The Son poses a number of challenges for American audiences (fewer for European audiences who lavished praise on the film) -- no sound track, minimal dialogue, tight shots from start to finish offering little visual variety and way too much of the back of Olivier’s head. Above all the filmmakers ask the audience to do most of the work making sense of the subtleties in the film. We’re asking a good bit of you to think about the film, but you should think of that as a compliment. So, here are several ideas to consider. Pick ONE of the following and once again record a response of 200-300 words. Finish this by the end of the day Sunday for credit.
1. What does Olivier believe in, based on the actions presented in the 100 minutes of the film? Is he a man of faith?
2. Compare Walt Kowalski and Olivier. Differences are obvious, most notably we know a great deal more about Walt’s past than of Olivier’s. So, focus instead on connections between the two. What qualities do they share? What significance can you draw from these connections?
3. Give the final scenes some attention, focusing especially on Francis. What do you think about his behavior following the physical assault by Olivier? What does his return suggest about him? What significance do you see in the final activity he and Olivier perform: stacking and wrapping the lumber with the tarp?
(Response to question 3.)
ReplyDeleteIn the final scenes of the film after a long buildup of emotions and questions, the truth is finally exposed when Olivier tells Francis the true identity of the boy who Francis had killed. Immediately after hearing the truth, Francis runs away from Olivier and refuses to talk about it, saying that he had already paid the price in prison and he won’t go back. Olivier desperately tries to chase Francis, until finally he catches him, pinning Francis down so he could not escape. Olivier then begins to choke Francis; however, after only a couple seconds he gets off Francis and walks away back to the truck. In the last scene, Francis returns the truck and begins to help Olivier stack and wrap the lumber. Francis’s behavior after the physical assault by Olivier, while at first may seem a bit bizarre, shows that Francis has matured over the course of the movie. Francis finally understands the severity of his past actions and he realizes that despite the fact he had killed Olivier’s son, Olivier forgave him. He returns to Olivier’s side in order to show his gratitude to Olivier’s forgiveness and help redeem himself in Olivier’s eyes by continuing to help him in his carpenter duties. The stacking and wrapping of the lumber that Olivier and Francis do symbolizes Olivier and Francis’ dark past. While the lumber or their past is still in the back of the truck/in the back of their minds, it is covered and secure, no longer free to cause trouble or conflict.
Response to Question 1:
ReplyDeleteOlivier in “The Son” isn’t a character that most people would like, nor would they take the time to bother to learn more about him. His character is somewhat of an outcast, but a person that many people trust and rely on. At the beginning of the film, Olivier seems to have somewhat lost faith in people after Francis killed his son. He takes Francis under his wing to try and understand why he killed his son and he hopes that Francis’s answer will allow him to have faith in people again. Olivier believes in his craft and methodical ways, because it’s what has saved him from spiraling out of control after the death of his son. Faith is sometimes defined in the belief of the unknown or the unseen. Olivier’s faith somewhat lies with this definition. He doesn’t know why he takes Francis in, or why he killed his son. However his faith in Francis seems to be strong enough to allow him to be in his classroom and to give him rides back to his house. There is a huge elephant in the room throughout the whole movie and that is simply the question of “Why?”; but I don’t think that question will ever be answered definitively. It is up to our own interpretations to determine why a simple man like Olivier would allow the killer of his son so close. I thought it was interesting that when asked this question in an interview the director of the movie said that he didn’t know either. Maybe were just supposed to put ourselves in Olivier’s shoes throughout the movie to find out the answer; would we have enough faith in someone like Francis to allow ourselves to be around them, or would we take revenge like Olivier almost did?
