Stick to Your Happiness
Posted: Wed Apr 10, 2019 12:53 am
Stick to Your Happiness
180108 郭禹呈 Yicheng Guo
Recently, I have watched two films -- And the Spring Comes and Mona Lisa Smile. The former is a film directed by Gu Changwei in 2008, in which Jiang Wenli starred. The latter is a film directed by Michael in 2003, in which Julia starred.
Similarly, the two females both suffered from the times.
In ‘And the Spring Comes’, Wang Cailing (Jiang Wenli played) had always dreamed to be the national chief soprano. However, there were many obstacles in her way. One of the biggest was her lack of Beijing registered permanent residence, which she had spent 30,000 yuan (a large amount of money at that time) to buy but eventually in vain. Though insulted by her soul mate and cheated by her beloved student, thus losing the last entry into Beijing, she never really lost her faith in opera. Only when she was urged by her parents to get married (Chinese people were eager to start a family to extend the clan) did she finally give into her destiny and the unchangeable pressure of times. Not only small individuals, like Wang, were destroyed by times, but also thousands of Wang lost their dreams and anticipation in the dark depressed times.
Also, Huang (Wang’s soul mate) was left to make business to earn a living for herself after feeling ashamed of sleeping with Wang, who was merely treated as a friend by Huang. Besides, turned down by Wang, Zhou (the man who studied opera with Wang wanted to get married with Wang) immediately started a family and forgot all about his opera dream. Mistakenly known as a gay, professor Hu, who loved Ballet, turned out to be in prison for attempted rape just to prove not to be homosexual. The scene where he was dancing on his tiptoes in the prison to show Wang that he was happy was the most ironic. Too many people had to give up their dreams in fear of pressure from the public, family or themselves. As a matter of fact, the main cause was times.
While in Mona Lisa Smile, Katherine (Julia played) left her hometown to go to the famous Wellesley College, the famous female school, to start a new life. Her frankness on breaking through the restrictions associated with being female and to seek her own happiness surely was different from what was highly praised at that time. To be a good wife and good mother was women’s final goal, certainly the female students’. It was not hard to image what would happen when something new arose. Hard as Katherine tried, she was sill rejected by the students. Despite being passionate, her behaviour was still not acceptable by the conservative school’s ideologies.
The beginning was her being frustrated after being teased by her students. But the film ended by her leaving to another city, and all her students rode their bikes to see her off. By stark contrast, the transition had implied the theme of women’s empowerment. There is no doubt that her bravery to shake off the chains of the times had encouraged thousands of women.
Different skills were used in the two films in the formation of topic.
Throughout the film ‘And the Spring Comes’, the light being dim, the weather being terrible, and the soundtrack being sorrowful, all of them contributed and implied the pathetic fates the characters carried. Besides, Wang and other characters all contributed to the same topic. They all gave into fate.
Unlike ‘And the Spring Comes’, ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ seemed to be totally opposite, especially in the hue. With the beautiful scenery, characters finding their happy endings. In addition, the bright music never made people depressed. What’s more, Katherine served as the core of story, while others’ being different from her was just to highlight her independence and uniqueness. The existences of others acted like a mirror, emphasizing women being bold and brave.
People become great when they have a dream. Although they are sometimes defeated by cruel fate, the hope still carries on to the next generation.
After watching the two films, I feel the powerlessness of women and the strength of women. At most times, preserving one’s initial dream is really difficult, let alone moving forward to change others. Being bold sometimes will be strange and rejected by the wide public.
But as the song lyrics sing: “
Here ’ s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem.
Here’s to the heart s that ache.
Here’s to the mess we make.
A bit of madness is the key to give us new colors to see.”
Just stick to your madness .
Just stick to your own right to seek your own happiness.
180108 郭禹呈 Yicheng Guo
Recently, I have watched two films -- And the Spring Comes and Mona Lisa Smile. The former is a film directed by Gu Changwei in 2008, in which Jiang Wenli starred. The latter is a film directed by Michael in 2003, in which Julia starred.
Similarly, the two females both suffered from the times.
In ‘And the Spring Comes’, Wang Cailing (Jiang Wenli played) had always dreamed to be the national chief soprano. However, there were many obstacles in her way. One of the biggest was her lack of Beijing registered permanent residence, which she had spent 30,000 yuan (a large amount of money at that time) to buy but eventually in vain. Though insulted by her soul mate and cheated by her beloved student, thus losing the last entry into Beijing, she never really lost her faith in opera. Only when she was urged by her parents to get married (Chinese people were eager to start a family to extend the clan) did she finally give into her destiny and the unchangeable pressure of times. Not only small individuals, like Wang, were destroyed by times, but also thousands of Wang lost their dreams and anticipation in the dark depressed times.
Also, Huang (Wang’s soul mate) was left to make business to earn a living for herself after feeling ashamed of sleeping with Wang, who was merely treated as a friend by Huang. Besides, turned down by Wang, Zhou (the man who studied opera with Wang wanted to get married with Wang) immediately started a family and forgot all about his opera dream. Mistakenly known as a gay, professor Hu, who loved Ballet, turned out to be in prison for attempted rape just to prove not to be homosexual. The scene where he was dancing on his tiptoes in the prison to show Wang that he was happy was the most ironic. Too many people had to give up their dreams in fear of pressure from the public, family or themselves. As a matter of fact, the main cause was times.
While in Mona Lisa Smile, Katherine (Julia played) left her hometown to go to the famous Wellesley College, the famous female school, to start a new life. Her frankness on breaking through the restrictions associated with being female and to seek her own happiness surely was different from what was highly praised at that time. To be a good wife and good mother was women’s final goal, certainly the female students’. It was not hard to image what would happen when something new arose. Hard as Katherine tried, she was sill rejected by the students. Despite being passionate, her behaviour was still not acceptable by the conservative school’s ideologies.
The beginning was her being frustrated after being teased by her students. But the film ended by her leaving to another city, and all her students rode their bikes to see her off. By stark contrast, the transition had implied the theme of women’s empowerment. There is no doubt that her bravery to shake off the chains of the times had encouraged thousands of women.
Different skills were used in the two films in the formation of topic.
Throughout the film ‘And the Spring Comes’, the light being dim, the weather being terrible, and the soundtrack being sorrowful, all of them contributed and implied the pathetic fates the characters carried. Besides, Wang and other characters all contributed to the same topic. They all gave into fate.
Unlike ‘And the Spring Comes’, ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ seemed to be totally opposite, especially in the hue. With the beautiful scenery, characters finding their happy endings. In addition, the bright music never made people depressed. What’s more, Katherine served as the core of story, while others’ being different from her was just to highlight her independence and uniqueness. The existences of others acted like a mirror, emphasizing women being bold and brave.
People become great when they have a dream. Although they are sometimes defeated by cruel fate, the hope still carries on to the next generation.
After watching the two films, I feel the powerlessness of women and the strength of women. At most times, preserving one’s initial dream is really difficult, let alone moving forward to change others. Being bold sometimes will be strange and rejected by the wide public.
But as the song lyrics sing: “
Here ’ s to the ones who dream, foolish as they may seem.
Here’s to the heart s that ache.
Here’s to the mess we make.
A bit of madness is the key to give us new colors to see.”
Just stick to your madness .
Just stick to your own right to seek your own happiness.
