Schindler's List (1993)

With the start of the war, Schindler grew to become a wealthy, successful businessman who only saw his Jewish workers as cheap labour who work only to bring him money.  He expressed gratitude to the war, which his attributed as the cause of his great success. Splurging all his money on his rich taste in food and clothing and lush lifestyle, Schindler did not seem to have any reason to care of the mass murder and dehumanization happening around him. So why did he change? Why did he give up all his money and earned wealth in order to buy Jews with the primary goal of saving them from death? Why risk his life, especially with being a member of the Nazi party himself?

While some say that it is an act of pure altruism, a behaviour of helping others without getting any reward in return, there are critiques who say that there is no such thing as genuine altruism as any form of helping behaviour is done either to decrease the distress felt when seeing a person in need, to gain internal rewards by feeling good about oneself, or to maintain a good social image.  But when reading stories and watching movies of ordinary people who go out of the way to help others with a potential of such great risks such as being killed, it is arguable that altruism do exist as the costs of helping outweigh the rewards.

THE CHANGE

His transformation gradual, Oskar Schindler initially saw his workers only as cheap, effective labour. When one of his workers, a one armed man insists to thank and bless Schindler for hiring him and saving his life in result, Schindler expresses anger towards Itzhak Stern for hiring the man.  Schindler originally seems furious that he had a one-armed machinist but when that very same worker was shot by a German soldier, Schindler immediately expresses his anger to the army, saying that the worker was an essential asset to his factory, but even as viewers of the film, we understand the ludicrousness of the statement and we start to see the first evidence of Schindler’s distress of the killing of Jews.

When Itzhak Stern gets caught by the Nazis without his work permit, Schindler hurriedly rushes to save him from being sent to camp, but instead of voicing it out as wanting to save a life, Schindler viewed his actions as saving his company as Stern is the one who manages his entire business. 

Riding out with his mistress, he is distressed when he witnesses the bloody evacuation of the Jewish ghetto. Special focus placed on a little girl with a red coat as she is being led alone through the chaos and the gunning down of people around her shows emphasis that even innocent children are not spared from the harsh cruelties of war.

An innocent little girl in a red coat as she walks through the chaos and the bloodshed

Schindler's first direct action of saving Jews happen when a young woman pleads with him to take her parents in to work at his factory. Schindler first seemed furious that his factory was seen as a safe haven and was clearly frightened as such acts of saving the Jews may be seen as treason and he could be killed. But shortly after expressing his anger, he gives the name of the girl's parents to Stern to take in to his factory.
As the cruelties around him increased, so did Schindler's drive to save the Jews and even when in situations that he could not directly save them, he tries to give as much help as he can as seen when he comforts a frightened Helen Hirsch and waters down the train carts full of thirsty Jews who were suffocating in the heat. He even goes as far as trying to convey his ideals to Amon Goeth, although it proved to be in vain.

But perhaps the biggest trigger that ignited Schindler's passion was on the fateful day that the remains of the massacred Jews were piled to be burned, creating a  snow of ashes to fall over the town, perhaps symbolizing that the deaths of all these victims falls on all the people who agreed to it and did nothing to help. As Schindler goes to the site, he is shocked to see the huge piles of burning bodies but what had clearly shaken him up was the reappearance of the girl in the red coat, this time dead.

Innocence is gone

Sociologists say that helping behaviour is especially prominent in cases whereby the person in need are familiar. While he may not directly know the little girl or even the one-armed man, seeing the death of someone familiar truly alerted him to the cruelties of war; the very same war that he expressed gratitude for in his success.
Soon began Schindler's drive to save the Jews, in not only giving up all of his riches to buy as many Jews as he could to work in his factory, he also showed them great compassion and kindness as seen in his act of encouraging and allowing the Jews to celebrate the Sabbath once again.