The final scenes in this movie are very important, because in them we see Francis told by Olivier that he is the one who killed Olivier's only son five years ago. In their trip to the lumber yard, Francis's behavior is much like one of a non-alpha male, or of a son, acting as if he is now become the role of Olivier's son. He even asks Olivier if he will be his guardian. He copies a lot of things Olivier does, and it shows that he wants to learn, and perhaps even to be like Olivier who is already a good mentor. But Francis becomes very scared and runs away because he thinks Olivier is going to kill him. This surprised me because I thought that after such a great and learning journey with Olivier, Francis would have come to trust and know Olivier better. One thing I noticed is that unless I just missed it, Francis never outright apologizes or admits fault to Olivier, even though it is clear he feels guilty about it. He plays it off very masculine-like by not admitting in a big way that he did something so wrong. But I guess it's okay, because Olivier obviously forgives him because after catching him, they both seem to move on and go back about their regular duties with the wood and I think they both realize that because it's in the past and they can't do anything about it, that they need to forgive and forget so that Olivier can move on and teach Francis, and so Francis can learn woodwork and have a better financial and social life all together.
ReplyDeleteWhen Olivier tells Francis that the boy Francis killed was his son, Francis runs away from him. However, after Olivier tackles him and gets on top of him as if to choke him, Francis reacts passively. He doesn’t try to run. He also lets out emotion when Olivier does. Francis was behind bars for five years, and still can’t sleep well, presumably because of his crime. He has to surmount his own emotions to start building a new life in the outside world. It comes as no surprise that Francis anticipates violent retaliation on Olivier’s part apon hearing his connection to the victim, as Francis’s own emotions have eaten him up so much. Furthermore, pain around his own lack of family could further elucidate Olivier’s potential anger towards him. After Olivier catches up with him, goes through a phase of near violence against Francis, and then starts to let out his emotion, Francis lets out his own emotion as well. Francis says that he has paid his dues for his crime, but he still regrets it, and Olivier’s anger might come as an almost welcome recognition of his crime and an emotional punishment for it that can help Francis himself move on. Francis is trying to build a new life, and Olivier is the person apprenticing him and thereby teaching him how to make his way in this new life, so Francis’s action of helping him stack the wood demonstrates that he is driven to start building his new life even though the crime has changed it forever.
ReplyDelete(In response to question 3) During Olivier's attack on Francis, Francis doesn't to do much to stop it. He lays still while Olivier begins to strange him and when Olivier begins to leave. He comes back to help Olivier like nothing happened. Francis had previously asked Olivier to be his guardian, and while learning Olivier was the father of the child he killed and being chased and attacked because of it are two things that could change his father-figure view of Olivier, Francis seems to disregard it and come back and help Olivier. He starts to do something that Olivier most likely taught him how to do or something Francis watched him do. Francis seems to accept the fact that what just happened he most likely deserved and he still respects Olivier in spite of it. Olivier seems to accept what he did to Francis as well as what Francis did to him and his relationship to his wife by letting Francis continue to help him with the lumber. Olivier and Francis are similar to each other by both having secrets they were keeping from one another and they both similarly react to the situation at the end by just acting like it didn't happen and continuing on with their lives.
ReplyDeleteQuestion Two
ReplyDeleteWalt and Olivier are incredibly similar. Both are men who keep to themselves but have the capacity to love others, even if they don’t always act like it. Both have experienced horrible loss—Walt’s wife and Olivier’s son—and yet both try to find relief without the church or any other institution. Olivier could probably have investigated Francis using the police force, but he chose to go at it alone, using his own tactics. In the same way, Walt could have called the police when Spider’s gang attacked Sue and the Lor family, but he also chose to use his own unusual methods to find justice. Olivier, in the grief of losing his son, throws himself into his work at a center teaching boys how to be carpenters. He distracts himself from his tragedy by emotionally investing in the lives of the boys, as we see in the scenes where he gives them rides home and listens to phone messages about their problems and concerns after returning home from work. Walt does the same thing by investing time and care into helping Thao, after his wife dies and he seems to lose purpose in life. Walt gets him a job, skills, tools, and confidence. He does not just help Thao out of a mess, but instead becomes a role model and family member. That shows more than just being neighborly, just as Olivier is more than just a boss to the boys in his program. This shows their faith in mankind. Neither is institutionally faithful, but both find meaning in helping others, which in turn helps them.
