Watch an Art Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was an amazing film in so many dimensions. What I found intriguing about this film was the way the scenes were chronologically changed in a manner that only gave you bits and pieces about the whole plot at a time. This lead me to want to keep watching so that I could receive a better understanding of what the scenes represented.

The film illustrated two different worlds - one that was real, and one that was surreal which represented the depths of the character Joel's mind. Based on the discussion that I had with a few friends about the film, I heard many different interpretations and ideas about what the film was about and what it represented. Most people said that they found the film confusing, and difficult to understand.

Art word of the week:
Design or Composition: "the overall mark of success, the standard of achievement, and the frosting on the cake."(Schirrmacher & Fox, 2009)

Personally, I found the film very relatable in a sense that it touches on the character's fears and feelings about his past. I interpreted the surreal world that was portrayed as the character's subconscious mind, which held all his past memories. In the real world, he chooses to erase his feelings and memories of Clementine, when it became too difficult to cope with his past. In doing so, the procedure used to erase his memories allows him to enter the surreal world which I interpreted as his subconscious mind. It is only when he entered a realm full of past memories of Clementine does he desperately try to reverse the choices he makes in the real world. One of the problems raised in Joel's relationship with Clementine was that he never disclosed secrets from his past, and hid away many aspects of himself. As the memories represented in the surreal world of his mind began to fall apart, he desperately tries to "hide" Clementine in memories where she did not belong-memories that he did not want to disclose previously in the real world. I think in a sense that this is the way he learns to open up to her, and show her scenes from his past that he found humiliating and difficult to face. In his desperate desire to preserve his memories of her, he realizes that it is more worthwhile to face past memories with her than to lose her through his desire to escape from his pains.

This is something I believe everyone can relate to, and I can always think of scenes in my past that I avoid facing and remembering. Everyone has a memory they want to forget, or an aspect of themselves that they want to change. Painful experiences that have lead to thoughts like, "I wish it never happened," are faced with the emotions that we hide in our subconscious. It demonstrates the extent to which our experiences and memories impact our emotions as well as our identity. This film seems to have touched these issues for me. When I think about it, without the painful experiences, I probably would be a different person. Perhaps a more naive and ignorant one. In this sense I suppose the painful experiences do end up being worthwhile.

The Spotless Mind, and Children?

When summing up the main point of this film, I suppose it would have to be the fact that our experiences, however painful, shapes our identity, and that we learn from our mistakes. It is okay to make wrong choices or wrong decisions because that builds on your knowledge of how to do something better the next time.

Insights on early childhood education

This idea can easily be applied when working with children. Children need to create experiences to be in touch with the world around us. They learn through constant trial and error, and are constantly learning better ways to do things. Without making the mistakes, there is no real learning opportunity. If a child climbs too high and falls, they learn the dangers of heights and can avoid it the next time. We all learn from experience, so children should be encouraged to make choices, whether they are wrong or right. If they are wrong, we need to let them know that it is okay to make those mistakes because that allows us to learn, and do better the next time around.

When you think about your past, what do you want to change or want to forget?

If given the chance, would you actually want to erase those memories?

Main quotes from the film:

"How happy is the blameless Vestal's lot!

The world forgetting, by the world forgot.

Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind!

Each pray'r accepted, and each wish resign'd."

          -Alexander Pope

"Blessed are the forgetful: for they shall have done with their stupidities too."

   -Nietsche

How would you interpret these quotes?

References:

             Schirrmacher,R., & Fox, J.E. (2009). Art and creative development for young children (6^th Ed.). Belmont, CA: Delmar.