This was a film that I had already heard about due to the book being so popular, and although I did plan to read the book, I didn’t get round to it in the end. However, from what people had said about the book, it sounded like something that I would enjoy writing about.
Now that I have watched the film, I would say that there is a more to this story than meets the eye. Based on my perspective, the film looks at what can happen when someone doesn’t get the help they need after they have experienced trauma. These psychological aspects and metaphors that I talk about from the film are based on my own interpretation. They are in no way the right or only interpretation; they are just my view. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I didn’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. The Opening Scene As the film starts, we see that Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey are living radically different lives; Anastasia is a student and Christian is the owner of a big company. When her friend is unable to go and interview him because she has the flu, Anastasia ends up going to the interview in her place. But instead of using her own car, she ends up using her friend’s car. At this point, it could be said that this is similar to what happens when a young adult borrows their parent’s car. They are not in a position where they can support themselves and so they look towards their parents to support them. It is during this time that we start to get an insight into her character. Through how she behaves around her friend and how she responds once she arrives in the waiting area, we can see that she is not someone who can be described as self-assured. What is also interesting about this moment is that all the people who are working there are women. At this stage, this could just be seen as how things are there, and therefore, there is no need to draw any conclusions about it. However, this could also be a sign that Christian is unable to affirm himself, and this then means that he needs women to do this for him. Receiving constant feedback from women is then the only way he knows how to feel good about himself. If this is the case, it would show that he hasn’t been able to break away from his mother and to integrate his aggression, and this is why his sense of self is still being defined by women. The other side of this is that this could also be a sign that his father wasn’t around either, as the father is generally the person who brings the child away from their mother and teaches them to affirm themselves through embracing their own aggression. Falling Over One of the employees walks Anastasia to Christian’s office, but they don’t open the door for her. This could be seen as normal, but then again, it could be seen as a sign of the kind of relationship that he has with the people he works with. Perhaps he is very formal and prefers to keep people at a certain distance. In this case, his relationships are not going to be influenced by his heart; they are only going to relate to his mind. She pushes the door open and soon falls to the ground, Christian offers his hand and she is soon on her feet. Now, the fact she falls over could be put down to a lack of concentration, but another way of looking at this would be to say that her nerves got the better of her. Standing in front of her is someone who appears to be strong, and this is the opposite of how she comes across. Christian is not fazed by what is taking place, and we soon see that his facial expressions rarely change; he has mastered the poker face. The Chairs He then sits on a black chair and Anastasia sits on a white chair, and so not only are they both extremely different in how they come across, they are also sitting on chairs that are the opposite colour. At this point, it would appear that she hasn’t brought something to write with, and Christian then has to provide something for her to use. She begins to ask different questions and one question focuses on how well he has done for his age. Here we see that Christian is not a dreamer like Anastasia, he has a more calculated approach to life. When it comes to understanding people, he says he knows what to do, and this is why he is where he is. Luck He is asked if his success comes down to luck and he says the harder he works, the more success he seems to have. It could be said that he is not one for letting go and taking a more feminine approach, he is all for taking action and utilising a masculine approach to life. Anastasia asks him if he is a control freak and he says that he exercises control in all things. It could then be said that he is out of balance and perhaps at one point in time, something happened to him that left him feeling completely out of control. Adoption We soon find out that he was adopted age four, and this experience is bound to have had a big impact on this life. It could have been this experience that has given him the need to maintain control at all times. Deep down, he could have a lot of pain to do with being abandoned by his mother, and if he was to let go, he may fear that he would be abandoned all over again. These early experiences may have affected his ability to trust others. Infatuated After the interview, we can see that Anastasia is infatuated with Christian; it is not possible for her to focus on her own life. Now, this could be seen as a surprise; especially as he came across as cold and controlling. When she finishes college, a guy comes over who is the complete opposite of Christian, and he is just a friend. At this point, it would be easy to say that he is just not her type; however, this could also give us an insight into what love means to her. The Phone Call Whilst she is at work, her mother calls her to say that she won’t be able to make it to her graduation because her husband injured himself whilst playing golf. It could also be said that her mother is self-absorbed, and this is because Anastasia asks her to call back because she is at work and her mother says she has a reason. She asks her mother if she can come by herself and she says that this is not possible, but instead of empathising with her daughter here, she wants her daughter to understand her situation. Another way of looking at this would be to say that her mother doesn’t really care about her what daughter needs; she only cares about her own needs. Her priority is not her daughter, who is her flesh and blood; her priority is the man in her life. Now, this could be a one of scenario, but there is also the chance that this is what her mother is like. Once the call is over, she says she loves her, and while words are important, it is our actions that make the difference. One on hand, her mother is saying she loves her, but on the other, she is not showing it. And if this is how her mother always is, she could have come to develop an unhealthy idea of what is love. After The Photo Shoot When they are walking through a corridor after the photo shot, Christian starts to ask about her male friend and the guy she works with at the hardware store. However, he is not coming from a place of pure curiosity; he wants to find out if they are competition. If we were able to see Anastasia through his eyes, we might begin to see her as a possession. In this case, she is not her own person who has her own feelings and needs, she is an object to own and control. It has been said that the first time a man experiences the need to possess someone is when he is a baby and the person he wants to possess at this time is usually his mother. During this stage of his development, he is unable to see that his mother is separate from him. Having this perspective is a vital part of his survival, and then a time passes and providing he receives the right care during this time, he will gradually grow out of this. Yet, if he doesn’t receive the right kind of care and it is then not possible for him to emotionally separate from his mother, he can continue to see women as his possessions. The Coffee Shop At the coffee shop Anastasia says she finds him intimidating, and the fact that she has both hands on her drink shows she doesn’t feel comfortable. Along with this, Christian tells her to eat, and this shows that he is unwilling to respect her boundaries. He asks her to tell him about her family, and she says her dad died when she was a baby, so she was raised by her step-father. We then find out that her mother is on husband number four and she describes her as an incurable romantic. Her mother is not the only one, as she says she is also the same and this is partly why she studies English literature. At this point, Christian pulls away and says that he is not the man for her and that she should steer clear. Push-Pull Upon reflection, we could say that Christian has a clear conscience, and this is why he doesn’t want Anastasia to stay with him and end up being hurt. Yet, this could also be a way for him to pull her even close to him. After all, this is not someone who leaves things to chance; this is someone who understands how to get people to fulfil his needs. The uncertainty that she is experiencing could remind her of what her relationship was like with her own mother, and although it is dysfunctional, it is what is familiar to her. Her mother may have been there one moment and gone the next, and if this is something she has experienced on a regular basis, it is going to trigger a strong reaction within her. Along with this, we don’t know what her step-father was like during her early years. Waiting in Line Whilst she I waiting to use the toilet, she thinks about deleting Christians number, but she ends up calling him instead. This shows that part of her wants to end the connection she has with him and another part of her wants it to continue. Intellectually, she may think that it wouldn’t be in her best interests to have him in her life, and then at an emotional level, she may crave his attention. Her body is then going to overpower her mind and it won’t matter that he is not ‘right’ for her. Whilst they are on the phone, he asks her if she has been drinking and once he finds out she has been, he tells her to go home. Anastasia calls him out on his bossy behaviour and he then asks what bar she is at. He calls her again and says he’s coming to get her. In this moment, the relationship is more like parent and child; he doesn’t care about what she has to say and this is because he sees her as a an object and not as a fellow human being. The Male Friend When she goes outside to wait for Christian, her male friend comes out and tells her how much he likes her. Anastasia ends up feeling uncomfortable and does everything she can to resist his advances. He doesn’t listen and try to take things further; this also shows that he lacks boundaries. Christian then comes rushing out and saves her from his unwanted attention, and just as she begins to faint, he catches her. One way of looking at this would be to say that she has met someone who is providing the support that she lacks within herself. The masculine strength within her has yet to be realised. Sleeping Problems When Anastasia wakes up, Christian walks in soon after, and during this time, she asks about what happened. She finds out that although she slept in the same bed as Christian, nothing actually happened. He says that it was an anomaly for him to have slept, and this shows how his need to be in control is stopping him from being able to sleep. This is because we don’t fall asleep through force; we fall asleep through letting go. So as it is not possible for him let go, it is not going to be possible for him to fall asleep either. He tells her that she put herself at risk last night, and in the next moment, he takes his top off. On one side there is pain and on the other there is pleasure, and this experience could be seen as something that will condition her to associate pleasure with pain. Yet, it could also be said that this conditioning has already taken place through having a mother whose words and behaviour don’t match up. The Books Anastasia asks Christian why he sent her the books and he says that it’s because he thought he owed her an apology. He stops just short of saying her owed her an apology for letting her believe that he could let her go. It is not possible for Christian to show affection, and this is because this would involve letting go. Not only would he be allowing his feelings to arise, he would also be letting love in, and this takes a certain amount of trust. He doesn’t feel safe enough to show how he feels and neither does he feel safe enough to surrender to another person. He has to remain in his head and this stops him from getting in touch with his body and experiencing true intimacy. Written Consent Christian then says that he is not going to touch her until he has her written consent. This shows how he is not prepared to let the interaction take its own course; he wants to make sure it goes in a certain direction. Through having a contract, it will allow him to remain in control, and while it could be said that previous relationships with women have played a part in this, it could go back to his childhood years. However, he soon loses control and ends up kissing Anastasia in the lift. Back Home When Anastasia comes home, she sees that her roommate is under Christian’s brother, and he comes across as the complete opposite of Christian. He is relaxed, happy and friendly, and he points out that his brother is not warm. After he sees his brother showing affection, he looks away in disgust, and is only too happy for the interaction to end. Perhaps there was a time where someone got too close to him (this may have been his mother), and this experience caused him to feel uncomfortable with closeness. The Helicopter Ride Anastasia meets Christian and they go on a helicopter ride, and if we were to see this experience as a metaphor, it could be said that the whole experience mimics what it is like for a girl to be picked up by her father as a child. When we are children, we can only see so much, and just as being picked up allows us to see more, being in a helicopter also has the same effect. She is supported and her whole body feels weightless, and as her father passed away when she was born, this might be an experience that she hasn’t really experienced. Being with Christian in the helicopter could then make the child part of her feel as though she is getting what she missed out on all those years ago. The Play Room Anastasia asks if the room has an Xbox and stuff in, and we soon find out that this couldn’t be further from the truth. The room is where Christian engages in bondage, and he has all kinds of different tools and apparatus. However, we soon find out that Christian uses this stuff on women and doesn’t allow them to use it on him. He says he’s a dominant and not a sadist, and that he wants Anastasia to surrender herself to him. The only thing that is in it for her is that she will get him, and Christian appears to believe that this should be enough to convince her to go through with this. One way of looking at this would to be to say that this is another way for him to remain in control, and it could also be said that he has an exaggerated sense of self-importance. Taking control of women is what turns him on and this could be seen as just what men are like, but if that outlook is put to one side, it could be seen as a way for him to experience indirect revenge. He may have been abused by a woman in the past, and this is then a way for him to get his own back. Relationship Christian says that this is the only sort of relationship that he has, and when Anastasia asks why, he says it’s just the way he is. What this shows is that he has absolutely no self-awareness. Not only that, he has no interest in finding out why he is the way he is, and it is then down to her to decide whether or not she will go along with it. At this point, we find out that she is still a virgin. His Mother Once they have had a bath and end up back in Christian’s room, we soon hear his mothers vice. From this, we can say that his mother also lacks boundaries, and when he says to her about calling before she drops by, his mother talks about how this would have caused her problems. And when she sees Anastasia, she talks about how attractive she is and not about the other features she has. This kind of response could be seen as normal, but it could also be a sign that she sees her as an object. In this sense, Christian is very much like his mother; the difference is that Christian has a different use for her. If we were to reflect upon how Anastasias mother acted when she called her in the hardware store, we can see that Christian’s mothers is also more concerned about her own needs. Whether or not Christian wants to see her is irrelevant; what matters is that she is in the area, and Christian should simply accept that. The reason he lacks boundaries and is unable to see people as separate could partly come down to how his adopted mother treated him as a child. This could also be a