Just saw the John Sayles classic "The Brother from Another Planet." I'd seen parts of it before, but never the whole thing. A touching, original film about alienation and belonging, racial identity, what it means to be human.
It also made me think in a new way about my toddler's daily experience. Being wordless yet wanting so badly to communicate, to be loved, to be appreciated. And wanting to be in control of his environment--why else is he trying so hard to open and close doors, pick up heavy pots and trays, play with the car's window controls and door locks, figure out cell phones and remotes?
The demons in the film--played with Monty Pythonesque touches of absurdity by John Sayles and David Straithearn--attempt to re-enslave the Brother; they are dressed all in black, and the whole film involves a classic retelling of the hero's journey--he must descend into the underworld (Harlem in the bad old 70s) to save himself. My son's demons come in the form of his own physical limitations and various situations he just cannot understand or control.
How does a toddler complete his own mythic quest? Step by laborious step...I hope we (my husband and I) can provide some measure of comfort and counsel along the way...and just enough prodding to let him reach whatever planet he's aiming for.
No comments:
Post a Comment