Watching this film all over again, the more I understood the sense of the story. And there’s this story I remember that is more likely to this, the movie Milk in the year 2008. The difference was that the lead character is more mature at the age of 40, and is homosexual (it’s actually a true story about an American politician, Harvey Milk). But the exceptional thing to these movies, they have the same objective. They want to let us know that being a kid (or even fully grown) is not a thing about changing the world.
You don’t need to grow up first to change the world or trying to return your childhood. You don’t have to because it isn’t about being old or young. It’s always within oneself. By putting your perception into action, could make a big change. Change in you, your family, friends, relatives, until to the world.
I do really love the story, as well as the individuality of the lead character and its teacher. The story starts with a question, “What does the world mean to you?” and the class thinks. Then Mr. Simonet asked again, “What does the world expect of you?” Trevor answered, “Nothing.” That line really knocked me; because really, I don’t even know what does the world expect from me! I don’t even know how I can contribute a thing to this world.
The world for me is a family, my family, other’s family. Well, that’s the point, I mean, beginning of being you, yourself, or being/having [molding] one’s individuality. A loving parents, courteous relatives, adorable cousins… a much supported childhood. How lucky am I to have them? Always ready to help me in times of trouble.
Isn’t that great to visualize the world like my family? Though I know that it’s not always perfect, there’s at times (and won’t just disappear) that problems will get a way in. But there are a lot of reasons to hold on, a lot of reasons to stay, and reasons to change. Change not only inside of you, but inside of your family. We’re having problems to think of solutions, not of problems again. [From somebody]
And this one’s strange… Mr. Simonet asked for an assignment: “Think of an idea to change our world – and put it into ACTION!” Why? He knows that his class thinks of the world expects nothing from them as they were just seventh graders. Then why would he give an assignment about changing the world? Yes, and there goes, “Weird… crazy… hard… bummer…” from his class. But he insisted, “How about possible?”
Yea! How about possible? – Gosh, I cannot just imagine if I had wits just like the scriptwriter of this movie. Brilliant isn’t she? Her words are well-dedicated. Why the scriptwriter? Because I learned from somebody that films doesn’t look appealing to watch (just) because of the directors, but it (also) do look excellent because of the words, delightful words from scriptwriters.
Anyways, let’s go back to the story. Ü Yea, it is really possible to change our world. We still have a chance, if we still have a hope. But changing doesn’t stop to (just) hoping. You want to change a thing because you were holding on to something, or somebody believed that you can.
Changing always starts/refers on what somebody’s thinking and tries to place it into action. That’s what an eleven year old, Trevor McKinney did. Out of curiosity, he tried and thinks of something a child like him could do that special thing. And there’s a time that he wants to give up because he thinks that “Pay It Forward” didn’t work. But it did work.
He (Trevor) started with a man in a junk namely, Jerry. Oh, I really don’t know what he did to that man. What words did he tell to him or how did he help him. Jerry has a messed up life, and Trevor gave him a chance to live and fixed it. He gave him money to buy clothes and shoes to get a job.
Getting along with the story, Jerry thought that he can’t achieve what he has to pay forward until he saw a woman who wants to commit suicide. Then he changed his thinking. “Cause I owe somebody a favor…” that’s his reason why he help that woman. But no, he helped the woman not because he have to or owe somebody a favor, but he helped the woman because he knows that’s the right thing to do. And he believes that helping is a way his life would be saved.
A messed up life changed into something new. Someone visualized his new saved life and turned back home. And to thank that person who saved him from drowning, he followed what that person wants to, pay it forward. He pursued it not because it must be done. He pursues paying it forward because he also thinks that it is possible to change the world.
“What did you ever do to change the world?” – Trevor to Mr. Simonet. Oh yes, what did I/can I ever do to change the world? Quite ironic… but I must tell myself to think. Think of, as a teenager, an individual, what thing can I contribute to change our world? Before I die, could I have done something that I could be proud of?
