What does the Japanese poet's three sentences "Aha" mean? Why close up his hands?

Novella 2022-03-28 09:01:04

Let’s go straight to the conclusion: The Japanese poet’s “Aha” is to hope that Paterson will not belittle himself, but to encourage him to continue writing.

Don't underestimate yourself, keep sticking to your love. This is the core message of Patterson.

Towards the end of the film, Patterson's notebook is shattered by a dog bite, and all his works are wiped away like chalk. Depressed, he sat on a bench in a daze, and happened to meet a Japanese poet from afar. He sat down and chatted with Patterson.

"Aha" is an English modal particle, which can be interpreted as sudden realization. During the conversation, the Japanese poet said "Aha" three times in total.

The Japanese poet asked Patterson if he was a poet. He hesitated and answered no, but he was familiar with several famous artists and works mentioned by the Japanese poet. At this time, the Japanese poet said "Aha" for the first time, expressing him Discovery: Patterson actually loves poetry too.

Referring to Patterson's favorite William Carlos William, he told the Japanese poet that William used to be a doctor. The Japanese poet said "Aha" a second time, because he found out that Patterson not only loved poetry, but also knew the lives of famous people.

After saying goodbye to each other, the Japanese poet took a few steps and turned back to say "Aha" for the third time, which is more like a Zen language. In connection with Paterson's constant emphasis on himself as a bus driver, Xiaoye judged that what the Japanese poet wanted to express was to hope that Paterson would not belittle himself and should continue to create.


So why close up a Japanese poet's finger with a hemostatic sticker?

Engaged in a certain occupation for a long time, the fingers will have certain dominant characteristics. Surgeons' palms, for example, are often torn by sutures, leaving scars, while manual laborers develop calluses on their palms. Therefore, Xiaoye thinks that the close-up of the fingers is a hint: the Japanese are not yet professional poets. Like Patterson, he insists on artistic creation while doing ordinary and ordinary work. Coming all the way to take a look at the small town in the idol's poem, it may be to recharge the faith and strengthen the faith. And the three "Aha" and the act of giving away the notebook is a kind of sympathy for each other.


Romain Rolland once said: "There is only one kind of heroism in the world, that is, after recognizing the truth of life, still love life."

At the end of the film, in a bird's-eye view, Patterson wakes up, checks the time, puts on his watch, kisses Laura, and gets out of bed. A new week is in front of you like a blank sheet of paper. Don't be afraid to start over, because blankness means more possibilities; don't belittle yourself, because no one is born a poet.

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Extended Reading
  • Carleton 2021-12-30 17:21:40

    The whole film is made like a poem, and the repeated daily details are the rhyme of the poem. There are small variations between poems and poems. Behind the poet's quiet life are his eyes that gently gaze at and silently sing the world. Contrary to his indifferent, stable and uncontroversial attitude, the lovely wife is constantly seeking freshness and change, and is very ambition, but the two love each other and make each other perfect. Finally, Nagase Masatoshi's A-ha is an eternal poem of life.

  • Kelli 2022-03-21 09:02:08

    Under the lens of Jarmusch, the mechanical conformity becomes the spirituality of every moment. Seven days a week, life is the rhyme of the poet. Jarmusch's consistent level of work, but I'd love to see him repeat himself forever. Paterson reminds me of the great Portuguese poet Pessoa. After get off work, he has nothing to do and his life is extremely boring, but he said: A wise man makes his life monotonous, so that the smallest accident can be rich and great. significance.

Paterson quotes

  • Paterson: I guess you really like poetry then?

    Japanese Poet: I breathe poetry.

    [pause]

    Paterson: So you write poetry?

    Japanese Poet: Yes.

    [pause]

    Japanese Poet: My notebooks.

    Paterson: Oh, yeah.

    Japanese Poet: My poetry only in Japanese. No translation.

    [pause]

    Japanese Poet: Poetry in translations is like taking a shower with a raincoat on.

  • Laura: [half asleep] I like how you smell when you come home at night.

    Paterson: [whispers] What do I smell like?

    Laura: You smell faintly of... of beer.

    [Paterson kisses her sweetly]