"Don't judge me because of my pooka!"

The film Harvey is a lovely film about a supposed “imaginary” six foot, three and a half inches tall white rabbit named Harvey.  I am not sure what Harvey in particular represents but I have a couple ideas what he could symbolize.  I am almost positive that the filmmaker did not intend to prove the existence of a big white invisible rabbit known as a pooka.  However, the filmmaker might have used Harvey as a symbol for unconventional ideas, according to the society of that time, that shape individual’s lives and actions.  Even though the results of that belief are beautiful, people still judge them as bad because of the belief behind them.  Another idea is that perhaps Harvey represents God.  Since God is invisible and reveals Himself only to those who choose believe in Him or who allow themselves to acknowledge Him, this symbol makes sense to me but not, however, according to the time period that the play and movie was made.  In any case, whatever or whoever Harvey represents, Elwood P. Dowd is falsely judged and poorly treated because of his believe in the existence of the pooka. 

However, ‘whether Harvey exists or not’ is not the question that the movie really addresses, but rather ‘is it worth taking away one’s joy when proving the nonexistence of Harvey or whatever he represents’.  With Harvey, Elwood is the sweetest, most non-judgmental, most gallant, and gentlemanly character in the entire movie.  He makes friends with misjudged drunkards, criminals, and almost everyone he comes into contact with.   Veta Simmons, Elwood’s sister, realizes that if she stifles her brother’s belief and relationship with Harvey, she would, in turn, put out his fire, or his joy and purpose in life, as it were.  The filmmakers show the audience that obliterating someone’s beliefs for the sake of proving them wrong is, one, not always loving and, two, not always helpful but rather it is usually harmful.