Beasts of the Southern Wild

We went to See Beasts of the Southern Wild. It won awards at both the Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. We'd seen the trailer but what I saw wasn't what I expected. It's a very moving film, but in many ways it is hard to watch. You watch and realize how cushy and sheltered your life is because deep down, you know that there are people who live on the fringe the way the characters in this film do. It makes you wonder if they live there by choice or because they have no other options. I often wonder the same thing when we take road trips and I see what can only be described as hovels that are obviously lived in. "Why do they live that way?"

Then there's the saying that cleanliness is next to godliness. I was raised to believe that even if you didn't have the best of everything, that what you did have should be clean. Nothing in the environment depicted in the film was clean. I couldn't stand that much filth and disarray. I don't think I could stand it even if I'd been raised with it.

I understand that the film is about survival. People who are struggling to survive don't necessarily have time to tidy up and plant flowers. But they seemed to have time to drink themselves silly. Do they drink because it's cheap entertainment or do they drink because they are in despair? Or is it just an integral part of that lifestyle? Although the scene with the canned soup and dog food declare abject poverty, the scene with all the fresh shrimp and crab indicate that some things are abundant. Even the opening scene indicates that there are more holidays than anywhere else in the world. And as many of us know, happiness is not something you can buy.

Hushpuppy is portrayed as wise beyond her years, but at age six you accept your life as it is. Unless you're being physically abused, you're pretty happy. You're not yet aware that there are neighborhoods where they have more and better stuff than you. You have not yet learned to covet your neighbor's stuff.

On the other hand, Wink comes across as being a bit irresponsible. His illness is somewhat mysterious, and even though it appears that he "escaped" from the hospital because he's still wearing the hospital gown and bracelet when he returns, I was wondering how he got there in the first place. The bathtub didn't look like the kind of neighborhood that has an ambulance ready to whisk you away. If someone took him, why didn't they look after Hushpuppy? Or at least let her know where her daddy was? Yes, it is a parent's job to see that a child learns to get on in the world. But usually not at the age of six. This man knows he is dying. I suppose learning to catch a fish is important. But why is he not trying to find Hushpuppy's mother? Where is his family? Why is he not making arrangements for her? And why wouldn't you have a fishing pole instead of trying to catch fish with your bare hands in alligator-infested waters?

The movie is full of symbolism. Prehistoric animals (that eat people) unleashed by the melting polar ice cap represent change and fear. And Hushpuppy bravely faces them just as she faces the death of her daddy. But most six-year olds would not. And I think I prefer my six-year olds to run to me for protection. There is a time to fend for yourself. It is not age six. Thank God it wasn't a true story.