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Regarding my far-too-long analysis of Daniel Plainview, protagonist of There Will Be Blood, reader Bill Willingham has written in with a perceptive analysis of his own, which I'm bumping up from its original placement because I think there is much good in it. His comments are bold italics, mine are regular old Verdana.
I ... got the notion that DP was abused as a child and actually struck out against his own father and family. And what he’s wanted ever since is two related things: First to outdo his father in every way; to succeed much better than his dad could ever imagine. At first it was a child’s version of “doing better than father” which could only be articulated by his dream of someday being able to own the really great house in Fon du Lac, Wisconsin, because his father never could get them such a nice house. The second desire is to have a better, perfect family than the one his father created; a family totally loyal to him (DP) as the head. Absolute loyalty is a requirement to be part of DP’s idealized family.
After I posted the last part of my analysis, it occurred to me that a lot of DP's actions can be boiled down to father issues. The ghost of DP's absent father hangs like a shroud over the whole movie -- it explains his need to break away from society, his need to prove himself, his need to build his own (artificial) family, his demand for absolute loyalty, his intolerance of prevarication and subterfuge (except his own). When Eli tries to become Daniel's "Father" by inducting him into the church, it's more than he can bear, and responds by killing him, thus killing his own father. Then he's "finished."
I saw the “working alone in the silver mine hole” as a demonstration that DP is a broken man anytime he’s alone, breaking a leg in this case (but now I think you pegged it better with each dig requiring it’s own sacrifice – and even laying out the pipeline to the sea require the death of Henry). DP only really becomes successful when he inherits his son HW. And HW is the perfect son, a real DP in training, and I think DP was authentically devoted to him in his twisted, broken way. He proudly tells all that HW is his full partner, and I believe it’s true. He uses HW as a tool to close deals, which to DP is the highest honor HW could rise to. Using HW that way isn’t cynical, it’s raising his son almost to the level as his equal. And he shows real admiration for HW when HW discovers the oil on Sunday’s land.
This is what makes me suspect that the movie isn't "about" Bush and Cheney, regardless of what some critics would have you believe. DP works for his money, produces an actual product and loves his adopted son, while Bush and Cheney were born wealthy and love nothing but power.
DP moves to make his family even better, and reward his good son, by getting Mary for him. Mary is given a new fine dress. DP names the oil derrick after Mary. Mary is going to join with HW and provide the avenue to increasing DP’s family, which DP can’t do for himself.
I agree that the well in Little Boston is an opportunity for DP to create a family, but I don't know if he's thinking of Mary as a reward for HW -- unless of course he's thinking that, if Mary is HW's mate, then he can have sexual relations with a woman, vicariously, through his son.
Then HW gets broken and he has to go. I think the scene when HW is injured when the gusher comes in is most telling. DP’s first instinct is to rescue his beloved son – saving his better family (better than the one he left back in Wisconsin) – but he doesn’t stay with his son, pulled by the allure of the well, which supplies his other need to outdo his father.
This makes good psychological sense to me, that a man would stay by his son to prove he's a better man than his father, but then also be torn (and damned) by his desire to be wealthier than his father.
HW is replaced (just in time as you noted) by Henry, the brother. Once again DP has a chance at his ideal family and takes Henry on as his partner. Together they map out the route of the oil pipeline to the sea – an honor only a family member could share with DP, because the pipeline is the current embodiment of “how DP is more successful than dad.”
This is where I think Fletcher Hamilton becomes an interesting character. He says "Are you taking Henry with you to see Union?" when what he means is "Hey, I've been with you since the beginning, aren't I more your brother than this stranger who just showed up?"
Then Henry is proved false and has to go. HW comes back, partially fixed and regains his place as DP’s better (than dad’s) family. This works for some time and HW even marries Mary.
But then HW decides to strike out on his own, starting his own company, and basically starting his own separate family. That can’t be endured and so HW is denounced again and for the final time as another false relation – the worst thing anyone could be in DP’s world.
Finally Eli comes back into DP’s world and makes a fatal mistake by trying to stake a claim – something he pleads over and over in the scene – as family with DP. Since at this point DP can’t tolerate another false family pretender, Eli has to die.
It was never greed driving DP, as evidenced by how much he disdained his own wealth, shooting up his own mansion and such. He never needed the stuff of wealth. He never once drove a fancy car and even when he could afford a soft bed he slept on the floor.
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