I believe that Schindler's story is one of the greatest examples of altruism, not because of his act of saving more than 1000 Jews but because of his actions of doing it despite the great risks, during and after the war. During the war, his actions could have been seen as treason by the Nazis and after the war, he was hunted by the Alliance as he was part of the Nazi party, and loosing all his possessions, Schindler never gained success again after the war. 
Contrary to the believe that prosocial behaviour is done for the purpose of feeling good of oneself, Schindler did not express such behaviour as he was seen breaking down in front of all the Jews, apologizing for not saving one more life.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)

Introduced as a “real bad egg”, thirteen year old foster child Ricky Baker was sent from one foster home to another until he finally came to a place that he truly called home. In an attempt to escape foster care services following the death of his foster mum, Aunt Bella, Ricky runs off to ‘The Bush’ and Uncle Hector follows to save him, triggering a national manhunt and an unlikely adventure and story of kinship that warms the heart.

Following Erikson’s Stages of Development, Ricky seems to display the Identity vs Role Confusion, which is the stage in which adolescents attempt to explore who they really are and what identity they want to have as adults. 

There are times when Ricky just wants to become a bushman and run away from real life forever and there are times when he contemplated living the life (and death) of gangsters and drug addicts.  The latter is most likely due to the influence of other people, including child welfare worker Paula, who continuously label Ricky as a “bad egg” or as “a real piece of work”, continuously highlighting his petty crimes such as kicking, spitting, vandalizing, etc; however, early on in the movie itself, we can tell that Ricky is a good kid who is merely misunderstood and mislabeled. Illustrating Erikson’s theory, Ricky is torn between becoming a gangster or drug dealer as is anticipated of foster children like him, or becoming something more than that.

Soon after the scene where Ricky proclaims himself to be a Wilderboy (though not much of a step up from being a gangster, but still better), he still insists on himself becoming a gangster if he returns to society. Despite Uncle Hec’s protests and denial that Ricky is a gangster, Ricky refuses to believe it because of his known status of being a “menace to society”, someone who will never be accepted.

Perhaps the influence of being labelled?

The movie ends with Ricky not as a gangster and not rejected as he finds a new and caring home. Walking back into the Bush with Uncle Hec to find an extinct species of birds, we can only hope that with his new family and the guidance of Uncle Hec, Ricky will find his place in this world. (Although I personally believe that he could become a great entertainer in the future)

Uncle Hec on the other hand seems to display behaviours akin to the Generativity vs Stagnation stage of development. Generativity is the stage in which older adults attempt to impart their wisdom and knowledge onto the younger generation, typically those of their own blood relation. However, as Uncle Hec did not have any biological children of his own and was forced to take care of Ricky in the Bush, Uncle Hec imparts his knowledge, wisdom and advice onto Ricky. While Uncle Hec may not be able to read, or write for that matter, he was taught Ricky things that he needed to know the most, which was on survival in the Bush and his attempt to guide Ricky out of making bad life decisions for his future, especially that of becoming a gangster.

Personal Take

While entertaining and humorous, this movie was able to cleverly portray and highlight the struggles of being a child in foster care, the negative influence of rejection from society and the power of acceptance and warmth from loved ones. Though not initially obvious from the beginning of the movie, we soon realize that Uncle Hec and Ricky had a lot in common. Referring to both he and Ricky as “stray dogs” who were taken in by Bella, we can observe how Ricky and he find comfort in each other in the loss of the one person who accepted them unconditionally, and consequently progress to accept each other and care for each other.

Grace is Gone (2007)

A tear jerking story of dealing with the death and loss of a loved one, Grace is Gone is all the more impactful for its realistic simplicity and raw authenticity of emotions. Stanley Phillips, the military husband of Sergeant Grace Phillips, is faced with the sudden news of his wife's death during combat. Unable to break the news to his two daughters, Heidi and Dawn, that their mother is gone and that they will never see her again, he grasps at the opportunity to delay the news by taking his daughters on a road trip to the theme park, The Enchanted Gardens. 

In this blog, I will address the five stages of grief according to the Kubler-Ross model that was displayed in this movie. It is however important to note that the five stages are not necessarily experienced by everybody in that particular order, and there are some who do not experience every stage of this model.

Denial

After receiving news of his wife's death, Stanley is seen to be nervous as his daughters return home, knowing that he would have to break the news to them. However, they brought back with them a casserole left on their doorstep, presumably from a well wisher sending their condolences and Stanley became adamant, angry even, when he insists for the girls to not eat the casserole. Probably to him, eating the casserole would signify that Grace is truly gone and that he has accepted the fact as well as accepted the sympathy of others. 

