Throughout “There Will Be Blood,” Anderson employs a range of themes and symbolism to explore the complexities of American society during this period. The oil industry serves as a metaphor for the corrupting influence of power and the exploitation of natural resources.
Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, is a self-made man who has built his fortune on the back of his oil drilling operations. The film opens with Plainview as a prospector, searching for oil in the desolate California landscape. He is a man consumed by his own ambition, driven by a desire to succeed and to provide for his daughter, H.W. (played by Dillon Freasier).
The dynamic between Plainview and Eli is a central theme of the film, as they engage in a battle of wills and ideologies. Plainview represents the old guard, a bygone era of American capitalism where the strong survived and the weak perished. Eli, on the other hand, represents a new era of moralism and social responsibility, where the pursuit of wealth and power is seen as inherently evil.