sign that there wasn’t a strong male figure around to bring him away from her clutches. Dinner and Movies Anastasia walks to the room that she would stay in if she was to go along with what Christian wants and she asks him if they would go out to dinner and to the movies. He’s says that it’s not his thing, and this shows that she wants more than just sexual pleasure; but as he is emotionally unavailable, this is not going to happen. It could be said that he is a man and that’s just what men are like, however, men also have emotional needs. The difference between men and women is that women are often encouraged to express their emotions during their early years, whilst men are often shamed for doing the same. And because men are often out of touch with not only their emotional needs, but also their need for human contact, they can end up having a greater need to experience sexual pleasure. Another way of looking at this is to say that their other needs can end up being sexualized. An increase in sex drive can therefore be the result of them not getting their emotional and physical needs met. It can be easier to have sex than it can be to open up emotionally and to experience human contact. It would be inaccurate to say this only applies to men though, as women can also be the same. A Walk in the Woods Whilst they are walking in the woods, Anastasia asks Christian how he got into what he does. We find out that when he was fifteen, one of his mother’s friends made him her submissive, and this was something that took place for six years. She asks him if anyone knows, and she says no one knows about this part of him. He says that his mother doesn’t know, and based on how she came across, it could be said that she was probably too concerned with herself to notice any changes in her son. By the way he describes this, it is clear that he is carrying a lot of shame about what took place. He also reveals that he is still friends with the woman who did this to him, and based on the fact that he is now doing this to other women, it could be said that he hasn’t worked through the pain that this caused him to experience. He has covered it up and is acting as though everything is fine, but his relationships with women have been affected because of what took place. There is the chance that he still fears the women who took advantage of him, and this is why he is friends with her. Through the experiences he had with this woman, it is not possible for him to open up and to trust women. As a result of this, these experienced have stunted his emotional growth and development as a man. When someone experiences something that causes them to experience shame, it’s normal for them to push the experience out of their awareness. While Christian was the victim in this situation, because of how ashamed he feels, he can feel as though there is something wrong with him. If he had faced this pain and worked through it, he wouldn’t have the need to go from victim to perpetrator, but as toxic shame is so overwhelming, it is normal for someone to push it out of their awareness and to become shameless in the process. This could also be the reason why he is not emotionally available, and this is because it is not possible to block out one side of the emotional spectrum without blocking out the other side. If he were to get in touch with his feelings, he would end up being overwhelmed by toxic shame. Freedom When Christian talks about his experience of being taken advantage of, he has only good things to say. This might seem strange; especially as he has so many issues that relate to what happened. However, this could be a way for him to avoid facing his true feelings; through constructing a positive story around that happened, he can delude himself into thinking that the experience wasn’t that bad. This could be seen as just what happens when someone experiences trauma, and how they can idealize their perpetrator. Through experiencing a complete loss of power during these experiences, it could have been what set Christian up to seek complete power. However, no matter how much power he has, it is not going to change how he feels; the only way for him to do that is to heal himself. Christian Appears In this scene, Christian ties Anastasia up and they carry on from where they left of the last time. Now, it could be said that some women enjoy surrendering to a man, and how this is a chance for them to be in their feminine. However, this has to be done with respect and there has to be a clear understanding of what is and what is not acceptable. What Anastasia is going through at this point could be put down to choice, but as she lacks a strong sense of self, it is going to be normal for her to do things to please Christian as opposed to herself. When Anastasia starts to ask about the scars on his chest, Christian begins to get uncomfortable, and he then gets up to leave. Once he leaves, Anastasia is not in a good way and clearly wants to be with him. The Next Day She sends Christian an email the next day and says she has issues with the paperwork. At this point, it could be said that she doesn’t want to go along with what Christian wants, but what she does want is to be with him. It is not possible for her to think straight and her emotions are out of control, and while these feelings could relate to Christian, they might be more to it. Because her father passed on when she was younger and through having a mother who is probably not very stable (as demonstrated by the fact she has been married so many times), there is a strong chance that she was neglected during her younger years. This can then mean that she fears being abandoned on one side, and fears being smothered on the other. It is possible that her fear of being abandoned is greater than her fear of being smothered. The thought of losing Christian can then be what causes the feelings she experienced when she was abandoned to come to the surface once more. Due to how powerful these feelings are, it won’t matter that he is not the kind of person who is right for her. As time passes, she is likely to be hurt in the same way all over again, but while she needs to go with someone who is different, this is what feels comfortable. If she was to meet someone who is healthy, there s a strong chance that she would feel uncomfortable. Through being neglected, there is a strong chance that she is carrying toxic shame, and this is going to stop her from being able to realise her inherent worth. As a result l this, she is not going to believe that she deserves someone who is healthy, or available. Negotiation Anastasia comes up with a few things she doesn’t want to do and Christian even agrees to go out on a date one night a week. This can be seen as a sign that he is starting to soften a little, and this also comes to light when he asked Anastasia what she was doing to him when they were in each others arms the night before. Her Father In this scene, we get to see Anastasias step-father for the first time, and in the beginning, he seems friendly and easy going. However, he changes as soon as Christian appears and while this could be seen as him being nothing more than a protective step-father; there could be more to it. At this point we don’t know anything else about him other than that fact that he is her step-father. If he is not being protective, it could be a sign that he is too close to hear, and seeing her with another man may cause him to experience jealousy, or even envy. House Mate When she goes home, her friend finds out about her getting a car and tells her to make sure she takes it at her own pace. Anastasia acts as though everything is fine, and then leaves without saying where she is going. This shows she isn’t thinking about what is happening and she has been pulled into Christian’s reality. As her friend is not emotionally attachment, she is in a position to help her to think clearly, but she is too caught up to hear what she has to say. The Meal When Christian and Anastasia are sat at the table with his family, she says that she is going to visit her mother tomorrow, and his mother then says to him that some children do visit their parents now and again. The blame is placed firmly on Christian’s shoulders and his mother believes that she is playing no part how things are. From what we know about his family history, it could be said that the primary reason he doesn’t go home is because of what happened with this mother’s friend, and he doesn’t seem very close to his adopted mother or father either. After this, Christian goes for a walk with Anastasia and tells her that she’s all his. She asks him why they can’t sleep in the same bed and why she can’t touch him. After she tells him she needs more and wants more, he tells her hearts and flowers are not something he knows. Anastasia ask him if the marks on his chest are burns, and he said he says he had a rough start to life and that’s all she needs to know. All kinds of assumptions could be made at this point, but it is safe to say that something significant took place. We find out that the woman who gave birth to him was a crack addict and a prostitute, and that she died when he was four. As a result of this, it could be said that it wasn’t possible for him to develop a secure attachment to his mother. The most important years of his development were spent with a woman who was unable to give him the love he needed. And even though he ended up with a new mother after these years, the damage had already been done, and up until this point, this original trauma has not been dealt with. Based on how he behaves, it could be said that the thing he fears the most in a relationship is being smothered, whereas, the thing that Anastasia fears the most is being abandoned. As his mother was out of tune with his needs, she would have ended up giving him attention when he didn’t need it, and this would have caused him to feel smothered. This then set him up to fear intimacy on one hand and to crave it on the other. Staying in control at all times is then a way for him to not only stop himself from feeling how he did during his formative years, it is also a way for him to stop himself from having to have the same experience again. In this sense, it is not his intention to harm others; the only thing he is trying to do is to protect himself. The people he ends up with are likely to carry a similar wound, and this is why their paths cross. Return Home When she is eating a meal at her mothers, we see that her mother is having a go at her husband, and he then says that she’s lucky that he loves her. This could be how her mother has always been, and this is likely to have influenced her daughter’s outlook on relationships. In this scene, the word ‘love’ is used in a way that is not necessarily healthy. If this is an experience that Anastasia has been exposed to over the years, it may have conditioned her to associate love with verbal abuse, and so when you love someone, you tolerate abuse. Whilst she is out with her mother, Christian turns up and he says that he was out for a meal with the woman who used him. He describes her as a friend and while this could seem strange, it could be said that he has been conditioned over the years to feel comfortable with women who are abusive. When she is in the car with her mother, her mother tells her that that things won’t get easier, and the only thing that will happen is that she will get to know herself better. On one side, this could be seen as good advice, but on the other, it could cause her daughter to suffer even more. For example, if we look at what is going on in her daughter’s life, we can see that her daughter didn’t just happen to end up with Christian. She is with him because there is a connection, and this connection could be seen as primarily being the result of shared trauma. If her daughter was to work on herself, for instance, this would allow her to not only know herself better, it also would also make her life easier. The reason for this is that when there is less conflict within her, there will be less conflict without. Her mother is speaking from her own experience, and from what we can see, she doesn’t appear to have any kind of self-awareness. Therefore, if she was to follow her advice, there is a strong chance she would end up having the same relational experiences as her mother. Punishment When Anastasia is with Christian, she asks him why he always plays sad songs, and after she doesn’t get an answer, she asks him why he wants to punish her. He then responds by saying that he is fifty shades of fucked up. And as Christian won’t explain why he is the way he is she wants him to show her how bad it can be and to punish her. This will then be a way for her to understand what he is going through. It could be said that the reason he always plays sad songs is because he is sad on the inside. If he was in touch with his deeper feelings, he would be able to go with how he felt, and this is likely to mean that he would cry out the pain. In the beginning of the film, Christian seemed strong and Anastasia seemed the complete opposite. But as time has gone on, we can see that on the inside Christian is not as strong as he makes out. At a deeper level, Christian is extremely vulnerable, and part of why he was attracted to Anastasia could have been because he saw part of himself in her. This part of him could be seen as his wounded inner child. He is no longer in touch with this part of himself, and this is partly why he had such a strong urge to reach out to her. The times when he saved Anastasia were really attempts at saving the lost part of himself. Six Times When Christian hits Anastasia six times, we can see that he is experiencing a lot of rage. But while he is taking this rage out on her, it is really aimed at the woman who abused him when he was fifteen, and it could even go back to his mother. Once they have finished, she says that she doesn’t want him to come near her, and Christian appears to be shocked by her response. In the past, he was being victimised by a woman, and now he is the one who is victimising a woman. While he may believe that harming women in the same way that he was harmed is the way for him to change how he feels, it is only going to give him a momentary release. The only way he is going to truly move on for what happened is for him to face himself. The first step will be for him to step back from how he feels and to realise he is being defined by what happened. Even though he appears to be in control of himself, he has no control over his need to punish women. Love When Christian comes into Anastasias room, she says that she has fallen in love with him, and this then causes him to say that she can’t love him. This might seem like a strange thing for him to say. It is clear that he likes her and as he feels this way, surely he would want her to love him. Based on his reaction, it could be said that he doesn’t feel as though he deserves to be loved. However, due to the experiences he had with the woman who abused him and his mother, there is a strong chance that he feels unlovable. His inherent worth is likely to have been covered up by toxic shame. The Car In the morning, Anastasia comes down stairs and says she wants her car back and Christian says it’s already been sold. From this, we can see that she is trying to reaffirm her boundaries. It is not possible for Christian to look at her and this is likely to be a sign that he feels ashamed of what happened. The toxic shame that he is experiencing has caused him to collapse not only emotionally, but also physically. At the end we see the lift doors closing and they both say each other’s name. We see that their relationship is not over, and we will have to wait until the next film comes out to find out what happens next (or we could just read the next book). Conclusion In the beginning of the film, it appears as though Anastasia and Christian are very different, and this is primarily because of how they are experience life. But as times passes, we can see that they are both carrying deep wounds. From what we find out, it appears as though Christian has been through more than what Anastasia has been though. However, it is not just what happens to someone that affects them; it is also how they respond to what happens. Therefore, Anastasia could be carrying the same amount of pain, and because of what they have been through, they are drawn together. It is not possible for them to move through their pain together, and this is because they are projecting their past onto each other. All the time they do this, they are going to continue to play out the same dramas, and they won’t realise what part they are playing in what is taking place. If they were to work through their pain, they may find that they are on longer attracted to each other. When someone experiences these kinds of challenges, it will be important for them to reach out for the right support and not to suffer in silence. This doesn’t mean their life will change overnight, but it will change if they keep going.
