"I am still a person. I have a story." - Davis, Corey (Director of J is for Junkie)
In the 2011 documentary, J is for Junkie, by Corey Davis there is a focus on crack addicts in Atalanta, Georgia. The film shows that the people have made their own community called the "living room" in which they all support each other. They help each other survive each day which includes getting high. Watching The House is Black in class reminded me of this documentary. Like the people of the leper colony in Iran, the people in the living room were ostracized from society. They live in a specific area with people like them because they are not understood or accepted by others. In Farrokhzad's film there is not much talking coming from the people in the colony which shows that there may be a lot of internal conflict for them. In Davis' film many of the junkies are vocal about there situation. Although the films differ in terms of the era they were created, and the style and perspective of the directors they both have a common message: that many people experience sadness. Reading Forough Farrokhzad's poems I find that there was a great deal of sadness in her life. "Dreams always plunge down from their naive height and die... Talk to me What else would the one offering the kindness of a live flesh want from you? but the understanding of the sensation of existence."(The window, Farrokzhad)
Farrokzhad experienced an emptiness because of the child she once lost. I believe that Corey Davis experienced an emptiness too. It is mentioned in the beginning of Davis' documentary that his own father was a drug addict. This gave him the motivation to make the film. Perhaps he is searching for a connection with the father he never had a relationship with by understanding his addiction. Perhaps Forough was searching for a connection with the child she adopted to replace the loneliness she felt from her lost son. Maybe the lepers of Iran and the drug addicts in Georgia were searching for something that will bring them happiness.
I feel it is a part of human nature to always wonder what is around the corner. It seems difficult sometimes to focus on the fortunes we do have.
It seems to me that the common theme in both The House is Black and Sin is that of desperation and a feeling of being stuck. The voiceover in the film gives off a sense of despair that the people feel and that they are constantly waiting for a “redemption” that will never come. Despite that these lepers in the movie are plagued by a horrible disease, they continue to thank God for the blessings they do have. To me it seems that instead of forsaking God because of their situation, they thank Him in the hopes that when the time comes, they will finally be freed from this sickness in death. I think that the poetic message in The House is Black is that even though the suffering of the lepers is great, they find things that give them happiness; despite the darkness that has clouded their lives, there is still a light that has kept them alive.
I feel that the poems in Sin reflect a similar sense of despair. Farrokhzad’s poems tell us, the readers, the story of her life. They express her emotions and allow us to see that even though she was not plagued with leprosy, she understands the feeling of depression and waiting. Her poems explain that even though she feels alive with her lover, she remains feeling like a “bird stuck in its cage.” We can also feel the sadness that she feels from the loss of her child through her poems as well. The author speaks of loneliness, “an empty house, a house of darkness,” similar to the loneliness that the lepers feel from being ostracized and isolated from the rest of their society. It seems that the biggest commonality between the lepers and Farrokhzad is that both feel that they are trapped in this repetitive cycle of despair and waiting for it to end.
The House is Black depicts a humanistic view on Leprosy. Farrokhzad is able to make you feel sorry for the life that these particular people suffer through. She makes you see that they still behave like any other human being in this world. They may have to work harder or push through more obstacles, but they manage to celebrate, have scheduled events and even raise children. Farrokhzad makes you see that they have rituals and norms just like every other culture or group of people. An example of this could be the man who walks up and down the wall at the same pace for a certain amount of time regularly. They also have meal times and even classes to go to. She does however still show the pain they suffer both internally and externally. The adults were once in a different society before becoming infected with this disease. They know how it feels to be beautiful or “normal.” Therefore, they have a hard time accepting their situation at times. An example could be the woman in the mirror who sees a brand new reflection. She is almost discouraged or ashamed. As for the children, they have grown up in this community and do not know of being any other way. They play and laugh as if nothing is wrong.
Farrokhzad talks about being trapped by various things in her poems such as her relationship with men, being trapped by her emotions, and even trapped by the loss of her son. She shows these leprosy victims as being trapped in their own world to ultimately wait for the “end”. They cannot just escape it much like she cannot escape her desires. I saw a comparison between her ability to be strong through her personal conflicts to their desire and fight to be healthy again. The victims and Farrokhzad seek more in their lives and struggle to find it. While many aspects of this movie or her poems are sad or negative, she is also capable of showing beauty through the shadows. She shows the girl’s long beautiful hair and the children’s’ ability to be grateful for everything they have. In her poems she expresses moments of happiness and love even if it’s just for a short time. Overall she is talented at making you feel every emotion and making you see things at a new angle or from a new perspective. I find her to be inspiring in some degree or another!
