500 Words a Week - A Note of Hope

I struggle with analysing films and literature. I remember being frustrated in English class in school when our teacher would discuss certain metaphors a poet was using, and I would have no idea how to come to that conclusion.

However, sometimes we can pick up on a general theme. Recently, I watched the film “The Whale”. While there are probably many messages shown throughout the movie, the one I couldn’t stop thinking of was one of hope. Hope in sense that there is goodness in the world, there are good people doing good things for good causes. There is positivity and optimism around us.

We can get a little bombarded with negative articles, or people tearing others down on social media. We can begin to forget to see the good in the world rather than only focusing on the cynical. It can seem like our default mindset at times is to immediately jump to being critical, to looking for faults.

In “The Whale”, Brendan Fraser’s character ‘Charlie’ keeps reiterating a message of positivity and optimism. Continuously describing how people are amazing, seeing the good in others that everyone else fails to see, this mainly centring around his daughter.

The unfortunate aspect of this movie is this message of positivity and optimism that ‘Charlie’ puts forward, doesn’t extend to himself. He is ashamed of himself. He’s guilty for what he has done and couldn’t do and has never forgiven himself for it.

We think if only he can show some of this message he puts forward to himself, everything would be different. In thinking this, we begin then to see is this what we are also doing. Being warm and positive to those around us, but never allowing that warmth to extend to ourselves. We are our own worst critic, never allowing a moments peace.

‘Charlie’ also puts forward another message throughout the movie of honesty. He continuously encourages his students and his daughter to be honest, mainly through their writing.

Again, this is something we don’t see too much of. There is a fear of being honest. Preferring to hide behind false perceptions rather than showing who we truly are.

Unfortunately, like the above, this message of honesty ‘Charlie’ discusses doesn’t extend to himself.

“The Whale” was hard watch at times, as we see what the feelings of guilt and shame can do to someone. However, the messages of positivity, optimism and honesty make this a special movie.

“People are incapable of not caring” – ‘Charlie’ from “The Whale”

We need to be better at seeing the good.