Additionally, taking his daughters away on a road trip could also be seen as an attempt to escape the truth and keep his daughters in blissful ignorance. When his brother receives a phone call and learns of Grace's death, Stanley once again tries to escape the situation by taking his daughters and leaving immediately.

Anger 

This stage of grief was mostly displayed by Stanley towards his younger brother, John during his visit to his mother's home. Although it is obvious that the two brothers have had political disagreements for a long time, Stanley finally snaps at his brother who unknowingly and unintentionally undermined the system and in result,undermine the sacrifices Grace makes to keep their country safe. Stanley probably attempts to find comfort in Grace's death by knowing that she died for a good and honourable cause, and having that idea challenged by John invokes anger in Stanley. A little while later, Stanley becomes aggressive with his brother, shoving him and pinning him to the wall, while yelling that John's opinion on Stanley's decision of keeping the news of the death of Heidi's and Dawn's mother away from them.

Bargaining

In Stanley's final phone call to "Grace", Stanley expresses his frustrations in being the one to stay at home and raise their daughters while she fights for the country. While not explicitly stated, Stanley's wish that their situations were reversed, that he was the one in battle while she stayed at home, could be seen as a way of bargaining- that if he went, he would be the one killed in combat while she remained alive and safe.

Depression 

Keeping his emotions in check throughout most of the film and even putting on a happy, cheerful facade, Stanley finally gives in to his grief when alone. Though not crippling depression, this display of mourning is comforting for the audience to see because we are aware that giving in to one's feeling of grief and sorrow is necessary before someone can accept their loss and move on.

Acceptance

With his last call to Grace, he finally addresses that he needs to tell Heidi and Dawn of their mother's death, displaying that he has accepted her death and is ready to do what is necessary as a grieving husband and father.

Throughout the majority of the film, Stanley was the only one who knew of Grace's death, and so the model of grieve could only mostly be applied to him. However, when he finally tells his daughters the truth, we immediately see Heidi is in denial by saying words like, "She is just hurt" and "It's alright. We will take care of her" and initially tries to push away her father from embracing her. I found her denial intriguing as she seemed to have been suspicious of her father's behaviour throughout the film and had even seemed to have her own period of grieving after hearing her father's voice call to her mother. It may be possible that she was aware of the possibility of her mother's death but chose to deny it for as long as possible to prevent dealing with the reality and the hurt that would follow.

Watching the ocean and the sunset, the Philips spend the time to grieve the loss of Grace, finding comfort in one another. I find it bitter sweet that with the loss of Grace, the relationship and bond between a father and his two daughters were strengthened. Stanley Philips is now a different man than who he was at the beginning of the film. Strict, stubborn and stiff, his daughters were unable to converse with him lightly, especially Heidi who was facing personal issues such as insomnia. It was comforting to see how the girls gradually became more open with him, and even being unafraid to ask to get their ears pierced despite the rule set by their father of only being allowed to get their ears pierced after the age of thirteen. We know that the Philip family will move past their grief and continue to seek comfort in each other as well as grow closer together, thus allowing us to move past Grace's death as well.

Amadeus (1984)

Amadeus (1984) is a film adaptation of Peter Shaffer's stage play of the same name depicting the fictional story of the life and death (or rather, murder) of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Narrated from the view of Antonio Salieri, another famous composer of the time, we are taken through a journey of worship of music, of growing hatred and jealousy and the growing madness.

Salieri and Mozart: The Cain and Abel of Music 

Towards the end of the film, it occurred to me that while disturbing in its notion of committing murder due to envy, was not unfamiliar. It resounded to me the biblical tale of the first murder committed- the murder of Abel by Cain, his brother.

Like Cain who served God through the offering of the fruit of his fields, Salieri wanted to serve God through his music; and in return he asked for fame, recognition and love from the world. He even went as far as offering everything he had: his industry, his chastity and his utter humility. Yet also like Cain, it seemed that his offerings were not pleasing and accepted and God instead blessed Mozart with the true talent of music, to create music to perfection in its first draft, of composing the "voice of God" through music.

