Heart

            Recently I went to see the Avengers movie in 3D. (Well, me and about half of the American population. It grossed over $207 million of three days.) It is a wonderful movie, and I would really suggest that if you have not yet seen it to take a break before heading out on summer plans. Now, I know that you are wondering what that movie has anything to do with our Classical Asian Theaters class.  Can tell you that the movie is most definitely Western. There was no subtle feeling of everlasting beauty, or small, purposeful movements to express the entire story. Though, I must say that they did get close with some barely noticeable tears in the actors eyes. Mainly, though, there was a lot of yelling, fighting, and thing blowing up. However, there was heart, something Guru always told us to look for in what we are watching. So, amongst all the fighting, I was able to find the heart, the “kokoro,” in the Avengers.

            Near the beginning of the movie (I promise I am not going to spoil anything) the villain had his usual “bow down before me speech.” This is very characteristic of superhero movies, and nothing really to bat an eye at. All the people around the villain kneeled, all but one elderly, German gentleman. This man was then taunted by the villain, laughed at for being a fool and disobeying. The villain then continued his speech about how he was the greatest villain the world had ever known, and that there had never been someone like him before. All the elderly German man had to say, while looking directly into the villain’s eyes, was that there is always someone like that villain, and there always will be. Clearly for the movie watcher, in context the man is talking about Hitler. Yet, the more you think about it, the more your mind runs through other historical “villains” and stories you have read. My mind ran back to the story we heard about earlier this year, a book I have read, the Ramayana.

            In case you might not remember, the Ramayana is a story about the perfect man, Rama, his wife, Sita, and the villain they go up against, Ravana. All throughout the story Rama is fighting demons and monsters, saving people and moving on. There was always another monster to fight, and always someone being hurt by another. It seems as though when he defeats Ravana that all the evil will end, that it will die along with the demon king. Yet, it does not. Rama has to go face further trials with his own people, an evil seed that affects him greatly. Even when evil falls, it will always rise again. It might not immediately be a villain rising to power, but evil always exists, evil in people’s actions and their hearts. A couple years after the end of the story another man like Ravana might rise, the balance kept between the good and evil in the world, dharma and adharma. Like the elderly German man said, “There is always someone like you.” Not even the perfect man, the perfect hero, can change that. It is a fact known all across the world, the heart of our stories and movies so long as we care to listen. Just something to think about.