Question 1:
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in class, I think Olivier believes in his routine. As we see, he is a very meticulous man, he washes his hands, teaches his students and does his sit-ups all with the certain precision and fulfillment that comes with a routine; it is his faith. Olivier is comfortable within the confines of this routine and when it is disrupted, like when Francis, his son's murderer comes to learn a trade from him, Olivier tries to fix it. We see him act completely normal towards this boy, even when his wife and all other parental instincts tell him to lash out or see revenge. Olivier does not want disruption of his procedure, he treats Francis like his other students in order to maintain that routine. I think that the vengeful instinct exists in Olivier's mind, but he clings so strongly to his routine that violence does not become an option. He gets very angry when discussing the murder with Francis in his car, but never becomes violent. When his ex wife wants him to stop teaching Francis, Olivier continues to instruct him. These scenes show how embedded Oliver's routine is in his mind, not even the murderer of his son can disrupt it. I think that part of why Olivier is so attached to his routine is fear. Olivier is a very scared man, he has lost a son, and is unwilling to do anything that would put him in a position like that ever again, it's basic human instinct. Olivier believes that leaving his way of doing things will lead to loss, and the emotions that guide this decision are extremely strong, this is why we see Olivier believes in and fights so hard for his set decorum.
3. When Olivier and Francis go to the sawmill, the focus of the film seems to shift: rather than watching the back of Olivier’s head, the camera follows Francis’s face several times. This change in perspective seems to express some of the curiosity Olivier feels about discovering who Francis is and what he is like. As a result of the shift in tone and focus, I concluded that Francis is—despite his horrible past—a fairly normal kid. Francis wants to be loved and cared for, but when he finds out that Olivier is not the man he original thought, Francis runs away. Like any kid, he wants the love of adults but he also fears them. Yet, by coming back, Francis decides that he cannot run from what he has done and, more importantly, he proves his faith that Olivier does not have malicious plans for him. Francis and Olivier are eternally, undeniably connected by what Francis did to Olivier’s son—who, interestingly, is never named. By continuing to stack wood and work together, the two men accept that, despite their fear of each other, each needs the other, too. To Olivier, Francis is an important piece of his past, and to Francis, Olivier is an important part of his future. The events that connected the two were tragic but they cannot be undone. By working together like they did before Olivier revealed himself as the father of the boy Francis killed, the two men accept their differences, and one another’s’ past transgressions, but choose to move forward and help each other anyway.
ReplyDeleteQuestion 2:
ReplyDeleteThe first similarity I noticed between Walt and Olivie was their sense of routine. Both men have a very clear cut routine, one that they are hesitant to deviate from. Walt seems to do the same things every day, which mainly consists of sitting on the porch drinking beer. Olivier goes to the shop every day, washes his hands in a particular way, then goes home and does sit ups. The director, makes a point of emphasizing these minor details of Olivier's life to show how routine it is. Both men have experienced a traumatic loss, which I think plays into their need for such control over their day. Walt lost his wife, and feels very out of control and lost, so he makes a routine. Knowing that every day he can sit on the porch and drink beer gives him that sense of control that he is lacking in the rest of his life. Olivier lost a son, and even though it was years ago, he is still grieving. Just like Walt, Olivier uses his daily routine to give himself that same sense of control. Both men also use unlikely people around them to get over their grief. Walt becomes invested in the Lor family because he wants to see them have a better life than he did. Olivier, surprisingly, takes Francis (his son's murderer) under his wing. He believes that if he can get to know Francis, and understand why he murdered his son, that he will have some sort of closure.