Aptly baptized with the name "Amadeus" which means "Love of God",
 Mozart composes music that Salieri describes as the "voice of God"

Cain, in his envy of Abel whose offerings were accepted and whom was blessed by God in return, grew to hate him and one day, killed him out in the fields. Similarly, Salieri saw Mozart as the unrightful vessel of God and in turn  decided to scorn God and plotted to murder Mozart. While not directly killing Mozart, Salieri was responsible for taking away Mozart's chances of fame and financing his livelihood, plunging him straight to the depths of debt, alcoholism and hard labour, eventually driving Mozart to his deathbed.

Following the Frustration theory of Aggression, which states that aggressive behaviour occurs in response to the aggressor's growing frustration resulting from the hindrance or block that prevents them from achieving their goals. Applying this theory to Salieri whose goal was to become a world famous composer and have his music remembered and loved forever, he grew frustrated when Mozart came to Vienna and gained popularity quickly.
In his mind, God had blessed Mozart to be His instrument and so, in order to finally achieve his goals he would have to get rid of Mozart by killing him.

However in the end, Salieri narrated that God punished him for killing Mozart, by allowing him to live for years with guilt in his heart and with each passing year, Salieri watched as his music faded into the background while Mozart's music gained popularity, revealing itself to become the timeless masterpieces that they still are even now. Similarly to Cain, who was given the 'mark of Cain', he had to live the rest of his life in shame and guilt of what he had done to his brother. Unlike Cain however, who sought after God's forgiveness, Salieri chose to make God responsible for the murder of Mozart and even proclaim himself to be the "saint patron of mediocrity", taking religion into his own hands to absolve mediocrities everywhere.

Whale Rider (2002)

Paikea Apirana, also known as Pai, is a twelve year old girl who was born from a long line of a tribe’s chiefly succession and is named after the legendary Paikea, her direct ancestor and the man who was also known for his legacy as a Whale Rider. Despite this, Pai has been shunned by the other members of the tribe and especially her grandfather for being born a girl, making her the breaking point of a line of male descendants which unfortunately also makes her illegible to be the next tribe’s leader.

Paikea Apirana

There is no denying the fact that Pai has been a strong character throughout the entirety of the movie despite being shunned and often put down by people in her tribe, especially her grandfather, for being born a girl and hence not being the “saviour” that they were hoping for. It may be because of this less than happy upbringing that Pai has learned to mature in mind, spirit and emotion, as displayed particularly in one scene whereby Koro had openly called Pai worthless and even demanded her father to take her away. Despite the hurtful words used on someone of such tender and impressionable age, Pai was able to understand and even rationalized that Koro did not mean what he said.

According to Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development, Pai could fall under two categorizations which are Industry vs. Inferiority, and Identity vs. Role Confusion. Illustrating Erikson’s Industry, Pai expressed the need to prove herself worthy of being the next chief by showing that she is as capable as the other boys in the cultural school and maybe even better than them (Santrock, 2011). She was able to master taiaha with a makeshift weapon and defeated a fellow peer, Hemi, who was probably on the top of Koro’s list of potential leader. She also manages to effortlessly retrieve the whale tooth from the ocean, where her other peers have failed, won an interschool speech competition and ultimately, Pai was the only one capable of returning Paikea’s whale and its pod back to sea. It was this final display of industry that finally led Koro to believe and accept Pai as his “Wise Leader”.

He gave her the whale tooth, symbolizing his acceptance as his leader.

Additionally, while proving her worth, Pai is also seen trying to find her place in the community and the role she has to play. Should she obey the demands of the grandfather she loves by just remaining a submissive and loyal female in the tribe as is expected of her, or should she fight to gain the status and respect of a leader that she believes herself to be? During the beginning stages, we see Pai experiencing role confusion in finding her place and value and she struggles to disobey her grandfather, eventually leading her to give up hope that she will truly be accepted and so she decides to leave her home in pursuit of a new life and a new identity (Santrock, 2011). However, she returns home as we see her feeling a strong connection to the sea and the whales which are her identity and her birthright. The movie ends with Pai achieving Ego Identity, which is the achievement of being one’s true self, by being made leader as a result of her determination (Santrock, 2011), values and loyalty to the tribe.

