unstrungstudio

Lately, when working, I have AMC on in the background. As a result, I have seen some classic movies (with the back of my head). Last night, as I finished a poster, I watched Pale Rider (with the back of my head), and yesterday, during the afternoon, I saw Empire of the Sun. I haven't seen Empire of the Sun for many, many years. It's a sweeping epic that was released during 1987, as well as an often overlooked masterpiece by Steven Spielberg. The main character is Jim Graham, a child who gets lost in a crowd and is forced to survive in a Japanese internment camp during the Japanese occupation of Shanghai and much of the Chinese countryside. (Jim is deftly played by a young Christian Bale.) The movie is remarkable for many reasons, but in reflecting on the movie, I have focused on a single idea. What is hardship, and how does it shape us?

Does hardship inspire us or break our spirit? Sure, we know that most art is derived from basic angst. Listen to the radio for an hour, and you'll see what I mean. (As an aside, in my opinion, The Beatles are primarily remarkable because so many of their songs are “happy”.) However, Empire of the Sun, which follows a child through extreme hardship, gives me pause. Cinematic grandeur aside, I have known limited hardship during my lifetime, primarily familial strife, poverty and the illness of others. These experiences, no doubt, have hardened me. They also inform my work, which is often too serious. However, through hardship, we also learn about those things that truly matter. They, in fact, become undeniable truths. Through hardship, I have learned that family, friends and life experience matter. Money is a means to an end. Possessions are exchangeable and temporal.

In short, I think that hardship does inform most of what we do in this lifetime. It is fodder for our art, and it is the grease between our gears. Sure, there are positive experiences that also shape us; I will not deny it.

If you haven't seen Empire of the Sun, I would recommend it. It is beautiful and sweeping. It is also affecting. I have been extremely lucky during this lifetime. It may not last, but I take comfort in knowing that many of us walk a hard road and survive.

posted by J.  # 9:38 AM