Naruto is a series concerning the inner struggles each human being is confronted with; the invariable choice; to be good and virtuous, or to be evil and pursue our goals at any cost. No character in the Naruto saga, Manga or Anime, quite represents this dichotomy with such clarity as Gaara of the Sand.
Gaara, as a narrative device, is a direct contrast to the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki. Despite growing up in a completely juxtaposed life, Gaara is the polar opposite to the titular character. After suffering an abusive childhood, and suffering numerous hardships, Gaara finally succumbed to the evil that swells inside each human being. He embraced the demon within.
As with Naruto, Gaara is a Jinchūriki , bearing the formidable One-Tailed Shukaku inside his frail human body. As a side-effect of this spiritual containment, Gaara suffers from insomnia, an ailment that affects the mind far more than it affects the body. This inability to sleep compounded with his traumatic childhood helps to justify many of his cruel actions, his sadistic behaviour and his hateful demeanour. How can one possibly hope to empathise with a race that has only caused them pain?
As Naruto suffered a similar childhood, and differing but comparable problems associated with his Curse, it would appear as though Gaara simply lacked the will to remain a good person, in contrast with the exuberant Naruto. However, this is a simple analysis, and a false one. Gaara’s disposition and actions are not driven by misanthropy, nor by misunderstanding, they are driven by “this world’s worst kind of pain”; loneliness.
Gaara employs the philosophy that in order to sustain his existence, he must vanquish all other human life. This goal reflects the emptiness of Gaara’s life. What could easily be regarded as sadism is instead a reflection of the circumstances in which Gaara finds himself; he is entirely alone, and “people cannot win against their loneliness.” Gaara deems it fitting to obliterate life (“as long as there are people in this world to kill, I will not cease to exist”), not because he wants to, but because it allows him to purge himself of the thought that maybe he is in fact responsible for his loneliness. One does not choose to be lonely, but one can strive to find company. Gaara cannot find company due to the nature of his existence; he is a monster. As such, it is a paradoxical fact that although he wishes to escape his own loneliness, he is trapped by himself.
It is only after he is defeated by Naruto in single combat, in a display of pure, incorruptible strength and valour that Gaara begins to see the fruitlessness of his endeavour. Though he was “born a monster” he need not live the life of a monster. Naruto, by defending those that he loves, presents Gaara with a new concept, that one can achieve strength and purpose through the protection of the people that they cherish. Coinciding with this epiphany, Gaara chooses to leave and re-evaluate his life, and to spend time with his siblings. However, he later returns to defend someone who he has no reason to defend, someone who he feels guilt and regret for harming. In this respect, Gaara becomes the complete opposite of his former self, rather than murdering any he deem fit; he will protect all those that require protection as long as they are a “virtuous person”.
Gaara may be the most complex character in the Naruto series, and most definitely reflects the ideas that the eternal battle between good and evil inside each human being is never a foregone conclusion, and that it is never too late to change.
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