Koro Apirana

According to Erikson’s stages of development, Koro displays the theory of Generativity (Santrock, 2011), in which his main goal was to pass on the legacy and traditions of the tribe to the potential male leaders of the tribe with the ultimate goal of passing on the title of chief to one of them for the development and growth of the next generation. However, when he fails to find “the rightful chief”, he moves on to the next stage of Despair, resigning himself to personal defeat and defeat of his people and for a while, he seems bedridden with despair and frustration and no one’s voice seemed to be able to reach him (Santrock, 2011).

With finally admitting to Pai’s rightfulness as chief, he finally is in peace with himself as he feels that he has accomplished his role as a leader and is satisfied that he has chosen the right successor to bring strength and prosperity to the tribe. He may also feel at peace for finally being able to integrate his love for Pai and his duties as a chief, which were originally in dissonance with each other and we can say that he achieved Ego Integrity (Santrock, 2011).

Santrock, J. W. (2011). Life-span Development (13th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. 

Forget Paris (1995)

Forget Paris is the story that tells us what really happens after a “Happily Ever After”. Mickey and Ellen who met in the most unusual of situations and fell in love on the streets of Paris, suddenly find themselves faced with the reality of life and the reality of each other once the honeymoon phase of their relationship is over. We as the audience can truly appreciate the honesty and the raw truth that is involved in loving someone, so intelligently portrayed in the hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking events that take place in Mickey and Ellen’s lives and leaving us to question, “Will they find their happily ever after once again?”

The "We" and "I" in a Relationship

One of the components of intimacy is mutuality in which intimate partners think of themselves as a couple instead of two separate human beings and the key to such relationship is when both partners provide mutual love, trust, support, and benefit; they also start referring to themselves as “we” instead of “I”. This mutuality or connectedness is one of the means to establish an increasingly mature and mutually rewarding interpersonal relationship, in which both partners are able to provide a safe and supportive anchor for each other, to be attentive to their partner and their needs, and to demonstrate empathy and responsiveness (Snir & Wiseman, 2013).

That being said, maintaining one’s own individuality while being in a relationship is often disregarded for the sake of placing priority on the relationship as a couple. However, Snir and Wiseman (2013) postulated that achieving individuality allows one to participate in a mature couple relationship without feeling that one's boundaries or even existence as a separate human being are being threatened, and does not have an unhealthy dependency towards one’s partner. At the same time, the individual is able to maintain a sense of autonomy and continue to experience self-growth and development.

Ellen was too dependent and Mickey was too independent?

“When he travels, not only am I lonely but I don’t know who I am by myself.....  If I took time, before or between, to find out who I really am by myself, who I can be without any guy around... I know I’m in there somewhere. I can hear myself screaming from a distance.” (Ellen Gordon)

Kudos to Ellen for leaving her marriage, her job, her home in Paris... basically her whole life in pursuit of her love for Mickey, but was it really the wisest thing to do? While her sacrifice is commendable, I feel that she had also given up her own identity. Pretty quickly, we see how lost and miserable Ellen was and although understandable with her being in a new environment, we should note how happy and whole she feels when Mickey returns. Personally, while it is good for a couple to be dependent on each other, I feel that it is not as healthy when they are not independent individually.

As Ellen herself even briefly considered if she married Mickey out of a rebound, it is something that was very likely to have happened. She even said, “When my first husband left me, I felt so lost... He (Mickey) was what I needed to get through that” making us believe that she may have jumped into the relationship with Mickey thinking that he could fill the void for her and complete her. With his continuous absence, Ellen finds that being in a relationship with Mickey was not enough to make her feel happy and satisfied with her life.

“I love being a referee. It’s a big part of who I am and I’m starting to miss me..... It’s important to us. I want to love you and not resent you.” (Mickey Gordon)

In the case of Mickey, he struggles to give Ellen the life that she wants especially when it came at the expense of his own happiness. She wants him to be around as she tells him, “I did not leave France to be alone.” and so listening to her doubts and fears, he gives up his own home, job and lifestyle to bring her happiness and he even accommodates to let her sick father to live with them.

