Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
My interpretation of the scene sees this as a candid view of Eli's loneliness.
I don't think she is aware of Hakan's plight. Although his failure to return may be adding to her unease.
In the silence of sitting there in the flat, perhaps for a while by Oskar's wall, I think she knows (sound/scent) that he is not there.
To me the scene exposes her loneliness and is put there as a chance for us to consider the depth of it. 200 x 365 is a lot of nights, all her waking hours, to spend largely by herself. (Okay, true, we don't know it is 200 yrs in the movie.) That void alone is troublesome. But recently she has something new in her life, this young friend. I think working over this budding friendship in her mind could be very consuming across each night. What else is there to do when she's had years to consider all else? This new notion - friendship - after all that time, since perhaps she last played in sunlight, could well be rocking the stability of her precarious existence. Add the ingredients together and I, at least, get a sense of despair. She wants to reach out to her new friend. But her hand can't talk to his. She can't play, she can't communicate with him, and all she can do is sit and let the silence roll on.
I don't think she is aware of Hakan's plight. Although his failure to return may be adding to her unease.
In the silence of sitting there in the flat, perhaps for a while by Oskar's wall, I think she knows (sound/scent) that he is not there.
To me the scene exposes her loneliness and is put there as a chance for us to consider the depth of it. 200 x 365 is a lot of nights, all her waking hours, to spend largely by herself. (Okay, true, we don't know it is 200 yrs in the movie.) That void alone is troublesome. But recently she has something new in her life, this young friend. I think working over this budding friendship in her mind could be very consuming across each night. What else is there to do when she's had years to consider all else? This new notion - friendship - after all that time, since perhaps she last played in sunlight, could well be rocking the stability of her precarious existence. Add the ingredients together and I, at least, get a sense of despair. She wants to reach out to her new friend. But her hand can't talk to his. She can't play, she can't communicate with him, and all she can do is sit and let the silence roll on.
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
I think it was mostly because Eli "gave her word" to Hakan to not meet Oskar... or at least acknowledged Hakan's situation
Even without actualy meeting in person(as Hakan requested), Eli was still hesitant to initiate the contact with Oskar
Pretty admirable of Eli, despite how she sees Hakan.
Even without actualy meeting in person(as Hakan requested), Eli was still hesitant to initiate the contact with Oskar
Pretty admirable of Eli, despite how she sees Hakan.
... she looks like a kid who has just been overindulgent with chocolate cake or a messy candy bar...
I could just picture Arnold planting a bloody kiss on Oskar telling him "I'll be back."
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
I've always viewed it as Eli keeping her promise, but it could also be simply that she knows Oskar isn't there. This is one of the scenes that, incidentally, refutes the 'evil Eli' interpretation - Eli is saddened by not communicating with Oskar, and as she's alone there's nobody she could be pretending for.
Bli mig lite.
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
I think the most important thing to come out of this scene is the sense of loneliness, isolation, and sadness for Eli. Just looking at the still shot without context, you can feel it.
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
My thoughts exactly.rgh wrote:I think the most important thing to come out of this scene is the sense of loneliness, isolation, and sadness for Eli. Just looking at the still shot without context, you can feel it.
"Can we die?" "Of course we can." Eli put his hand on his heart, felt the slow beats. Maybe it was because he was a child. Maybe that was why he hadn't put an end to it. The pangs of conscience were weaker than his will to live.
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
So alone......
To live without love, is death never ending. To live with out ever loving is not knowing the greatest gift.
"Assiste a malo puero"
"Assiste a malo puero"
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Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
Looking at this image reminds me of something else. The slope down to the right, called a Dutch angle I think (although that term is actually a degradation of Deutch because it was beloved of German expressionist film makers. As though she's sliding away, losing her sense of stability. Particularly as it's not an action shot.ricc9 wrote:
So alone......
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
Just another part that tugs at your heart for Eli..crazychristina wrote:Looking at this image reminds me of something else. The slope down to the right, called a Dutch angle I think (although that term is actually a degradation of Deutch because it was beloved of German expressionist film makers. As though she's sliding away, losing her sense of stability. Particularly as it's not an action shot.ricc9 wrote:
So alone......
To live without love, is death never ending. To live with out ever loving is not knowing the greatest gift.
"Assiste a malo puero"
"Assiste a malo puero"
- a_contemplative_life
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Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
It was this idea that motivated me to write my first fan fiction about LTROI. Eli's inner thoughts about what's happening in her life during the film, every dawn before she falls asleep. I found the idea of her wrestling with these issues most intriguing.gkmoberg1 wrote:To me the scene exposes her loneliness and is put there as a chance for us to consider the depth of it. 200 x 365 is a lot of nights, all her waking hours, to spend largely by herself. (Okay, true, we don't know it is 200 yrs in the movie.) That void alone is troublesome. But recently she has something new in her life, this young friend. I think working over this budding friendship in her mind could be very consuming across each night. What else is there to do when she's had years to consider all else? This new notion - friendship - after all that time, since perhaps she last played in sunlight, could well be rocking the stability of her precarious existence.
Re: Eli and the Wall: Interpretation please?
I've never had any doubts about this scene, which is why it makes me so sad for Eli every time I see it. This is just my interpretation though.
I've always taken that scene to mean Eli knew Oskar was away at his dad's. She lifted her hand (did she actually touch the wall? Have to go back and check), stopped, pulled back. She knew Oskar was gone, but had started getting used to (not to mention relishing) having someone around to wish her sweet dreams. I'm sure most would agree that one might be able to get used to loneliness after a while, though a brief reprieve from it can make the return to isolation that much more unbearable.
Very simply, I think she was just feeling very sad. Very lonely. She missed him.
I've always taken that scene to mean Eli knew Oskar was away at his dad's. She lifted her hand (did she actually touch the wall? Have to go back and check), stopped, pulled back. She knew Oskar was gone, but had started getting used to (not to mention relishing) having someone around to wish her sweet dreams. I'm sure most would agree that one might be able to get used to loneliness after a while, though a brief reprieve from it can make the return to isolation that much more unbearable.
Very simply, I think she was just feeling very sad. Very lonely. She missed him.
"Oskar saw through Eli's eyes. And what he saw was...himself. Only much better, more handsome, stronger than what he thought of himself. Seen with love."