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Oliver JR Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/
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The trailer to this film really caught my eye and stood out like very few films do. And while some are quiet engaging and interesting, this was gripping and instantly pulled me in. It soon became apparent that George Clooney and Sandra bullock were in the film. After watching it, I mentioned the film to a few friends and decided that I was going to see it. So it could be said that my expectations were high and I thought I was in for something special. However, after watching the film, I thought that it didn’t live up to the expectations that I had formed in my mind. Visually the film was incredible and with the added 3D, I felt as though I was in space. But other than that, the story didn’t compare to how the film looked. On my way home from the cinema I was reflecting on how the film didn’t have the impact that I was expecting and then after a short while, certain patterns and meanings began to emerge. So based on these patterns and meanings, I would say that that film is a metaphor for letting go. Which is interesting, as the tagline is ’Don’t Let Go’. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I didn’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Mission Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is on her first mission in space and Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) has been there many times before. When they arrive in, they are soon called upon to service the Hubble Space Telescope. And everything seems to be going to plan at this point, even though Matt has said that something doesn’t feel right about the mission. Before long, mission control informs them that a missile strike has taken place on an old Russian space station that is no longer in use. And this action has created a lot of debris that will soon be heading in their direction. They are told to abort the mission by mission control, but at that point it is too late. All communication with mission control is lost and the explorer and stone are struck by debris. This is bound to have been a traumatising moment for stone. Matt is soon at hand to rescue her and brings her back to the space shuttle. At this point we get the first sign of Ryan being unable to let go. She continues to work on the Hubble Space Telescope even after she has been told to stop and if she had stopped straight away she might have avoided being struck by the debris. International Space Station The rest of the crew are no longer alive and the space ship is no longer usable, so they make their way to the international space station. And it is here that we begin to find out about Ryan’s traumatic past. Matt asks her about her life back home and Ryan talks about her daughter who died. From how Ryan talks about the death of her daughter and her life back home, it becomes clear that she has more or less lost the will to live. And she doesn’t appear to have anything worth going back for, other than her job. So while Ryan is never going to fully move on from the loss off her daughter, it appears that she hasn’t had the chance to grieve what took place. And as a result of this, she has become emotionally stuck. The current trauma of being struck by debris in space and potentially being stuck there is yet another situation that is testing her will to live. Ultimately, this whole scenario has reminded her of how she feels about her life on earth. When it comes to self reflection and gaining a difference perspective, one need’s to remove themselves from the situation or to do something else. And trough Ryan leaving earth, it has meant she has removed herself completely and is now able to look at her life from a new angle Taken literally, Matt is astronaut and the only other person left, what he could also be is her higher self. And this other part of her, is trying to assist her in moving beyond her current position of being stuck. The Arrival When they arrive at the international space station they see that one module has been used and the other is no longer useable. This is because the parachute has been released and therefore it is not safe to use. Matt says that they can travel to the nearby Chinese space station and use one of their modules to return to earth. As they have run out of air and the power needed to move in space, they try to hold onto the international space station. But Ryan’s legs get caught up in the parachutes cords and then she grabs a cord from Matt’s suite. Matt tells her to let go or neither of them will survive. It is at this moment that letting go comes to the forefront, when Matt says ‘you have to learn to let go’. The literal meaning is that Ryan needs to let go in order for one of them to survive. But to take this meaning a litter deeper and as a metaphor, matt could be talking about Ryan’s need to let go of the pain that is keeping her stuck in the past. And not that Ryan is being told to forget her daughter, as that would be impossible for any mother to do. What he means is that she can’t let it define her whole life. As Ryan is attached to her pain, she can’t see any other way and Matt offers her another way of looking at her whole life. So once again, he is a metaphor for her higher self or the universe. From his place of awareness, letting go is fine and doesn’t offer any problems. But as Ryan is still holding onto the pain of losing her daughter, to let go Matt would only remind of what she has already lost. And she has lost a lot. Matt floats away and while he does, he continues to speak to Ryan and his temperament doesn’t change either. He is still calm and assured and acts as if nothing is troubling him. The Capsule Ryan enters the international space station but as a fire breaks out, she soon has to make her way to the Chinese space station. And once again a parachute is causing problems, this time it is stopping the capsule from moving away. So she has to get out and release each part of the parachute. Just after Ryan does this, the debris destroys the station. Parachutes allow one to gradually fall to the ground, so this doesn’t happen to fast and it’s not too slow either. It is a form of letting go and one that takes place naturally. And up until his point, two parachutes’ have stopped Ryan from going forward. They are doing the opposite of what they are designed for. This is a message for Ryan and shows her how difficult life can become by holding on. And as she has held onto the pain from her daughter for so long, she probably doesn’t realise how many problems this is causing her. It has just become part of her life now and a life that has become a burden. No Fuel There is yet more bad news as the capsule has run out of fuel. And Ryan shuts down the air support inside the cabin and then waits until she naturally passes on. But out of nowhere, Matt opens the door and enters the capsule. He gives Ryan encouragement and tells her that there is still some fuel left in the craft. It then becomes clear that she was hallucinating and soon becomes conscious again. In the literal sense she was losing her consciousness and there not much more to it. To look at this another way, shows that a part of her was still aware and spoke through a familiar face. And Matt was the person that appeared in her mind and became her higher power or inner voice. The Landing When Ryan gets to the Chinese space station she can’t attach to it and so leaves the craft and uses a fire extinguisher to push herself back to the station. The station soon starts to dismantle and before long, Ryan is on her way back down to earth in a capsule. This moment is a rebirth for Ryan. In normal circumstances, the only way that people would leave the earth is through death. And in this case, Ryan has left the earth and come back; without physically dying or being born again. What has taken place here is a mental and emotional rebirth and the chance for her to live life free from all the baggage that was taken up to space. And when she walks onto land, it is a sign that she is taking her first steps on earth once more. Conclusion Literally, the film is primarily about a group of astronauts who go into space and while one makes it, the others don’t. One of them manages to cope with the challenges that they are faced with and returns to earth. And while all this takes place, the story is partly brought to life by an astronaut who is still suffering from the loss of her young daughter. And although time has passed, her will to live has been challenged ever since. And while this description is relevant and covers the basic gist of the film, to look at it a different way reveals so much more. It shows that the film is also about the importance of letting go and what can happen when this take occur. When it doesn’t happen, one can become stuck in life and unable to move forward. And when this happens, one can start to fear moving on and being stuck becomes a way of life. Sometimes this can relate to the loss of a loved one and at others times it can be the end of a relationship or a pet passing on for instance, but no matter what it is, there is likely to be a period of grief and a sense that something has been lost. This can be a case of letting go over time and letting this process takes its natural course. And yet at other times, some kind of assistance can be required to enable one to process their feelings and to gradually move on. Letting go is rarely something that one does with heir mind and more often something they do with their emotional body. The mind can try to avoid this process and move on too fast as a way to avoid the pain. And yet the emotional body does things in its own time and can’t be forced. If one doesn’t feel safe enough to feel their feelings they can end up staying stuck and this is why a therapist or a healer can play an important role in one letting go.
When I first saw the trailer to this film I thought it looked like the kind of film that is rarely made. Ang Lee came up as the director, and it appeared to be the ultimate adventure. After seeing the trailer I soon forgot about the film until I decided to go the cinema and it was showing. My expectations were neutral and open to what I might find. After watching the film for the first time I was amazed at how visually appealing it was and impressed with the quality of the story. On the second time of watching I began to wonder what metaphors were in the film. At first I saw one and shortly after a theme started to emerge. I would say that the metaphorical pattern that runs through the film is about letting go. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I don’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. Finding His Religion Here we see that Pi Patel is searching for the religion that suits him and one that answers the questions that he has. This ranges from him looking for answers in the Christian teachings, Hinduism teachings and to the Muslim teachings. This culminates with him telling his parents that he wants to be christened. It is also around this time that his father Santosh (Adil Hussain) shares his opinions on religion to Pi and his brother. And what becomes clear is that his father is against religion. He is more into reason and what can be proven by science. His mother Gita (Tabu) on the other hand is more accepting of Pi’s behaviour. So here we can see that Pi wants to break away from what he has been told and to find a way of life that fits him. Not one that has simply been handed down from his family. This is an example of Pi looking for new answers so that he can let go of the answers that have been given to him. While Pi’s father Santosh (Adil Hussain) represented the masculine side his mother represented the feminine side. The masculine is represents: attachment, acquiring and logic for example. The feminine is to do with: letting go, detachment and intuition. Both are of course necessary and needed for a balanced life. The Music Teacher Pi is asked to stand in for a music teacher and here he is attracted to one of the dancers. And being the highly curious individual that he is, he follows her with the intention of finding out the meaning of one of the dance moves. He takes her to the zoo and while they are at the tiger cage he interprets the tiger’s behaviour to mean something. The dancer then explains that what the tiger was doing meant something completely different. We then see Pi opening up to this new way of perceiving the tigers behaviour and letting go of the idea that he has. The relationship that they have is short lived as Pi has to go with his family to Canada. So he has to let go of this relationship and move on not only physically, but also mentally and emotionally. Thunder storm Pi is forced to wakes up in the night due to the noise that is coming from outside the ship. He goes outside with a sense of excitement, but this is soon changed to fear and panic. The ship is sinking and his family are trapped on board. Pi has no choice but to get onto a boat and leave the ship. This is another example of letting go and probably the most painful experience, as he is letting go of his family. Pi (Suraj Sharma) already had to let go of the place that he knew so well and now he has to let go of the people that he knew so well and loved; so now he has lost both. He could have stayed on the boat and waited for his family, but in order to survive he had to let go. On the Boat The next challenge for Pi (Suraj Sharma) is not only to survive on a boat and in the middle of nowhere; he also has to handle a Bengal tiger known as Charlie parker. At first Pi doesn’t know what to do and is controlled by the tiger. As time goes by Pi manages to trains the tiger to do as he says. He also here mentions that the tiger keeps him alert and alive. To me the tiger is a metaphor for what is known as the inner critic and the conscience. I see the tiger as being an externalised version of Pi’s father. For example: He was critical of Pi’s search for the right religion and came down on him strongly for trying to feed the tiger. Discipline and rules were also passed on from his father. And through these two events and many others Pi had no choice but to internalise these experiences and they become part of what formed his conscious as well his father’s critical voice taking root internally. In the very beginning his father’s influence was strong, but over time he began to let go of this inner voice. This meant that Pi took control and was no longer being controlled by the father that lived inside. The behaviour of the tiger mirrored this inner transformation and outer peace reflected the inner piece that Pi had. It wasn’t all negative though, as by having his father’s strong critical voice within, it allowed Pi to have the discipline to survive the whole ordeal. On The Island After being at sea for so long Pi and Charlie parker end up on a floating island. At first glance it seems like the perfect island; with its fresh water and peaceful surroundings. The only inhabitants are meerkats. However Pi soon finds out that even though the island is paradise in the day it becomes the opposite during the night time. And as soon as the night is over they both leave the island. The letting go that soon happens here does not create any problems for Pi and this is because although pleasure was there so was pain. And pleasure and pain are what the ego mind lives on. The ego mind can become comfortable with pain if it becomes familiar. This is demonstrated by the frog in the saucepan analogy. Whereas the heat is turned up slowly the frog doesn’t notice it, if it was turned up straight away the frog would jump out. And as these two sides are experienced so close together and in such extremes it doesn’t allow Pi to get attached and letting go is then a natural occurrence. If he hadn’t of let go, he would have certainly died. They Arrive In Mexico The journey comes to an end when they arrive in Mexico. Charlie Parker leaves the boat and enters the jungle. Pi says he was upset as he left so unceremoniously. As Pi had let go of so much, this was surely the final good bye and the last physical attachment he had to where he had come from. The Hospital In the hospital he is interviewed by two Japanese men that work for the shipping company. Pi tells them the story, but they don’t believe it. They want a story that sounds believable. So he has to deny the story he has and make up a new one. I would say that this is a metaphor for repression. In order to let go we need to face what has happened. If we run away from it and deny it, it will just become repressed. And this means that we hold on and don’t let go. Canada At the end of the story Pi is with the Writer (Rafe Spall) and talks about one of the lessons of life being to let go. It is here that Pi detaches form the story and gives his meaning on what it was about. When the Writer asks what the meaning of the story is Pi says why does it have to mean anything and that it’s his story now. So at the end he emotionally lets go of the story. The writer could be a reflection of Pi’s mother that was internalised and become his inner nurturing voice. She listened to Pi and accepted him. This meant he didn’t have to act or pretend around his mother; he could be himself. And the writer allowed Pi express his truth it enabled him to finally let go of the past. Conclusion At one level the film is a great adventure story. It can be perceived as being a film of great loss, strength and courage. And while it is all these things, I believe it is a great example of one of the greatest and often the hardest lessons of life - Letting go. There were situations where letting go was incredibly stressful and painful for Pi. This included leaving India and leaving his family on the ship. If he had stayed on the boat or on the island, Pi would have died and not have made it to Canada. And had Pi stayed in India he may never have learnt the importance of letting go. This is something that all humans can relate to. Letting go is rarely easy and yet it is part of life. Sometimes it could be letting go of someone or something that cannot be replaced. And at other times it is about letting go of what no longer serves us. As the ego minds identity is comprised of what is familiar; letting go is the last thing that it wants to do. What is familiar is what is classed as safe to the ego mind, and it would rather die than let go. And letting go is associated as death to the ego mind. So this doesn’t leave much room for change. This is why awareness is so important. If one is unaware of this dynamic change is unlikely to occur. Through being aware one can often minimise the amount of pain that is experienced. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article, as many others have.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ Prometheus: My Interpretation Of The Metaphors One of the first things that I heard about this film was that it was a prequel to Alien. And after seeing the trailer I was expecting another film to do with the end of the world. I wasn’t expecting too much and I went into the cinema with an open mind. After watching the film for the first time I thought it was interesting and it wasn’t until shortly after I had watched it, that I came to see that this film was incredibly deep and full of meaning. So I went to the cinema again and I have come to conclude that this film is a metaphor for trauma; with childhood trauma being the point of focus. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I don’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Landing In the beginning of the film we see someone that looks like an extremely muscular human being that has come to earth via a space ship. However, what is not clear is if this is actually what is classed as a male on our planet. And shortly after the beings arrival the ship soon disappears. It is at this point that the being begins to drink some kind of liquid. This liquid then begins to destroy its body and during this process we see Its DNA splitting into two parts; with his body being destroyed in the process. Its DNA then filters into the water system. And based on the premise of the film, it is here that one is shown who ones creators are. This one moment is meant to show how male and female human beings were created on this planet. To take a deeper look here, what this is showing us is that this was the beginning of duality. And duality is a product of the mind; it is not something that exists in nature or the universe. The Maps After this we see a group of archaeologists looking in caves in the isle of sky in Scotland. And soon after digging they come across a map in the cave. This map shows alien looking creates pointing towards space ships in the sky. The focus at this point goes to two people. One is a male called Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) and a female called Elizabeth Shaw (Naomi Rapace). These two people not only have love for archaeology, they are also in a relationship together. The minds duality of higher and lower and as seeing life as what’s inside and what’s outside is demonstrated here. These are two people who are not looking for the answers within; they are looking for them outside. And the ego mind is extremely capable of projecting inner splits and inner conflicts externally. The Space Ship From this point the film jumps to the space ship named Prometheus. And the first person we meet is David (Michael Fassbender). Who at this moment, appears to be human. The rest of the crew are all asleep, and this is due to the journey taking two years to complete. David is able to listen and watch the dreams of the rest of the crew. And the dream that we see is the one Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) is having. We see Elizabeth as a child asking her father why her mother had to die and where she had gone. Her father has also died at a young age. This gives us an extremely deep look into what motivates Elizabeth in her archaeological work and in the pursuit of her creators. In many ways this search for her creators is her inner child’s need to understand what happened to her as a child and why her parents had to die. Because due to the minds way of seeing life through duality, it means that there is always a creator and a created. This is how the mind sees life; it does not see that these are two sides of the same coin. The heart sees only oneness, but the mind does not. The Briefing The planet of their destination is close by and the crew have been woken up. What one begins to understand at this point is that they are on the space ship because they have located where these beings came from and are on their way to try and communicate with them. Each person on the ship has an area of expertise and the briefing is held by Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron). It is also around this time that one finds out hat David (Michael Fassbender) is actually a robot. Through this early experience of Vickers, we can see that she appears to be somewhat cold and calculated and lacking in empathy. In fact she could just as easily be a robot herself. However, she has emotions and expressions that are primarily classed a ‘negative and a robot is typically neutral in its expression. It would seem at this point that Vickers has experienced trauma in her life, most likely in her childhood and this has lead to the closing of her heart and therefore this has created a lack of empathy and the ability to be emotionally intelligent. Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) appears at the briefing via a hologram. The maps have been found in different countries and although the two archaeologists are there to find out why they were created, we soon find out that the financial provider of the mission has a very different purpose. He wants to live forever. We can’t see at this point what Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) is like, other than he paid for the mission and is no longer alive. The nature of his psychology is hard to understand; all one has to go by is what his daughter is like. Leaving The Ship The team leave the ship and enter the structure where they believe their creators are. What they soon find out is that their creators have all been killed. And through the help of a hologram, they are able to partly see how this happened. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) takes the head of one of their ‘creators’ and David (Michael Fassbender) takes a long object from inside. The Drink Once they are back on the ship David (Michael Fassbender) offers Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) a drink and he puts a drop of something from the object that he took from inside the structure. However, their relationship up until this point has not been positive. David has been put down and marginalised by Charlie from the very beginning. So although he is a robot, he is developing and adapting to his environment and as a result of this, he has started to develop emotions. And everything that Charlie has not dealt with and faced within himself; is has been projected onto David (Michael Fassbender) from the beginning. This has lead to David reacting to his projections and in responding to them both internally and externally. It could be said that even though David (Michael Fassbender) is a robot there was still an intention behind his creation and this original intention may have caused him to have certain idiosyncrasies. Similar to how the intention behind the birth of a child can influence how the child develops and behaves when the child is born. At this point it is hard to say what this intention may have been, especially as his creator Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) is now dead. The only insight into his character right now is his daughter. Are You A Robot? Janek (Idris Elba) asks Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) is she is a robot. This is of course coming from her dark nature. She is not there to make friends and is clearly out for herself. And after all these experiences with Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) a gradual picture is being created of what her father was probably like. One Remains When they go back into the building, David (Michael Fassbender) goes into another part and finds out that one of their creators is still alive. And while he is there, he watches a re-enactment of a mission that they had planned to complete, that involves the destruction of planet earth. Back From The Dead In the following scene we see that Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) is still alive. And that he was put to sleep with the intention that, if the creators were still alive, he would have enough life left to speak to them. Now is the first time that we get to see Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) interacting with her father. And what we see is that she has a lot of anger and rage towards her father. But as well as this, we see her get down on her knee and kiss her father’s hand. And as she does this he clenches his fist. We are being shown many things here. It is clear that she was abused by her father in some way and how she feels towards him shows she wasn’t given what she needed from him as a child. This doesn’t seem to bother him and he shows no understanding to Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron). He is also very cold and appears to be lacking empathy himself. However, even though she feels this way towards her father she still kisses him on the hand. This seems like not only dysfunctional, but also very strange, why would she express such anger on one side and yet still submit to this man by kissing his hand? This is the result of Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) regressing to her inner child and the child she once was. So even though she feels all these emotions, she is still indentifying with the original fear that she had of her father. And because she is not aware of this, she is still reacting to her father and to the feelings that she felt all those years ago. David And Elizabeth Before they head back into the building again, David (Michael Fassbender) says to Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) ‘But doesn't everyone want to kill their parents?’ Now, this is a loaded statement and as David is a robot one could assume that he doesn’t feel anything towards his creators. But as we have seen from the behaviour of his creator Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce), it wouldn’t be surprising if the reasons and intentions behind his creation were for the wrong reasons. And as a result of this he is projecting the rage and anger he feels onto other people. He has also been exposed to the relationship between Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) and Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron). And so it is likely that he has very little experience of relationships between parents and children that are made of love and not control and abuse. And this statement is the consequence of how abusive parents make their children feel. But it is largely taboo to reveal these feelings and at the time would lead to the rejection of the parents and so they have to be denied and repressed. And in many cases this goes on for not only the whole of one’s childhood, but also for the rest of their adult life. The Last Journey They head of to see the last remaining creator; with the intention of finding out why they were created. One they are here, David (Michael Fassbender) communicates with the creator in a different language. And the question of why were they created is soon asked; With Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) desperate to understand the reasons. This doesn’t go to plan and their creators are soon found out to be anything but friendly. So what was this all about? I believe that these creators were a projection of how their own parents were. They had regressed to their inner child and from this position they were unconsciously looking for their parent’s reassurance again. We can see that from Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and from Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) that their childhood wasn’t very functional or loving. And Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) lost her parents when she was very young, leaving her with many unanswered questions in regards to where she was from and why her parents had to die. These questions didn’t appear to be observed or to be looked at from a different perspective and so they were directly pursued by her mind. And this is a mind that can only see in duality and cannot see any other way. To the mind there is only life and death and beginnings and endings. Saving Planet Earth As Soon as Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) gets up and goes back towards the ship, she tells the other crew members that it is going to destroy planet earth and that it needs to be stooped. So Janek (Idris Elba) and the other two pilots fly into the space craft as it is about to leave. Here we see another duality of life and death and the heroes and the villains. I think these are childhood fears that are being projected and played out again. We have Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) who lost her parents at a young age and this must have felt like the end of the world. And then we have Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) who appeared to have been abused at a young age. So where as it became the end of the world when Elizabeth Shaw's (Noomi Rapace) parents died, it must have felt like the end of the world whenever Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron) and Peter Weyland (Guy Pearce) were exposed to abusive treatment. And due to these fears being repressed and denied, they become unconscious. This leads to reality being created and perceived through these original experiences. Still Searching After the destruction has ended, we are left with only one survivor and that is Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace). This is not much of a surprise; as she seemed to be the one who had the biggest drive to find out where she came from. She is not alone though, as David (Michael Fassbender) is still alive. The plan is to go to where their creators came from and ask them the questions. It is easy to see how this journey could go on forever. If Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) was to find out why they were created; then what about who created the creators? And then who was it who created them? These are questions that could go on ad infinitum and without ever getting anywhere. Conclusion As this film is classed as a sci-fi and deals with deeper questions like who are we and where did we come from, it is often easy to miss the psychological and metaphorical aspects involved. From the very beginning of this film we are shown an example of duality; with the male and female aspects. And then the trauma involved with the father/daughter relationship and with the women’s loss of her parents at a young age. I believe it is the original childhood trauma that these people experienced, that set these people up to look for their creators. And because of their traumatic experiences with their own creators, their caregivers; they ended up creating this experience again. They were still identified with the child they once were and to their ego mind and this made it impossible for them to see any other way. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ Chronicle - My Interpretation of the Metaphors After hearing about this film through a friend, I thought it sounded similar to a number of other films that have been released in recent years. The films Push and Jumper came to mind. Now that I have seen the film I believe that it is a metaphor for intention and how intention is what shapes life. It is also about abuse and the consequences that abuse can have. Something it also demonstrates is that in order to have power, one must also exercise responsibility. And perhaps it shows what humane potential is; albeit in an exaggerated form. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I don’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Camera The film begins with Andrew (Dane DeHaan) filming his daily experiences. This gives the film a low budget impression, at least at first. Once he is back at home we soon get the first insight into his family life. His mother has ill health and his father (Michael Kelly) also suffers with his own health, due to an incident at work. This must create an incredible amount of pressure on Andrew. His level of responsibility is also likely to be a lot higher than is appropriate for his age. The First Sign Soon after he has sat down to his desk; his father comes in. He complains about the door being locked and that he should not do it again. It is not long until his father comes over and knocks him off his chair. This is a clear example of physical abuse and probably something he has had to deal with for many years. And with his father being a lot stronger, there is very little he can do. As his father is inured and unable to work he is incredibly frustrated and angry with his life. And instead of processing and dealing with this pain, he is taking it out on his son. His son is weaker than he is and therefore can’t fight back. Andrew is also isolated and doesn’t have the support of his mother. She is probably oblivious to what is happening. This could be because she is too ill to notice it or that she is in denial and doesn’t want to notice it. There is a term called the enabler; this person is not violent per se, however because of their passivity they are just as dangerous. They watch what happens and know what happens, but they chose to do nothing. So they offer little support to the person being abused. Finding The Cave It is here that Steve (Michael B. Jordan) Andrew (Dane DeHaan) and Matt (Alex Russell) come across the cave. Shortly after being inside they see a bright light. It is a strange shaped object that is pulsating with light. After a short while the camera goes off and the screen goes blank. This light could be a metaphor for ones true nature or true self. It caused them to tap into real power and strength. What they knew about themselves and what was possible came to an end. The power is exaggerated to create a bigger impact and to catch people’s attention. If the power was the ability control ones thoughts and emotions or the merging of one’s mind, body and heart it probably wouldn’t be very spectacular to watch. It would also be difficult to express this on film; as it is a process that is more internal than external. Playing Ball Each of them can now move objects with the power of their mind. This must be an incredible experience; to have such power. Out of the three main characters, Andrew is the one we know the most about. We know that his family life is not very supportive or functional and that he is being made to feel powerless by his father. So after having experienced so little power, it must be a real shock to him. The trouble is that after being exposed to dysfunctional power for so long, his association of power is unlikely to be functional or balanced. Into The Water Whilst they are driving, Andrews mind gets out of control and he ends up moving a car from the road into the water. Fortunately, the man that was driving the vehicle is soon rescued and survives. From all of the abuse that Andrew has been receiving from his father, it is not much of a surprise that he is angry. This anger shows that his boundaries are being crossed. Around his father he has to repress his feelings and to do what his father says. And now the outside world is being directly influenced by these repressed emotions. And Andrews’s lack of emotional intelligence and awareness can only cause him problems. We see that the problem is not that Andrew has more power; it is that his intentions are not always constructive. His intentions are a consequence of the abuse he has experienced and the anger that this has created in him. He carries a lot of pain and trauma and this is creating destructive intentions. In this example we see that his emotional state is influencing his environment in a massive way. Expressed in such an extreme way it seems hard to relate to, however there is numerous examples of how our emotions are affecting our reality. Flying In The Air The next power that they have is the ability to fly. For Andrew this might be like going from one extreme to the other. He now has more freedom and power that he could ever have imagined. School Talent Show They do not appear to be the popular students of the school and as a result there are not high expectations for their performance. With their new found ability they soon capture the attention of the audience. Here we see how the other students are behaving differently towards them. And this is of course because they now have these incredible abilities and are now behaving differently. Now, in the real world it is clear that people do not have such skills, (or do they?) however it is possible to change ones behaviour. And this will lead to others treating one differently. Confrontation With His Father His father begins to question how his son is getting to school. Andrew says he is getting picked up and his Father dismisses what he says. He seems to think that his son is not longer going to school. He also says that Andrew has no friends and that no one likes him. The usual pattern of violence starts, but the reaction is different this time and the pattern plays out differently. Andrew is now a lot stronger; both mentally and physically. The roles have changed and Andrew is now the perpetrator. For many years he has had to deny and repressed how he felt and now he has the ability to express it. It is not much of surprise that Andrew explodes. And through the rejection of his father and his constant abuse, he doesn’t feel accepted or connected to his father. This is also the perception Andrew has of the outside world. Because he has not been made to feel that he belongs in his house, he doesn’t feel that he belongs in the world either. Death of Steve Andrew and Steve fly up to the clouds once more and it happens to be when there is a storm and Steve is struck by lightning. This could be seen as a warning. They have been given great power and that by having such power they are required to have equal responsibility. The power affected each of them in different ways. Andrew has been overwhelmed and this has led to careless behaviour. Matt (Alex Russell) on the other hand has been more reserved and discerning with his use of his new power. I believe that this power is a metaphor for how ones intention is what defines whether something is good or bad. The powers that they have gained are neither good nor bad; they are neutral. What has influenced their behaviour is not solely the power; it is the psychological disposition that these individuals had before they gained the power. We don’t know much about Matt’s upbringing; all we have to go by is his behaviour around Andrew and Steve. He could be described as the sensible one, his temperament is fairly balanced and he comes across as reasonably adjusted. And because of this Matt is able to use these powers with restraint. Andrew on the other hand is completely different. He understandably comes across as awkward and unbalanced. Everything that Andrew has felt for so long is now being expressed. It is not that this power is turning Andrew into something else; it is just magnifying what is already there. Andrew loses Control Andrew goes on a mission of getting revenge on the people who took advantage of him and he also steals money at a gas station. He is now using power in the way he has been brought up to associate power. This is to take advantage and to control another. He has no idea of how to use his power in a functional way. He still has the perception of a child; with a child being powerless and if the child is powerless it can’t have any responsibility. This will naturally lead to carelessness. For so long he has been victimized and taken advantage of by his father and other people. And now he no longer has to put up with this behaviour. The wounded inner child has now consumed him and taken over. Before he had to repress and deny this side. To the people that know him, he now seems to have completely changed. When in reality all that is happening is his true feelings are being revealed. And as he has not been made to feel that he belongs in this world by his father; he sees people as opposition and as antagonists. This makes it easy for him to violate other people’s boundaries. But this is only possible because he has never been allowed to develop functional boundaries himself. Andrew has completely identified with his inner child or past trauma and has lost the ability to be conscious and to be observer. But then it is highly unlikely he has ever opened up about his experiences with his father. This could be out of the fear of what others would say or about what his father would do to him. If he had received the support of another; someone that could validate and acknowledge what has happened to him and most importantly stop his father’s abusive behaviour, he might have turned out differently Hospital Bed While Andrew is on the hospital bed his father is soon there to visit him. Although just as it seems he is sorry to see what has happened, we find out that it has nothing to do with his son. And that he is upset due to selfish reasons and is mad at what Andrew has put them through. This shows the narcissistic nature of his father and that his father has not developed enough to be able think about another. This triggers Andrews’s pain and he throws his father out of the window. Perhaps this is an exaggerated example of what the abused imagine doing to their abusers. Matt Returns Matt soon senses what Andrew has been doing and rushes back to stop him. This does little to stop what is happening. Andrew causes endless destruction and Matt makes the decision to end his life. This could be seen as a metaphor for good vs. evil; with Andrew being possessed by evil and matt being the saviour. The question is: was Andrew evil or was he just brought up in an environment that was dysfunctional? That is not to say that Andrew was not responsible for his actions. Tibet After experiencing so much destruction, Matt decides to go to Tibet and fulfil Andrews’s dream of meeting the enlightened monks. These monks have had to spend years developing their skills. These three individuals did not have that time. Their ability’s just happened and they didn’t have the time to understand and respect what they had. Conclusion Films often display things in a metaphorical or symbolic way. And these films then take on the identity of being classed as sci-fi. These kinds of films also allow certain messages and outlooks to be filtered into the collective consciousness; triggering yet more intrigue and fascination around these topics. Are they completely fictional or is there an element of truth to them? Either way, by people being aware of such possibilities it creates questions and the search for answers. The imagination is also fuelled by viewing sci-fi and this can only be good for ones creativity. It is said that creativity is what allows one to be an individual; as it’s unique to that person. This film also shows us that power per se is not bad or dangerous. What makes the difference is the mind of the person using it and what their intention is. We also see the importance of being responsible when it comes to the handling of power. And in realising that everything we do has a consequence. If we see the world through the eyes of a child we will not believe we have any power and therefore we can’t have any responsibility. Our mind will then perceive life as something that just happens and will not notice that it is having an influence Abuse is shown on a magnified scale. If for example Andrew had not had such power he wouldn’t have been able to cause such destruction. The film might not have been as enjoyable either. He could have taken numerous routes; this could be self harm, suicide, depression, social isolation, or criminality for example. Or he could go on to change his life and be an example to others. And through his actions and behaviour he could be a role model to others who find themselves in similar positions. I wasn’t expecting anything from this film and I am amazed at how deep and meaningful this film is. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ The Iron Lady - My Interpretation of the Metaphors It wasn’t until after I had seen the trailer that I become interested in watching this film. I didn’t know much about Margaret Thatcher (Not that this film can be completely trusted in its portrayal of her), but what I did know is that this looked to be a powerful film. The films tagline ‘never compromise’ also caught my attention. Now that I have seen the film I would say it demonstrates how our childhood can influence our later life; in terms of our behaviour and what we want from life. It shows the pros and cons of how society was. And it signifies what can be achieved when one is determined and committed to their purpose. There are of course metaphors in this film; however my primary focus this time is on the films psychological aspects. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. I would also like to add that this is in no way a judgement on Margaret Thatcher or her life. This is just my interpretation of the film and what the film displayed. This will mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. There will also be parts that I don’t understand and that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. This will also mean that it will not be like a story board and that I won’t be describing the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Beginning The film starts off with Margaret Thatcher (Meryl Streep) in the present day. Here, she her begins to have flash backs off her younger years. Air Raid Siren In the first scene of Margaret (Alexandra Roach) as a young girl, we are taken right back to the war; with her and her family hiding under a table. This shows that her family was not a like normal family. Her family probably had very little time for her as their own business needed so much of their attention. The amount of time and attention available to Margaret must have been limited by this business. Once this is over we see Margaret at a local political speech; where she hangs onto every word that is being said. It is clear to see that she is intrigued by it all. Oxford University After this we find that she has been accepted to go to Oxford University. She calls her mother to tell her and her mother says that her hands are wet and walks off. It is at this point that we begin to get an understanding of her upbringing. Although this is a one off occurrence in the film (typically films only include what is meaningful and parts that are the most symbolic for the development of a story), it could be interpreted to mean that her mother is distant and doesn’t seem too interested in her daughter’s achievements. This would have felt like rejection and abandonment to Margaret. Meeting Denis During the first moments of her political career we see her form a relationship with a man called Denis (Harry Lloyd). And when he asks her to marry him, she says that she doesn’t want do what women usually do. Denis agrees and says that it’s because she is different that he wants to marry her. With Margaret having a very masculine side to her, it is inevitable that she is going to attract a man who is easy going and somewhat submissive. Today’s World During a scene where it goes back to Margaret in the present day; she mentions how people of today want to be someone and before they wanted to give something. This shows a radical change in how society is today and that people’s mentality has altered. Margaret is generalising of course and yet I think it is clear to see that what she says has some truth to it. In today’s world the focus is more on the individual than it is on the society. And because of this, it would be natural to assume that people are more evolved than before. But the fact that people are trying to be someone as opposed to giving something shows that this is far from the truth. What it actually shows is that peoples own ego needs and basic survival needs have not been met and to compensate for that they are trying to gain the approval and the acceptance of the world in order to know who they are and to achieve an identity. If they knew who they were and their needs had been met, then they would more likely be in a position to make a different to the world. This is because they have taken care of their own basic needs, which has involved them taking from the world and now they can give something back to the world. This doesn’t necessarily mean that before people were more evolved, what it could mean is that before it was more of a compromise for people and that now it has gone to the other extreme. So that people can really make a difference to society and to the world by taking care of themselves first. The Children Margaret’s children are seen to be chasing her car; wanting to go with their mother, but they are left behind. We see her children being ignored and neglected in this scene or at least it could be interpreted that way. Perhaps this is how Margaret’s mother was. When Margaret received her letter of acceptance into Oxford University her mother was apathetic. In The Kitchen Denis (Jim Broadbent) is cooking and soon after Margaret comes in. Here she soon takes charge and takes over the cooking. She says that she is going to go for party leader. It is here that we can see her childhood patterns emerge once more. Her daughter feels left out as does her husband. They want Margaret to be there for them, but she is too busy with her own life and doesn’t have the time for them. Just like where her mother was too busy to see her