However, he soon realizes that he is unhappy and it makes him more irritable and moody, even to the point of crying when the toothpaste ran out. He told his friend Jack that, “I’m not used to someone else having an opinion about my life” and after taking his friend’s advice, he returns to his old job as a referee for the National Basketball Association. For a while, things start to improve for Mickey and Ellen once they learned to compromise to each other’s needs and for a brief period of time, we even see them working together towards the same goal, which was to have a baby. Unfortunately, they could not conceive a child, and once again losing a shared goal and interest, they reverted back to being separate individuals in a relationship.

Towards the end, Ellen finally finds her own independence and perceiving the relationship as not rewarding anymore, or as something that she needed to depend on, Ellen decides to go back to Paris to live her own life. Ellen moves to Paris and Mickey continues on with his job, but neither finding satisfaction in this new arrangement, they get back together again because despite their individual differences and goals, they still loved and cared for each other.  

In conclusion...

There should be a balance in satisfying the needs of the relationship and needs of the individual. Every relationship calls for compromises and changes. That being said, compromises should be equal on both sides, and if it is considered too much or unfair, it is alright to say "no" and stand your ground, followed by further communications of how to make the relationship work for both individuals. 

Brown, N. M., & Amatea, E. S. (2013). Love and intimate relationships: Journeys of the heart. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis Group.

Snir, S., & Wiseman, H. (2013). Relationship patterns of connectedness and individuality in couples as expressed in the couple joint drawing method. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 40501-508. doi:10.1016/j.aip.2013.07.005

Strictly Ballroom (1992)

The theme repetitively presented in this movie is to not live in fear. While seemingly a simple notion, the fear in question, which is the fear of not conforming to social standards, is not easy for most of us to overcome.  As social creatures, every single one of us are part of many in-groups, such as race, religion, occupation and in order to maintain a positive self concept within the group, we are often pressured to follow along the norms and beliefs that exists within that in-group (Rodriguez, 2016).

Throughout the movie, we the audience can clearly see the influence of Barry Fife, president of the Australian Dancing Federation, on all the other ballroom dancers in this movie and it is evident how most of the characters conformed, complied and obeyed the specific set of rules set on “the right way to dance”. However in this post, I would like to address why the main character, Scott Hastings, did not follow along with the rules, broke free to dance his own “non-federation” steps, and how that impacted him and others around him.

He danced to his own rhythm because...

His motivation to dance was purely intrinsic

Over and over again, Scott was reminded that the only way to win the Pan Pacific Grand Prix would be to follow to the strictly ballroom steps and patterns and it was beyond their understanding when Scott repeatedly denied wanting to win the trophy that he had been training for since he was six years old. He just wanted to dance and enjoy it for what it is, an expression of himself.

He had Social Support

In one variation on Asch's study of conformity, it was found that participants are less likely to conform to the majority when they find a partner with similar views and answers (Morris & Miller, 1975). Likewise, Scott battles with himself throughout the majority of the film of whether to follow what he believes in or whether to give in to the persuasions and pressure of basically every ballroom dancer in the movie, including his mother and Les Kendall; however, with his unlikely friendship, and later romance, with beginner dancer Fran, he finds more courage to dance freely because she understands how he feels and she encourages his behaviour and need to break free with the quote, " Vivir con miedo, es como vivir a medias (to live in fear is a life half lived)". Along the way, Scott finds more support in Fran's father and grandmother who proceed to teach him the true paso doble and to dance to the rhythm in his heart as well as support him and Fran in the final competition.  

As a result...

He achieved self-actualization

One of the characteristic of a self-actualized individual, as determined by Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, is achieved when an individual is resistant to enculturation, with a sense of autonomy found in people who are motivated to do more than adjust to and go along with their social in-groups (Whitson, 2016). 

Scott made his final stand in the end when he, through the paso doble, publicly denounces his role of a rule-following ballroom dancer and displays his love and pure joy to dance. As a self-actualized individual, Scott develops a greater acceptance of his values and of his identity, as well as trusting in his internal instincts of what is right and wrong and transcending the social expectations of him to win the championship (Whitson, 2016). 

Barriers are broken

In the end, Scott and Fran together destroyed the entire regime that is the Pan Pacific Grand Prix and Dance Federation by giving a stellar non-federation paso doble performance, and this is symbolized by the shot of Barry Fife falling with the trophies, representing the downfall of the strictly ballroom regulations and a break to freedom of expression. 