Question 3:
ReplyDeleteFrancis’s instantaneous response to Olivier tells him that the boy he killed was his son contrasts his earlier expressions. Previously, when Olivier continues to ask Francis questions, hoping to provoke some emotion out of him, Francis merely says it was a long time ago and he has paid by doing time. At the end, however, Olivier is able to get a emotional response out of Francis. For the first time, Francis becomes immediately emotional and suddenly that moment was not so long ago. The fear of being physically hurt, like he was when Olivier’s son would not let go, Francis darts off in hopes of running away from Olivier and his past. Olivier only furthers his fear by urgently running after him. This instance is different from the time when Francis was with Olivier’s son because Francis has invested himself in connecting with Olivier. Francis not only runs from the fear of physical pain, but of the fear of people close to him turning against him, like his family, who wants nothing to do with him. After the physical struggle between the two, Olivier returns to load the rest of the wood. Timidly, Francis also returns to help. Instead of the father-son interactions from earlier, Francis and Olivier possess a different type of relationship. The two reconnect and when Francis helps load the wood up, Olivier accepts him completely, knowing they are connected through experiences. They also reconnect through the common experience of carpentry, bringing them back together and to build something of their lives and relationship from there.
When Francis finally realizes that Olivier is the father of the boy that he murdered, he runs away and doesn't want to face Olivier. After he is caught and choked by Olivier, he eventually returns to assist Olivier to wrap the lumber in the tarp. This behavior displayed by Francis is very strange on the outside, but once you look inside you see how far Francis has come. It seems like Francis doesn't care about the murder when he discusses it with Olivier in the car, but he realizes his mistake and he is able to forgive Olivier for the assault that just occurred because Olivier was able to forgive him (and subsequently not kill him). The significance of them stacking and wrapping the lumber is that the lumber represents the issues that arise between the two, yet they are able to wrap it together (solve it) and put it away. In the end, they have their confrontation, but they're able to deal with it and move past it.
ReplyDeleteOliver's faith like so many other aspects of the film is somewhat elusive. He is a man of faith in much the same way that Walt is faithful in Gran Torino. Oliver seems dedicated to his strict routine. Going to the workshop all day then doing his 5 sit ups, smoking a cigarette and going to bed. There is something to be said for the faith in the small things of life. He has carved out a niche and seems relatively happy with it. It's obvious that he has been through a lot with a divorced wife and a murdered son. It's very interesting that he puts his value into a somewhat mundane schedule. For a man who has been through so much he finds his peace in the small moments. This isn't the main source of Oliver's faith, it is in the power of leaning and forgiveness. Oliver's interest and curiosity in Francis is sparked out of a deep confusion. While many others in his situation would be rageful and perhaps seek revenge, Oliver seems to study Francis, trying to figure out how a boy could do something so terrible to another kid. His interaction with Francis is perhaps the only line that Oliver has to his now dead son, a little ironic, but maybe true. As Oliver starts to grow affectionate for Francis, which i believe he does, he feels his faith tested by perhaps the evil of vengeance and hatred of course this all culminates in the last scene of the film. He is caught between his liking for the boy and the pressure and maybe want to feel anger and agression. Oliver may feel that by not feeling anger towards Francis, he didn't truly love his son. The second part to my proposed belief system for Oliver is learning. Oliver believes and has faith that Francis might become a more enlightened human being through education, in this case, learning carpentry. By teaching Francis, Oliver hopes to get a better understanding of himself and the kid. It is a gambe taking on such a personally relevant student but Oliver does it anyway. Oliver believes that through learning a trade and the interaction that they have through the process he might be able to more come to terms with his sons death and learn something he previously though he though he could never understand.
ReplyDeleteThe final few scenes of The Son really helped me understand the dynamics of Olivier’s character. After Olivier is comfronted with Francis’ recollection of his sons death, he quickly becomes very angry and attempts to physically hurt Francis. After he gives up the viewer has to then question his or herself by asking what Olivier believes in and what kind of person is he truly. I’m not quite sure if Olivier is a man of faith, religiously speaking. However, he definitely has strong moral conscience. He believes in helping young men who have started off their lives poorly. He believes in second chances, in change, and furthermore in justice. I think there’s a part of Olivier that believes that by teaching carpentry, and the boys learning, he can help remold their lives and turn them into decent men. I feel as though he also enforces a stern attitude to make sure they know that they have done wrong and by doing carpentry they can be helped. Maybe Olivier is a man of faith, maybe he is not. Regardless, there are certain qualities of him that show the content of his good natured chartacter.
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