"I am still a person. I have a story." - Davis, Corey (Director of J is for Junkie)
ReplyDeleteIn the 2011 documentary, J is for Junkie, by Corey Davis there is a focus on crack addicts in Atalanta, Georgia. The film shows that the people have made their own community called the "living room" in which they all support each other. They help each other survive each day which includes getting high.
Watching The House is Black in class reminded me of this documentary. Like the people of the leper colony in Iran, the people in the living room were ostracized from society. They live in a specific area with people like them because they are not understood or accepted by others.
In Farrokhzad's film there is not much talking coming from the people in the colony which shows that there may be a lot of internal conflict for them. In Davis' film many of the junkies are vocal about there situation.
Although the films differ in terms of the era they were created, and the style and perspective of the directors they both have a common message: that many people experience sadness.
Reading Forough Farrokhzad's poems I find that there was a great deal of sadness in her life.
"Dreams always plunge down from their naive height and die...
Talk to me
What else would the one offering the kindness of a live flesh want from you?
but the understanding of the sensation of existence."(The window, Farrokzhad)
Farrokzhad experienced an emptiness because of the child she once lost. I believe that Corey Davis experienced an emptiness too. It is mentioned in the beginning of Davis' documentary that his own father was a drug addict. This gave him the motivation to make the film. Perhaps he is searching for a connection with the father he never had a relationship with by understanding his addiction. Perhaps Forough was searching for a connection with the child she adopted to replace the loneliness she felt from her lost son. Maybe the lepers of Iran and the drug addicts in Georgia were searching for something that will bring them happiness.
I feel it is a part of human nature to always wonder what is around the corner. It seems difficult sometimes to focus on the fortunes we do have.
It seems to me that the common theme in both The House is Black and Sin is that of desperation and a feeling of being stuck. The voiceover in the film gives off a sense of despair that the people feel and that they are constantly waiting for a “redemption” that will never come. Despite that these lepers in the movie are plagued by a horrible disease, they continue to thank God for the blessings they do have. To me it seems that instead of forsaking God because of their situation, they thank Him in the hopes that when the time comes, they will finally be freed from this sickness in death. I think that the poetic message in The House is Black is that even though the suffering of the lepers is great, they find things that give them happiness; despite the darkness that has clouded their lives, there is still a light that has kept them alive.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the poems in Sin reflect a similar sense of despair. Farrokhzad’s poems tell us, the readers, the story of her life. They express her emotions and allow us to see that even though she was not plagued with leprosy, she understands the feeling of depression and waiting. Her poems explain that even though she feels alive with her lover, she remains feeling like a “bird stuck in its cage.” We can also feel the sadness that she feels from the loss of her child through her poems as well. The author speaks of loneliness, “an empty house, a house of darkness,” similar to the loneliness that the lepers feel from being ostracized and isolated from the rest of their society. It seems that the biggest commonality between the lepers and Farrokhzad is that both feel that they are trapped in this repetitive cycle of despair and waiting for it to end.
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ReplyDeleteThe House is Black depicts a humanistic view on Leprosy. Farrokhzad is able to make you feel sorry for the life that these particular people suffer through. She makes you see that they still behave like any other human being in this world. They may have to work harder or push through more obstacles, but they manage to celebrate, have scheduled events and even raise children. Farrokhzad makes you see that they have rituals and norms just like every other culture or group of people. An example of this could be the man who walks up and down the wall at the same pace for a certain amount of time regularly. They also have meal times and even classes to go to. She does however still show the pain they suffer both internally and externally. The adults were once in a different society before becoming infected with this disease. They know how it feels to be beautiful or “normal.” Therefore, they have a hard time accepting their situation at times. An example could be the woman in the mirror who sees a brand new reflection. She is almost discouraged or ashamed. As for the children, they have grown up in this community and do not know of being any other way. They play and laugh as if nothing is wrong.
ReplyDeleteFarrokhzad talks about being trapped by various things in her poems such as her relationship with men, being trapped by her emotions, and even trapped by the loss of her son. She shows these leprosy victims as being trapped in their own world to ultimately wait for the “end”. They cannot just escape it much like she cannot escape her desires. I saw a comparison between her ability to be strong through her personal conflicts to their desire and fight to be healthy again. The victims and Farrokhzad seek more in their lives and struggle to find it. While many aspects of this movie or her poems are sad or negative, she is also capable of showing beauty through the shadows. She shows the girl’s long beautiful hair and the children’s’ ability to be grateful for everything they have. In her poems she expresses moments of happiness and love even if it’s just for a short time. Overall she is talented at making you feel every emotion and making you see things at a new angle or from a new perspective. I find her to be inspiring in some degree or another!