Dancing has finally been accepted for what it is, an art of expression and something that can not be controlled. The very thing that the Grand Prix existed for, which is to award champions, has been forgotten when everyone in the room enters the dance floor and dance to "Love is in the Air". Finally, I find that this final scene also represents the breaking of the in-group, out-group social barriers between dancers and non-dancers, and beginner and open amateur as everyone is allowed to dance and it is fine if you do not do it the "right way".

Morris, W. N., & Miller, R. S. (1975). The effects of consensus-breaking and consensus-preempting partners on reduction of conformity. Journal Of Experimental Social Psychology, 11(3), 215-223. doi:10.1016/S0022-1031(75)80023-0

Rodriguez, J. (2016). Social identity theory. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health.

Whitson, E. R. (2016). Self-actualization. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health,

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Eat, Drink, Man, Woman (1994), a family dramedy directed by Ang Lee, centres on the lives of the Chu family and begins with Master Chef Chu cooking a Sunday dinner for his three unmarried daughters Jia Jen, Jia Chien, and Jia Ning. While the movie does show us the everyday lives of the Chu family, much focus was given to the elaborate preparations of the Sunday dinner feasts, and we as the audience begin to look forward to the Sunday dinner ritual which reveals to be the setting for the revealing of many hilarious and unexpected announcements that would ultimately change their lives and interactions as a family.  

Oh, the horror.

Ang Lee’s portrayal of the family and his manner of storytelling is unique and ingenious as audiences were left undoubtedly in shock and amazement by the end of the film. After watching the movie the second time, I could not help but applaud the tiny hints and clues heralding the build up of the ultimate plot twist, that while is relatively obvious, was easily looked over the first time. However, his brilliance does not end there. Sparsely scattered throughout the film were little scenes that while seemingly irrelevant to the plot, feeds an unconscious message to the minds of the audience and in this blog, I am going to address a couple of symbolisms in the film that I found.

To Adorn and Enrich: Symbolisms 

Moving Traffic

Intriguingly, the movie starts with a scene of moving traffic. I believe that the moving traffic is worth noticing as scenes of traffic plays in different variations throughout the movie, the last couple of times even including the almost graceful motions of a traffic conductor.

Life is almost like traffic; sometimes, it goes on smoothly, sometimes we have to stop and sometimes we have to slow down. But in terms of this movie, in which each member of the Chu family suddenly faces many challenges and changes in their lives, such as a failed investment, marriages, pregnancy, a death of a family friend and loss of a family home, the few traffic scenes that are shown after some of these novel moments could probably be a reminder that even when things seem in chaos and ruins and out of our control, life around us still carries on.

Another thing to take note on is the appearance of the traffic conductor in the second half of the movie. In the initial scenes, the drivers on the road moved according to their judgments and was slightly chaotic and maybe a little dangerous. Even as we find the conductor’s motions to be calming to watch and that traffic is running more smoothly and orderly, it may symbolize how each member of the Chu family come into their own and find the direction and order that was previously missing in their lives. It gives us a sense of comfort that we may be able to take control of our own lives and choose our own happiness.

Food, Glorious Food

The title of the movie is based on the Confucius teaching that basic human desires such as food and sex are natural and should be accepted, but as we learn early on, food is not just sustenance for this family. It symbolizes much more than that, and it affirms what we already know- that it is not enough to just attain our basic human desires, but of achieving happiness in the bonds we form and how we connect to each other as humans.

It was evident that the Chu family hardly had any good communication and the Sunday dinners were often awkward and strained, yet it was their means of communicating with each other and the period in which each member made announcements. More so for Master Chu, who claimed that he did not understand his daughters and refused any help from them, cooking was a way for him to express his love. 

I believe that it is common for Asian families to not be overly vocal in their affections but in their actions instead. This also seen in his new habit of cooking meals for Shan Shan and maybe even suffering through the meals prepared by Jin Rong; albeit mistakenly perceived as fatherly and grandfatherly love, it was still an obvious expression of his affections for them.

