This movie is one of the movies our foreign teacher has played for us in this semester's audio classes. It is the movie I have been expecting to watch for a long time, yet I've not Known its English name till today.
During watching the movie, I'm always thinking about this question. That is, what is Gilbert Grape? In my point of view, I think it’s the sense of responsibility. He is so kind and responsible a person, who wants to help everyone but loses himself. He never quite enjoys his life, and he takes it as guilt, everyday he seems unhappy. He seldom smiles; the only time is when he sees the beautiful sunset with Baggie. Baggie is a dependent and beautiful girl. Gilbert feels relieved with her; for she is the only one he knows who doesn’t need his help.
There is one impressive scene in the movie which greatly touches me.
When Baggie asks Gilbert what does he want,
he answers, “I want a new house for my family,
I want Mama to take excises,
I want Ellen to grow up,
I want a new brain for Any.”
“But what do you want for yourself?”
“I want to be a good person.”
Gilbert is kind of trapped by his life. He longs for freedom, however, the responsibilities and his sense of that doesn’t allow him to do so.
Mama says to him that, “you are my knight in shimmering armor.” This sentence means that Gilbert is a light in her life. He is not only a light to Mama, but also the light to the whole family.
All of the family members depend on him, and they cannot live without him. That’s why Ellen call him “dad”. Though she is kind of angry at that time, we can guess that what Gilbert plays in the family is sort of like a father.
My favorite scene in the movie is that when Gilbert come back from Baggie to his home to join Annie’s birthday party. The previous night, Gilbert is so angry that he beats Annie on his face. Feeling so guilty that he drives away from the house from Andorra, he wants to get rid of the life that makes him grievous all day long. Yet driving not for long, he turns back.. He cannot let all those things behind. He must face it, face life. When he sees Annie with Baggie, he felt sort of relieved and with Baggie, he has a free, peaceful and happy night. The next morning when he goes back home, he feels guilty and kind of afraid to face all things that going to happen, or we can say, to face Annie. At this moment, Annie has already forgiven him. He climbs up on the tree to hide himself. When Gilbert pretends to ask loudly where Annie is, Annie laughs happily. Being retarded, it’s the game that he enjoys most. He jumps down the tree and stands right before Gilbert. Gilbert says, “Don’s scare Gilbert, Ok?” They play together happily. And Annie beats his brother on the face just like the previous night. All family members weep, and so do I.
Mama once said to Gilbert, “I didn’t mean to be like this. I don’t want to be a joke.”
Before she dies, she tries to climb the stairs by herself. Each step means a great effort to her. However, we see a great dignity in it. We feel happy for her. Finally she decides to make a change.
She has been a coward for a long time, a shame for the whole family. She doesn’t like to be that anymore. She wants to do something. She wants to do something that she can do but never tries to do. She wants to prove her existence and her dignity.
Gilbert needs freedom for life, yet she needs freedom for body.
And she did it. When she dies, I think she is contented and happy.
Finally, to protect his mother, Gilbert burns the house.
The burning fire signifies a relief for her mother, and also, the whole family.
From then on, they get a whole fresh start.
This movie is great kindly because it describes life exactly at it is.
It contains good things, yet also bad things.
Life is always difficult.
Life is not perfect.
And we have to face it.
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