What does it mean to be human? This is a question that has occupied the minds of people for centuries. Human beings are complex creatures and trying to understand the experiences in human life that make up the human condition can be very baffling.
The film, "A Beautiful Mind", directed by Ron Howard, is a life story of a brilliant mathematician, John Nash and his struggle with schizophrenia. This film helps us to learn about the human condition, through the portrayal of the characters and the film techniques involved in doing so.
One of the key ideas of the film is the notion of belonging. It can be seen through the character of John Nash, that having a sense of community is not just a desire, but a need. And when we don't have it, we try to create it. In the early stages of the film, we see John looking out of his window, watching everyone else socializing outside.
English: John Forbes Nash Jr. (born June 13, 1928)...
English: John Forbes Nash, American mathematician ...
Painting of British architect John Nash (1752-1835...We see these people through a long camera shot, which distances John from the others, implying that he is an outsider and is disconnected. This is also where his delusional roommate, Charles, comes in. John's creation of Charles is a display of desperate need for a friend to fill in the void he was missing in reality.
John also longed for someone that would include him and praise him. His delusional character, William Parcher did exactly that.
He invited him into a top secret mission and called him "the best natural code breaker".
We meet these delusional characters through
John's point of view and this perspective draws the audience so deeply into his personal experiences that along with John; we too feel the desperate need of a sense of belonging.
In the next scene, John is deeply...