Sense of Taste: Twas Lost and Now is Found

The last thing I would like to highlight is Master Chu’s loss of his sense of taste. He continues to cook but we have hardly notice any daughter complimenting his meals; thus possibly a reason for his loss of sense of taste as he may feel that his love was not recognized and accepted and so there is no longer a point to it and loses the enjoyment of it altogether.

In the final scene in which Jia Chien serves her father an elaborate meal, Master Chu drinks her soup and after complimenting it, gently critiques her soup which led to a short, fiery argument between father and daughter when he comes to a remarkable realization- he could taste her soup. It may be due to the fact that the recipe was that of his late wife, reminding him of his first love, made even more profound by the fact that Jia Chien carries a strong resemblance to her mother in both looks and personality.

Reverently asking for more soup and happily obliging, the very last scene captures a rare moment between Master Chu and his second daughter. I believe that his regaining of taste symbolized his recognition of his daughter’s love and loyalty to him. He has honoured her culinary skills and she achieves a sense of fulfillment in her father’s recognition, respect and love.

Awakenings (1990)

Based on a true story, Awakenings recounts the story of Dr Sayer, a researcher without a clinical background who was suddenly entrusted with the care of patients in the Garden Ward, a ward in which patients were nurtured in pretty much the same way as plants- watered and fed. However in his perseverance, Dr Sayer tested a new drug on his catatonic patients resulting in their awakening and the friendship that forms, especially the friendship between Dr Sayer and Leonard.

How to Live: A Guide to Your Own Personal Awakening by Leonard Lowe

“My name is Leonard Lowe. I have been told that I have been away for some time... I’m back...”

1. Take everything in stride and positivism

Instead of deciding if a glass is half full or half empty, why not just fill it up to the brim? Even if you find yourself waking up from a catatonic state, in which you were as “substantial as a ghost” for almost 30 years, carry on. The world outside may be new and scary but this may only be your one shot to live again- your one last chance.

2. Kindness is powerful

Let me break this down for you. We are all people. Even if I do not have a voice, I have a mind of my own, and I have feelings. Even if I am a patient in a mental ward without a sense of agency, in which I cannot feed or clothe myself, treat me like a human and not an item.  

3. Fight for what you believe in

I believe that life is precious and fleeting and should not be wasted. Life is not only about the major life changing events, but it is also about every inconsequential little bit of routines and actions; things that we often take for granted. The matter of fact is this: That you are reading this means you are not blind and free to drink in the world around you with your eyes. Enjoy walking... Not everyone can do so. I also believe in my friend who will find me a cure. Yes, I am suffering, but I believe it is not in vain. I want a cure to be found and while it is a little humiliating, I would rather have him video record my symptoms, just so he could learn...learn...learn...

4. Love and sacrifice goes hand in hand

“If you love somebody, let them go. If they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.”

Love is one of the wonderful adventures of life, and it is easy to selfishly want it for yourself. I met a beautiful woman named Paula and I wanted her affection for as long as possible, but when my illness came back, I knew that it would burden her and hinder her from her own happiness. Telling her that I would never see her again was difficult but I would rather sacrifice my own happiness for her sake.

Pro-tip:

Be good to your mother.

Cherish your friends.

Take more walks.

Don't let pollution stop you from enjoying what is left of nature. Wade away.

Books are lives that we don't have the time to live. Read.

What Leonard Taught Me

For someone who was barely awake and considered almost dead by the people around him, it is undeniable that his brief period of awakening had such an impact on the people around him and to us, the audience. There was definitely a moment when I myself thought, “Oh dear, there is so much that this man does not know of. There is much to learn, of living in the modern world, of how to be in love”, but I was proven wrong.

Most of us are born with the sense of agency, which is the awareness to initiate, execute and control one’s own action and through them, our experience of the outside world (Haggard & Chambon, 2012). While an important part of what makes us conscious beings, it is something that most of us readily take for granted.

Personally, I feel that I try to appreciate every aspect of my own life. I consider every day to be a new adventure but after watching this movie, it made me wonder...Would I still have the same positive disposition if I were in Leonard’s position?

Reference:

Haggard, P., & Chambon, V. (2012). Sense of agency. Current Biology, 22(10), R390-R392. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2012.02.040