acceptance letter for university, Margaret is playing the same role by being too busy for her family. The way that Margaret is behaving here could the result of having her own needs neglected as a child and of having to work from a young age. And now she is taking care of herself, but she is also neglecting her own family American History During one of Margaret’s speeches she says that because of Britain’s past, Britain is always looking to the past to decide what it is going to do and what it is capable of. And as America has no history it has nothing to look back on and therefore they can choose what they are going to do and that they have no past to limit them. I think this is a fascinating way of looking at it. This is not only relevant to countries; it can also be applied to people. It is our past and the story we have created as individuals that will typically define what actions we will take in life and what we are capable of. There if often talk of erasing ones memory; however this could lead to one making the same mistakes. What is far greater is to remove the emotional charge of one’s memories. This way one is less likely to make the same mistake again and be able to progress without being tied down emotionally. Guilty Politicians In the scene where the politicians are all sat around the table; Margaret says that the rest of the politicians feel guilty because they haven’t had to work their way up like she has. And that because she came from nothing she doesn’t feel the same guilt as they do, because she deserves to be there. I am no expert here, but this is surely a common occurrence with politicians. And this of course makes it hard for people to relate to them and for them to relate to the general public. But Margaret didn’t have this problem and this must have aided her in becoming as successful as she did. It gave her authenticity and realism. The Opticians When Margaret is getting her eyes tested she is asked what it is she is feeling. Margaret says that people are only interested in what people feel now and not in what they are thinking. Here she mentions the following quote – “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” This is a profound quote and one that she clearly heeded. What she was specifically referring to by what she said is unclear and could be interpreted in numerous ways. In today’s society the media is everywhere we look and has the power to influence us on every level. This of course removes the need for one to think, because it has already been done for us. Critical thinking is rarely encouraged or taught. Making people susceptible to believing everything they see and hear. The ability to question is often under developed. When it comes down to selling things; feelings are always targeted, this is because these are often uncontrollable and unable to be challenged by logic. It could be said that money is often made from fulfilling people’s wants and not their needs. The End Of Power In this scene we see Margaret Thatcher leaving her position of power. She looks saddened by this and rejected. We have seen throughout the whole film how Margaret has continually been dismissed and rejected and now this must feel like the biggest rejection of all. She was also different to other women and must have felt isolated by this. This could be a metaphor for how she felt with her own mother. And now she feels rejected and isolated by the whole country. Final Scene In the final scene Margaret appears to let go of the delusion she was having and Denis goes from her mind. We see him walk off into the distance and he soon disappears. This could be interpreted to mean that she has finally moved on from the past and is ready to move on with her life and into the present moment. Conclusion We can see that Margaret Thatcher was an incredibly strong woman, a woman that suffered numerous setbacks. But these setbacks never stopped her and only made her carry on and fulfil her purpose. She was clearly a role model for women during her time in power and for many years after. And perhaps even too this day there are people who see her in the same way. I have intentionally avoiding going into the political side of things and this is because this write up is not about politics; it is about understanding or at least trying to understand Margaret Thatcher at a psychological level. This article was not written to make judgments as to whether she was a good politician or not. It also shows how success and the pursuit of one’s dreams can cause other areas of life to suffer. This is especially true when one has a family to think about. Margaret Thatcher was different; not only on the outside, but on the inside. She thought differently and behaved differently. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ Black Swan: My Interpretation Of The Metaphors When I first heard about this film I was intrigued by the story line. And after Natalie Portman had won an Oscar for her role, I thought it must be worth watching. It is directed by Darren Aronofsky, who directed The Wrestler and numerous other films. After watching this film I was amazed and fascinated by the psychological theme, although there are metaphors involved my focus this time is on the psychology of the film. And the psychology involved is primarily about abuse and the consequences of it. These psychological aspects and metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors and psychological aspects are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will also mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. If there are parts that I don’t understand myself, that will also be a reason as to why it has not been mentioned. it will not be like a story board where I will describe the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Dream And Her Mother The film starts off with Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) having a dream about being the black swan. This shows how strongly she wants to achieve this. As it has become so consuming to her that she is not only thinking about it in her waking life, but also during the time when she is asleep .The unconscious mind is displaying this great need of hers. We are also shown that he mother - Erica (Barbara Hershey) is heavily involved in her daughter’s life. However this could mean two things; that her mother is deeply caring and supportive or that her mother masks her self-centredness through her acts of ‘kindness’ and ‘concern’. First Rehearsal During the first rehearsal we are shown how competitive and cold some of the girls are. It is here that Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) first appears. Here he talks about their next production – Swan Lake. This is a story of Duality; of the good and the bad. She is one of the dancers that have been chosen to audition for the lead role of Swan Lake and this also allows her dream to grow in the real world. Nina’s Character Nina comes across as a timid and shy individual, which would infer that her mother is more likely to be controlling and overbearing as opposed to being truly loving and supportive of her daughters expression as a separate human being. Audition Nina’s audition doesn’t go to plan. Her portrayal of the white swan is perfect, but her dancing for the black swan is not up to Thomas Leroy’s standard. This is partly because of being interrupted by lily’s (Mila Kunis) arrival. We can see that Nina is putting herself under immense pressure and strain to perform and having lily arrive at such an important time further ads to her troubled disposition. Speaking To Thomas Nina wants to prove to Thomas that she has what it takes to play; not only the white swan, but also the Black swan. The conversation covers Nina’s need for perfection and how she has to let go and ‘transcend’ this need in order to become the black swan. This could be interpreted in numerous ways. Firstly It could be that she had a highly critical upbringing, which has lead her to feel that she is inherently not good enough. This causes her to experience high levels of anxiety and stress whenever she has to perform. For is she was to get something wrong she would feel rejected and possibly even be rejected externally by others, as this is what happened to her as a child. So by doing everything perfectly she believes that she will be accepted. The mind works in polarity’s and will see it as either being accepted or rejected; there is no middle ground to the ego mind. However she is finding out that perfection is not what Thomas wants to see. Thomas wants to see her lose herself in the moment and to become the black swan. If we were to look at the black and white swan as metaphors, it is quite clear that the white swan represents all that is pure and innocent and the black swan represents all that is impure and tainted; the darker side of life. So then, it is as if Nina is being asked to become and embrace that part of her that she runs way from, that part of her that has been rejected for so long. Acceptable and not acceptable ways of behaving have been defined by her mother. Swan Queen Nina finds out that she is the swan queen. She experiences mixed emotions by this though, as she feels good and rejected at the same time. Her fellow dancers express different things. Some are supportive and some are vengeful. Nina Returns Home Overjoyed by the news, Nina returns home to her mother (Barbara Hershey). Here her mother has a cake ready to celebrate her daughter’s success. The good feeling soon end as her mother seems to have what could be called narcissistic or self centred tendencies. She is more concerned with pleasing herself than tuning into and recognising her daughter’s needs. Nina doesn’t want to eat due to her stomach pain and I am sure that with being a dancer she also has to watch how much she eats. At this point the roles are reversed with the daughter acting more like the mother and the mother acting like the daughter. It should be a time for the mother to appreciate her daughters’ success, but it ends with the Nina’s trying to appease her mother. Nina’s soon gives in to her mother, to avoid being rejected and goes along with her mother’s wish to eat the cake. Leroy’s House Nina goes back to Leroy’s apartment, with their relationship taking on a somewhat sexual direction. It could be said that she now has two people who are taking advantage of her timid nature. On one side she has a mother who is more than happy to compromise her boundaries and now she has a man in her life that is now doing the same. And by compromising for her mother she gains her approval and by compromising for Leroy she achieves her dreams. Back At Home Nina returns home and soon after her mother is helping her to undress. Where she finds Nina’s cut on her back. Her mother accuses her daughter of scratching herself again. And then cites the recent pressure she has been under as the cause of the scratching. What is not looked at is the amount of pressure she has been putting on her daughter as a result of her own self centred behaviour. Anger if often the result of being compromised; this could be real compromise or perceived compromise. And when the skin is irritable it can be the result of repressed anger or frustration. So her mother could be partly responsible for her daughter’s sore skin. When Nina wakes up the next day we can see that her room is filled with cuddly toys, this could further show how her mother is keeping her as her little girl and not allowing Nina to grow up. Car Accident Nina’s Swan Lake Predecessor Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder) has been hurt in a car accident. Beth could be classed as the antithesis of Nina. Whereas Nina represents the white swan in everyday life, Beth represents the black swan. Perhaps Beth has had a similar upbringing, but she has taken on the opposite characteristics. A common consequence of people who are abused is that they become high achievers. This is to cover up their fear of being inadequate. But the achievements rarely have a lasting impact because the trauma from their childhood hasn’t been look at or processed. Ballet Rehearsal In the ballet rehearsal Nina is criticised for being too nice and for not having a backbone. This surely originates from her relationship with her mother. With her mother being so controlling and overbearing Nina has had little chance to develop her own sense of empowerment or the ability to stand up for herself. Train Journey On her train journey home Nina is exposed to a sordid experience. Here an old man is pleasuring himself in front of Nina. Although this has not happened to her before, she is used to getting taken advantage of sexually. This is a pattern that was first started off by Leroy. It would be easy to assume that Nina is a victim here and that she is being chosen at random. However it no doubt reflects her upbringing, where her boundaries were not respected and now the same occurrence is being played out by various men she meets. Her mother most likely wouldn’t allow her daughter to speak her own mind or say no and this is what makes it so hard for her to stand up and to set boundaries with others. And because she carries this deep sense of vulnerability, her behaviour displays this and will continue to attract abusive people into her life. Sitting Together Here we find Nina and Erica Sitting in front of the mirrors. Her mother is concerned for Nina and doesn’t want her to make the same mistake that she did. And now is the time that we get to see what is really going on with Nina’s mother and what causes her to behave as she does. Erica says that she gave up her own career for Nina. But this isn’t said in a way that denotes love, appreciation or support. Instead Erica expresses regret and anger and does her best to make Nina feel guilty. To her such things from a figure as important as her mother must be incredibly traumatising. Her sense of belonging and acceptance (which are the foundations of psychological health) could easily have been destroyed. This has the potential to leave her feeling abandoned, betrayed, rejected and ashamed amongst other things. This also explains why her mother is so controlling and overbearing. She is this way because she is trying to live out her own ‘unlived’ life through her daughter. With her own childhood needs having been neglected, she is now using her daughter to fulfil them. In her eyes, Nina is an extension of herself and not a separate person. In the next moment Erica wants Nina to take of her shirt, to see how her skin is. To which Nina reply’s ‘its fine’ and resists taking of her shirt. It is also here that we can see how Nina is growing as a person. She goes against her mother’s wishes and joins her fellow dancer Lily (Mila Kunis) for a drink. Night club After Nina and Lily have something to eat they meet two guys and have a few drinks. Here lily encourages Nina to let go and enjoy herself. So they both dabble in drugs and drink alcohol. Nina is certainly vulnerable here because she has no connection to herself or very little; she has spent much of her life listening to others. And were she to say no to her mother she would no doubt have be punished, this could create an association of rejection and abandonment around standing up for herself. This will then create a tendency to do what others say; to avoid being rejected. Another consequence of her mother’s abusive behaviour is that Nina’s own sense of self hasn’t been allowed to develop and this causes her to lose herself around others, especially forceful people. They meet two guys and while Nina is with one of them she explains what she does and that she is soon to be in Swan Lake. With her describing it as a girl that gets turned into a swan and in order for her to break free she needs love. This is surely a metaphor for Nina’s life. That in order for Nina to break her mother’s spell she needs love also. She needs love, support and validation. So she can realise who she is, is ok and acceptable. Sexual Exploration In the next scene we see Nina and Lily exploring each other sexually. Now it would be easy to dismiss this scene and to label it as just experimentation and that Nina is simple exploring herself. But what else might be going on here? Although sexual activity is pleasurable to both body and mind, it also has the potential to fulfil certain emotional needs that were not fulfilled during ones childhood. This is why practices such as Tantra say that as one evolves, sex takes on a completely different meaning that the usual purpose of self gratification. So if these emotional needs that have not been realised; they often will end up being projected onto the other person. And whether this is a man or a woman is irrelevant; as although a man and a woman look different, we each contain both the masculine and feminine within. And while one is with that person they will temporarily experience these emotional needs being fulfilled. So here I can only assume as to what needs are being fulfilled for Nina through being with Lily. However, I would guess that the primary feelings that Lily causes Nina to experience is love and connection. These are undoubtedly feelings she has rarely felt with her mother. The Next Rehearsal Due to what happened the night before Nina wakes up late and therefore doesn’t arrive on time for her rehearsal. When Nina asks Lily why she didn’t wake her up, she denies that they had been together and that