point where he cannot have much physical contact at all with others. This intern makes Edward feel isolated from society.
Edwards house along with his appearance and clothing clashes with the bright and vibrant town making it very obvious that he is different and doesn’t belong. He only first gets a sense of belonging when pegs reaches out and is kind to him and symbolically giving him new cloths representing his acceptance from her. Peg also gives Edward a purpose by letting him trim her garden hedges with his scissors and changes everyone’s perception from his hands as weapons to his hands as a good thing. This gives Edward his first real sense of belonging.
Edward then falls in love with pegs daughter Kim. At first Kim was scared of Edward and didn’t like him but slowly began to see who he is as a person and started to warm up to him. This feeling of acceptance is short lived however when Edward is falsely accused of a crime and is forced to leave the town because of it. Edward does this because he realizes that he doesn’t belong there, and people do not understand him. This escape from society is symbolized by Edward taking off the cloths that were given to him revealing his original outfit.