is a character who is intertwined with many contradictions. On the one hand, he is a brilliant teacher; At first glance, the film seems to have fallen into a cliché: the story of a virtuous and morally corrupt male teacher?
But, is this really the theme of "History Boys"? No! The colorful and wonderful soundtrack in the film, the rhythmic grasp without delay, the full and rich characters, and the incisive and wise dialogues that are overwhelming, are definitely not used to tell such a moral criticism. Bullshit story.
1. Passing "wrapped"
in a literature class, Hecht expressed his unique educational philosophy, he told the boys what it means to learn poetry: even if poetry is mostly about things that didn't happen to us, even if we can't understand it now, Even if it has nothing to do with the exam, but as long as you study it now and understand it, you will understand it one day, and that moment may be the time of pain, happiness, or death, and at this time "you already have the antidote" .
Hecht is always like this, in a poetic and aesthetic way, to tell you these condensed insights.
Hecht's educational philosophy was on full display when he directed Posner's appreciation of Hodge the Drummer.
"Hodge the Drummer" is a story about a nobody in the war years. Hodge the drummer died and was buried alone in a faraway land. At this time, Hecht, who was in his 60s, had just suffered the blow of being forced to retire early. The sudden change made Hecht have doubts and sorrows about his life, and the lonely life of Thomas Hardy, the author of "Hodge the Drummer", seemed to Pity with Hecht at this time.
As a result, the thoughts and feelings of the predecessors resonated strongly in Hecht's heart, blended with the individual's experience and encounter, and brought a deep imprint of the individual. Then, Hecht, as the "media" of communication, was like a "package". The expression of the thoughts and emotions of the predecessors through language also resonated in Pusner's heart. The development of the plot to this point symbolizes that the character Hecht has completed his mission - which is what he calls "passing the package". Human civilization and history are in essence inherited in this way, through time and space. , from one mind to another. Education is a kind of "transmission". As Hecht said, take it, feel it, pass it on. That's the "Game" that Hecht wants the boys to understand, not just for exams. Pusner later inherited Hecht's mantle and became a teacher, passing on the package that Hecht handed over, confirming this theme even more.
Perhaps, this is what "History Boys" wants to tell.
2. Violating morality? ?
Undoubtedly, Hecht cherished his career, otherwise he wouldn't have been so devastated by being forced to retire early, wonder what drove Hecht to venture beyond moral bounds, by chance? Or despise morality? Or both? We may never know.
Interestingly, though, the boys' attitude toward Hecht's "harassment" is worth pondering. Unlike the headmaster who thought it was a "highly indecent affair", the boys thought Hecht was a joke at best and had always been close to Hector; Dakin said Hecht's departure was something It has to be said to be regrettable to a certain extent, and finally even forced the principal to withdraw Hecht's dismissal order with small tricks...
This reminds me of a story in another movie "The Ten Commandments". In pursuit of "pure" freedom, a man invites friends to his home for a naked "naked party" on weekends. Don't get me wrong, they just want to Read freely, listen to songs, grill, discuss music, and nothing else. Although this is qualitatively different from Hecht's behavior, it also gives us some thinking: there is no doubt that morality is of great significance for maintaining the existence and development of human society, but how should we define certain places? What about things on the edge of morality? Especially when there is friction between human nature and universal moral values, such as homosexuality, euthanasia...
3. At the end No
matter what, Hecht is still the elegant Hecht, the one who wants to buy a truck full of books and drive endlessly The lovely old man who traveled the world on the road... The happy ending seems to have come. When the boys have a good future and Hecht doesn't have to retire early, he suddenly died... Even if he was caught off guard, but It is a beautiful relief, leaving all the arguments and hustle and bustle behind, may his poetic soul rest in peace...
History, from beginning to end, is the clue for the narrative of "History Boys". Regarding Hecht's death, Dakin asked, "How does history come about?" Teacher Dorothy said that history is women following incompetent men with baskets of flowers; Rudge said that history is a Another damn thing... Although it's adapted from a stage play, the characters, dialogue, plot, everything is natural, no traces of artificiality, no excessive exaggeration. The tranquility and lushness of the British campus in the 1980s, the grandeur and deepness of the college buildings, the graceful and elegant poetry, the vivid imitation of the boys, the tangy youthful breath... There is also an impressive scene: Hecht once talked about it with emotion The pleasure of reading, when you read some unique words and realize something, it is like sitting next to someone, and then a hand holds you...
The beauty full of historical sense is unforgettable.
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