Nina had dreamt it. This could show how much Nina has thought about Lily and now, just like her ballet dream in the beginning, is now showing up in her dreams. It might also be a hallucination. Cuddly Toys In this scene we see Nina throwing her cuddly toys into the trash. This shows that her mentality has changed and that she is rebelling against her mother’s way of treating her. It could be seen as s form of catharsis. Dress Measurements In this scene we see that Nina has become so paranoid about the mark on her back that she is continually experiencing delusions or hallucinations. Through her minds obsession and focus she is now imagining faces. The Alternate Nina finds out that lily is her alternate. At this moment she is filled panic and sadness and feels that Lily wants to take her role. Leroy dismisses this and explains that every dancer in the world wants her role and that it isn’t about her. So it could be that Lily is simply the backup dancer and that her paranoia is irrational. And that her mind is simply filtering her experiences to only see Lily in a certain way. Nina’s childhood experiences of having a mother who was critical and against her, could create the tendency for her to see other people in the same way. Hospital Visit Nina visits Beth Macintyre (Winona Ryder) in hospital and sees her in a wheel chair. Here we can assume that Nina is feeling incredible guilt and self blame for what has happened to Beth. We also find out that Nina has projected certain psychological aspects that she has yet to embrace onto Beth. This causes Nina’s mind to filter her experience of Beth, so that she only sees perfection. Waking Up Nina wakes up to find that her mother has taken off the door handle to stop Nina from going to the concert hall. Here the roles change with Nina becoming the abuser and her mother becomes the abused. This is a pattern that is common, with abuse often being passed from one generation to the other. The Big Night After a crazy night Nina goes to the concert hall and prepares for Swan Lake. Here she finds out that Lily will be performing; after her mother had called to say she was ill. Nina disposition has now changed with her taking on more of the Black Swan’s characteristics and says that she is ready to perform Leroy says to her that she is the only person standing in her way. And that it is time to let her go and lose herself. This could mean that her biggest enemy has been herself. And that it is more a case of finding herself and losing the identity her mother has given her. A common occurrence of abuse and any form of external criticism that’s experienced during ones childhood is that it becomes internalised. The critical voice is then heard within and whether one is around the abuser no longer matters. It then exists like a parasite, taking on different guises and positions; this makes it hard to notice and eliminate. Throughout the whole film we have seen Nina gradually change and this has been mirrored by her growth as a ballet dancer and through achieving her dream of being the lead in Swan Lake. It is tempting to suggest that Nina has gone through a stage of psychological growth. However, it would be more appropriate to say that Nina has gone from one extreme to the other, shedding her role as the victim and taking on the role of the perpetrator. The Performance Nina performs the role perfectly, but her hallucinations or delusions get the better of her and while she is getting ready she stabs herself with a piece of glass. The psychological understanding that I have does not cover this. But it would surely be labelled as a ‘mental disorder’. And a mental disorder that has surely been a consequence of her mother’s abuse. With a split being formed within and this must be the result of the trauma she has faced throughout her life. Conclusion The Black Swan was everything Nina wished she could be and the complete opposite of how she was. The black swan within her was her repressed side. That side she had always hidden from others. For most of her life she played the white swan. But it is highly unlikely that either of these showed her true self. The White Swan was someone she had to become to please her mother and to survive and the Black Swan was a reaction to being oppressed by her mother. The Black Swan gave Nina a sense of power and although it wasn’t functional, it allowed her to experience what she had been deprived of experiencing for so long. Nina must have experienced years of trauma through her mother and that’s not even going into what Nina could have picked up from her mother in the womb. With Nina’s mother blaming her daughter for her own ruined career. It could be said that, before she was even born, she felt unwanted. This shows how dangerous and destructive abuse is. It is something that can go on unnoticed for years and even a life time. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ The Adjustment Bureau - My Interpretation Of The Metaphors My interest in this film came about after hearing that it was based on a short story by Philip K. Dick. Blade runner, Next, Minority Report and Total Recall are just a few of the films that have been based on his stories. The storyline ‘Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us’ also piqued my interest. Now that I have watched the film I can see that it has an incredible amount of metaphors. However, it wasn’t until the end of the film that I fully grasped what the metaphors were. I believe the main metaphors contained within this film are about success and following what makes us happy. These metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will also mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. It will not be like a story board where I will describe the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. Do We Control Our Destiny, Or Do Unseen Forces Manipulate Us? First I will start with my interpretation of the storyline ‘Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us’. I believe that although it can seem as though unseen forces or something external to us is controlling our life, it is ultimately the result of repression and dissociation, of what is going on internally for us. I think this is partly the result of not being informed, at any stage of our education, that what is going on inside of us i.e. our emotions, feelings and thoughts, is actually having a direct effect on our reality. In day to day life it is the behavioural approach is often enforced, the challenge I have, is that the deeper causes are often neglected and this can potentially be another form of repression. These inner aspects are more of less taboo, and I believe due to the general ignorance around this, a lot of dysfunctional is created at a personal level and in our society and the world. So as the repression and dissociation continues to grow in us, external problems will also increase in size. And as this happens the external problems will become more overwhelming and disempowering. I think that our own ego likes to believe that there are unseen forces or something ‘out there’, so that it can avoid having to face itself, or should I say so that we don’t ever take the time to observe it. The Moment David And Elis Meet The first part of the film that comes to mind is the restroom scene where David (Matt Damon) and Elise (Emily Blunt) are brought together. Here we see that they have deep level of attraction, something that could be described as a resonance to each other. This interaction doesn’t last long though, as David has to perform his speech. After it has happened he begins to wonder if he will ever see her again. On his way to work the next day he just ‘happens’ to see her on the bus and quite naturally he can’t believe it. Is this destiny or fate or is something else going on? I suppose it also depends on the meaning one has for those words. The vocations that David and Elis have are great when it comes to balance, with David being the politician he has a role that is of leadership and power, which is the masculine side and Elise having the role of the feminine with her ballet dancing. So together, they each have a side that can create great balance between them and the potential for great growth. The chance encounter that David and Elis have in the restroom shows that they are attracted to each other and first it could seem to be just a chance meeting. However as they continue to meet, more can be said about their connection and how true it really is. This is a great example of what resonance is, that no matter how big the odds are, if we have a deep connection to someone or something it won’t matter what the outside world throws at us. Meeting The Adjustment Team It is soon after this that we meet the adjustment team, who come across as secret agents. Upon David’s arrival at work, he is captured and taken to an empty building. When the adjustment team open a door, it doesn’t open to the next room; it can open to a completely different place in the city. The first thing David tries to do is escape, which comes to no avail. Here Richardson (John Slattery), who seems to be the person in charge at this point, tells David that free will is an illusion and that he has no free will and to top it all off he also says that he is not allowed to see Elise again. David resists and asks why, Richardson responds by saying that she is not part of the plan. This is where the whole question of was it destiny, fate or because of a resonance that they met or was is something else. Richardson says that it wasn’t meant to happen and that he only met her the first time so that it would cause him to give a great speech. This makes David believe that there must be something going on between them or they wouldn’t have met for a second time. The number that Elise gives to him is burned by the Adjustment team, this leaves David hopeless and makes him wonder if he will ever see her again, in a city with 9 million people. So I think the Adjustment Bureau would best be described as a team of people who control the outcome of people’s lives. They also tell him that he is not allowed to tell anyone about what happened to him. Finding Elise Again Three years later and after David has travelled on the same route that he met her on, he spots Elise walking outside while he is on the bus. He explains to her that he lost her number and that he has been looking for her the whole time. And although it has been three years the attraction they felt for each other is still there and they arrange to meet that night for her ballet performance. The adjustment team are ever present and as they have the ability to control people within a certain radius, many challenges arise. David’s work colleague Charlie (Michael Kelly) soon appears and tries to convince David to come and do his speech, which he postponed upon meeting Elise. Charlie is not the only one being mind controlled, as the venue that Elise will be dancing at is also changed with the help of the adjustment team, so that David goes to the wrong place and loses contact with Elise again. I think the mind control aspect and having the ability to control what people do, is an interesting metaphor. For me it is an exaggerated example of what can happen when we don’t think for ourselves and end up operating unconsciously and from a place of reaction. There is a saying that says ‘If we don't stand for something, we'll fall for anything’. So I believe, if we have no sense of Identity, real identity, we can easily go along to get along. If the only thing we know about ourselves is what other people have told us, we will have no real foundations or understanding about who we are and therefore we will be easily influenced. This can all come about through our need for approval and as this is so deep and primal, it can be incredibly hard to observe. As a result of this, we can end up compromising our own truth to be accepted. The Ballet Rehearsal As soon as David has given his speech, he rushes to find a taxi that will take him to the ballet rehearsal. However all of the taxi drivers have been mind controlled and drive straight by him. He manages to find a taxi driver in the end and arrives at the performance. They spend the night together, and out of the blue Elise receives four calls in one morning from her ex boyfriend. This makes David think that the Adjustment team are at work again. This could be to test David, to see how committed he is to being with Elise, to see how important she is to him. The Ballet Performance The next day David has a talk show to attend to and once it finishes he opens a door and ends up in a big building. Here he meets Thomson (Terence stamp). He tells David that if he stays with Elise he will ruin her career and his own and if he leaves her Elise will become the most famous dancer and choreographer in the country and that David could become the president. He rejects these claims and wants to see her. David says that as he’s found Elise he doesn’t need to become president and that the emptiness he feels when he’s not in front of people, has gone. Thomson allows David to leave and says he has enough time to make the performance. While David says that Elis fills the emptiness within him, I don’t think this is necessarily a healthy reason to base a relationship on. Although Elis could assist David in letting go of the perception that there is emptiness there and that he is not whole already, it could also create desperation and neediness on David’s part. And that if Elis where to leave the feeling could return again, with no real growth occurring .However, I think that if David observes those needs he will be able to let go and realise that he is already whole. The part where Thomson tells David that he will ruin Elis career if they stay together, brought to my attention two metaphors. The first one is that we can easily become self centred and think about our own needs forgetting whether it would be best option. And only thinking about what will give us what we want now and ignoring what could be the long term consequences. The second metaphor is that we can feel the pressure to follow other people’s expectations of what is right and wrong and what we should be doing with our life. And out of our need for acceptance we can end up pleasing others and making ourselves miserable. It doesn’t go well for Elise though, as she falls and sprains her ankle. They say it will be healed in about a month. After this David takes the advice of Thomson and stays away from Elise Elise And David Unite Once More David reads in the paper that Elise is going to be getting married soon. And with the help of Harry (Anthony Mackie) he finds a way to see Elise. Harry could be described as the only member of the adjustment bureau that is on David’s side and wants to help him. He could be a metaphor for the people and situations in our life that support us no matter how we see ourselves and who will encourage us to follow what makes us happy. I believe that the more committed we are to living our life that way, the more assistance we will receive from people and the world. He says to Elise that the reasons he disappeared were because of what Thomson said about ruining her career. They use Harry’s magic hat and open the doors to get closer to the chairmen. Elise doesn’t know what is happening and starts to panic and soon they are being followed by the Adjustment team. The more doors they go through and the more David tells Elise, the more she believes what David is telling her. They continue their search for the chairman and they end up in the adjustment bureau headquarters. The Truth Is Revealed On The Roof When they get to the top of the building, they find themselves cornered by the adjustment team. They begin to kiss and Elise says she loves David and at that moment the adjustment team disappear. I believe it is at this moment that the fundamental metaphor of the film is revealed. Soon after Harry appears on the roof and explains what the adjustment bureau is really about. I was aided in understanding what the metaphor was with the literal meaning of the film at this point. Harry explains to them what has happened and as they have showed courage to go for what they wanted, they have earned the right to be together. Conclusion The Adjustment Bureau to me would be an exaggerated projection of what is going on at a deeper level for us and I would say this is the result of what we are holding onto from our past. As although in this film it was a group of people called the Adjustment Bureau who were trying to stop David and Ellis from doing what made them happy, in our everyday life it is not as extreme and can show up in the form of family, friends, people we work with and numerous other types of people. At a more internal level we can also have thoughts and feelings that keep us from living the life we truly want to live and what then cause us to behave in ways that can push our own happiness away. I believe that it was also showing us that when we show commitment to following our truth and what makes us truly happy the universe (or whatever you believe it is) will be there to assist us. And that the more me move form a place of control, which is our ego, to a place of trust, which could be described as coming from our heart, we will see that this is so. If you feel this has been of value, please leave a comment, like or get in touch. And feel free to share this article.
Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ 127 Hours – My Interpretation Of The Metaphors What motivated me to see this was the fact that Danny Boyle was directing it, with it being his first film since Slum Dog Millionaire. After this I heard that it was based on a true story. The story is about a climber, who in order to survive, has to lose his own arm. While I was watching it I didn’t think there were any metaphors that I would be able write about. However, as the intensity of the film grew, my mind changed completely and I realised how much of a profound film it was. These metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. And as this film is based on a true story, I would add this is also not a judgment on Aron Ralston's life and is for the purpose of looking at the metaphor’s contained within the film. This will also mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. It will not be like a story board where I will describe the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin. The Start And Looking For The Swiss Knife The film begins with Aron Ralston (James Franco) collecting all of the different objects he will need for the journey ahead of him. When the camera is on the cupboard, we see his hand searching around for the Swiss knife. But as the cupboard is high up he can’t quite reach the knife and he therefore assumes that it isn’t there. As I think about this it brings to my attention the importance of awareness and being as present as we can in each moment. He acts in haste and as a result he misses something that will become vital. Out of our own impatience and need to do something else, we can end up compromising our self and even our safety. If Aron had allowed himself the time, he could have used a chair to have a real look. The Start Of The Climbing Journey It is here that we get a glimpse of Aron’s character. In many ways he seems to be a bit careless, with the kind of hobby he has, the way he falls of his bike and then get straight back up again as if nothing has happened. Through him going on this mountain climbing journey on his own, we can see that he prefers to be on his own as opposed to doing things with others. This could be from his early experiences as a child of feeling as though he wasn’t accepted by the people around him or worthy and as a result felt isolated. So now he has a preference to being on his own. It is here that he meets Kristi (Kate Mara) and Megan (Amber Tamblyn). They are currently lost and with his guidance, he helps them to find their way. They invite him to a party and are left wondering if he will actually turn up. But it isn’t long before he is soon on his way. Holding firm to his Identity and preferring to go it alone. Entering The Rock And Getting Caught Up It is during this time that the real depth of the film start’s to unwind and we begin to see the deeper side to Aron’s nature. Once his arm has become trapped, we come to see, like a wave, his frustrations and the conflict he has with trying to do everything himself. At this point we soon find out that not only has he not got a cell phone to contact any one, but he also hasn’t told anyone where he was going. This further shows what can happen not only in this situation, but what can happen to us as human being’s, when we cut ourselves of and isolate ourselves from others. Through our own perception of how people are, it can become unpleasant to be around others, and through this we can end up cutting people off from our life. When ultimately, it is not the people that are the problem, it is our perceptions of people that create the problems. It is also here that Aron begins to play back on his camera the videos he had taken of Kristi and Megan. Just seeing the fun and connection he experienced with them fills him with happiness and an appreciation of how important people are to him. During the latter moments of having his arm stuck, Aron begins to have visions of his family sitting on a sofa right in front of him. They are all smiling and are looking right at him. At this moment we get an even deeper glimpse that his heart yarns to feel connected to his family and how living a life of being his own mountain is not how he truly wants to be. He also has visions of his girlfriend, and we see him being at a sports game where she leaves him and says he is going to be a lonely man or something similar. This fills him with frustration and regret. This is further evidence that he likes to cut people out of his life and go it alone. However, we see that this is not what Aron really wants and could be seen as a form of self sabotage. Perhaps through his early experiences of people, his mind has associated a sense of safety with being alone and yet at the same time his heart longs to be around others. Another way of looking at this is how our conscious mind can often want one thing and our unconscious mind can want something else. Breaking Free From The Rock With Aron running out of water and just about giving up, he finds an incredible amount of courage to cut his own arm off as a way to free himself from the rock. Along with his fear of death, maybe his own desire and longing to see his family and friends once more is what motives him to do this. Although he has just lost part of his arm, his joy at being free once more, has made the loss seem, if only momentarily, insignificant. Help Arives Upon leaving the rock, Aron begins to swagger out of the area to a place that contains water. Here he practically falls into the water, even though it is far from clean. After he has gone so long without any form of liquid, seeing water after such a long time must have been a real blessing for him and filled him with gratitude. As he continues to walk away from the rock he spots three people in the distance and shouts for help. Here we see the magnificence of the human race. He calls for water and without hesitation the women offers him water. It is not a surprise that it was the women and not the man who offered the water, as females are generally more in touch with their nurturing nature than men are After this we see other walkers and shortly after a rescue helicopter arrives to take Aron to a hospital. For so long he had felt alone and isolated and from that moment he was touched by the human heart. From this metaphor, we see that although we might have moments of frustration and despair, there is always assistance around us if we are open to receiving that assistance. The Reunion After the helicopter rescue, we see that he has fulfilled his dream to be reunited with his family. And that his longing to feel connected to them has been archived. He is also pictured with his partner and a child. It is an incredible moment to see that after a situation of such despair he has achieved what he always wanted. Conclusion When I look at the film as a metaphor I see Arons story as being about how we can often take things for granted in life and not appreciate the importance of what we have. And it is often only after we have lost something that we begin to appreciate what we have. Whether it is the family we have, the friends or our own health, we can easily become caught up in wanting more and forgetting what we already have. Our own sense of gratitude becomes a distance memory. I believe that the line they have used on the poster 'Every second counts’ illustrates this perfectly. What happened to Aron is an extremely rare occurrence. However, I think we all have events in our life that give us the opportunity to sit up and take notice of what really matters to us and what we should be grateful for. With our interpretation of those events, defining what we do about what happens to us. If you feel this has been of value to you please leave a comment or get in touch with me. I appreciate your comments and views. Oliver TRON: Legacy – My Interpretation Of The Metaphors When I heard that the film was all about taking down the master control system I was instantly intrigued. Although I hadn’t seen the first film I went with friends to see what it was all about. And with it being in Disney Digital 3D, I had a feeling it was going to be good. And after watching the film, I was amazed at the amount of metaphors that were in the film. How these carried great significance in explaining the deeper nature of reality and our own psychological development. These metaphors of the film are my personal view and are based on my own interpretation of what these metaphors are and there meaning. They are in no way the right or only interpretation, they are just my view. This will also mean that I will miss out certain parts and only describe what stood out for me and what I felt was significant. It will not be like a story board where I will describe the whole story. So with the disclaimer of sorts out of the way, let’s begin :). The Master Control System A big part of the story is about taking down the master control system. This sounds like some kind of building or computer that is controlling everything. And that it needs to be physically taken down by an individual or through some kind of battle or war. My interpretation is that this is a metaphor for how our mind works. By neglecting our own pain we end up creating our own prison. We then project it outside of ourselves and through this process it can feel as though someone else is taking away our freedom and power. However we are the only ones who can give our freedom and power away and that is through renouncing our own responsibility. The Beginning The first part of the film that came to my attention was when Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) left Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) at an early age. And this occurrence creates a kind of void in Sam and leaves him feeling confused and with a sense of loss. In the following scenes where he has grown up, we see him driving a motor bike and after that he breaks into the software building, tries to escape from the police and he also lives on his own. From all of these situations we can see that he has developed into a rebel. It could be said that the anger he has to fuel all of this comes back to the experience of Kevin leaving him. This is someone who gives of the view that they don’t care, when ultimately they are doing it to gain attention and somehow fill the emptiness within them. He could have gone the other way and conformed, with these being two aspects of the same coin. Entering TRON Once he finds his way into the master control system he is soon caught and finds who he believes to be his dad, only for Sam to be told that he is not his dad. This creates an even greater anger towards Kevin. And this continues his feelings of rejection. He also receives a suit and disc on his back. The disc could be a metaphor for the soul and our life force. During the next scene of him being forced into battle with who he believes is his dad, he comes across a woman called Quorra (Olivia Wilde). He is then taken to the hiding place of his real Dad and the real Kevin Flynn. Meeting Kevin Flynn Upon arriving here we can instantly see the whole duality of good vs. bad and the enlightened vs. unenlightened being played out. Here Kevin is wearing white robes and the whole building is lit up with extremely bright white lights. He also seems to be meditating and has a whole book shelf that includes the Tao Te Ching and many other books on philosophy and ancient wisdom. It is also here that we come to understand that the guy who looks like a younger version of Kevin is actually called Clu (Jeff Bridges). From what I remember Clu was created by Kevin at the beginning of the TRON creation, to help him fulfil his master creation. However Clue turned against Kevin and he is now his enemy. With Clue wearing the colour black, he is the other half of the good/bad duality. He also displays oppressive and tyrannical tendencies. Under his rule, as soon as Sam arrives in TRON he is caught and loses his freedom, followed by him having to fight to survive. He is also forced into wearing a suit. This could be a metaphor for control, by the fact that everyone is wearing the same colour so to prohibit any individuality and to cause restriction in the body. And the fact that Clu wants to control others, shows that he has no control himself, and is trying to compensate for through the control of others. With Clu, the whole time watching over his kingdom. Clu also lives in an area that is dark and bleak looking, further representing the darker side of life. It also made me think at this point, how they are ultimately the same people. With Clu being a projection of all of the parts that Kevin doesn’t want to look at, often described as our shadow self. This to me was a great metaphor for how our life works He also mentions here how a minute of our world was about 4 hours in the TRON world. This reminds me of how our experience of time all depends on our perception of it. Sam’s rescue mission After all this explaining has happened about TRON, Sam wants to go home and take Kevin with him, now that he understands that the portal will close within a number of hours. However with Kevin’s Zen like nature of wanting to just be and not wanting to do anything, it clashes with Sam’s all action approach. This shows another duality, of the being and the doing. Here, with the help of Quorra Sam rebels against Kevin’s wishes and goes back to the heart of TRON. At this point it makes me think that Quorra is like a guardian angel, as she plays the role of assisting Sam at this point. Meeting Zuse Upon meeting Zuse (Michael Sheen), Sam soon finds out that clue is never far behind. A further example of how we can’t run away from the ‘darker’ parts of ourselves. Before long Kevin appears and his arrival creates silence. It is another example that Kevin is the God of Tron and has tremendous power over the people of TRON. However Kevin is the embodiment of the supportive and loving god, and Clu is the antithesis of this, with him being the cold and merciless god. With ones motive to create heaven and the others desire to create hell. I also think that Kevin and Clus desire to be a god and have power over others and there environment is the result of their own disconnection from themselves and the loss of realising that they are already the gods of their own reality. It is also in this scene that Quorra loses her arm; I will go in this later, after looking out for and trying to protect Sam. With Kevin losing his power disc also. With him having lost the disc he loses his god like abilities, which is why I believe the disc it is a metaphor for our life force. When I think about this disc what also comes to mind is that it is another metaphor for how we can believe that our own power is external and that we need a certain thing to be empowered. As a result of this perception we can live in constant fear of something outside of ourselves, of something happening to us that we have no control over. Getting the disc back and the race to the portal It is during these moments that Kevin opens up about how he was looking to create perfection in his life, and after all these years of being trapped in TRON, he came to realise that perfection was right in front of him. This to me is another metaphor for describing how our own skewed perceptions, can cause us to feel unhappy and that something is missing. Through this view we can look outside of ourselves for the answers and fail to see that it’s our own perceptions that need to be cleansed and not reality itself. And due to this we can have a constant yearning for tomorrow to come, but as a result of this we lose our present moment of grace and never really live. It is also at this point that we find out that Quorra has a special ability. She can be healed of anything, and with the help of Kevin (her creator) she is able to grow her arm back. To achieve this the power disc on her back is removed and from the disc a projected hologram appears. From here, there is a strand in her DNA that is a different colour to the rest of the strands, which is restricting her ability to function as a whole person. And once it is removed her arm grows back. To me this is an external display of how consciousness works and functions. As we begin to work on our inner conflicts, which are just like the external example, we will gain our own sense of harmony, peace and wholeness. Kevin also says that the purpose of creating Quorra was to end all of the disease on the earth, and with her ability this will become a reality. This is also another metaphor for the whole victim and perpetrator duality. With disease being seen as the perpetrator and humans being’s perceived as the victims. The possibility that disease might be feedback for what we need to look at in our life, as opposed to something that just ‘happens’ to us, is something that is not often considered. Without going to deeply into disease, it is easy to see what consequences of this perception can have on our own wellbeing and then further out into our society. The portal When they arrive at the portal Clu manages to get there just as Sam and Quorra are about to leave through the portal. It is in this scene that Kevin and Clu merge, this could be a sign that in the end Kevin has a deeper understanding of himself and manages to integrate his dual nature. Clu also shows a kind of remorse towards Kevin at the end, explaining that he did everything that he asked of him. This to me is like that part of us that is called our inner child, that part of us that still feels ignored and neglected from our younger years. It is the part of us that still longs to be loved and heard. The Return To Earth Once they are back on the earth, there is a moment where Quorra gets to finally see what a sun rise looks like. This is something that she has never had the opportunity to see by living in a dark world. My interpretation of this is that nature is constantly showing us what perfection is and it is these expressions of nature that we can easily take for granted that are an example of perfection and wonder in our day to day lives. It could also be said that Quorro is being portrayed as a saviour of mankind, with her ability to end disease. This carries on from the many expressions through time of a god or some type of superhero that will come and save us all. However all of these examples are a projection of what we would like to embody ourselves and what we feel we don’t have. They also portray humans as being victims of life and as having no control .However, as we come to understand ourselves, we will start to see that we can be our own god or superhero. And although we may require s assistance at times, what we don’t need is anyone to save us. Conclusion Some of the reviews of the film were not great, this is because they were reviewing it based on the story, and of course it is their own opinion. I think it was a great film, but then my whole experience of the film is based on the metaphors and the depth of the film. I am not focused on or even interested in whether it was a film worthy of an Oscar (however if there was a deep and profound film category, I’m sure it would win). As soon as I sensed these deeper elements to the film I was hooked. I would also be pleased to hear of any parts of the film that you have interpreted differently or that I have missed. I will be writing more about the metaphors in film's in the not to distant future and adding them to this site http://www.moviemetaphors.co.uk/.
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Oliver J R Cooper http://www.oliverjrcooper.co.uk/ |
Oliver JR CooperAuthor of 28 books, Transformational Writer, Teacher & Consultant. Introductory Consultation
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Disclaimer
That which is contained within these articles is based on my own empirical understanding and is true for me at the time they were written. However, as I continue to grow, what I perceive as the truth will inevitably change and as a result of this - parts of these articles may not reflect my current outlook.
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