It suddenly occurred to me that I finished watching The Unique Ivan yesterday, and I wanted to write out my thoughts after reading it, but I haven't found the right angle yet. The author wrote such a good story, why do I want to be lazy when writing comments? I also want to think again and try to write a review after seeing the works handed over by other partners. So, I turned off the "decadent sound", made a cup of coffee, turned on the light, sat at the table and went back to Ivan's story.
This is a fairy tale based on a true story. Ivan is a real gorilla. He was a baby when he was arrested in Africa. His twin sister "Shadow" may have died on his way to America or shortly after his arrival. Ivan was brought up by a human family until he was too big to cope. He was sent to a department store in Washington state, where there was a circus variety show with the theme of various rare animals.
Ivan lived alone in a cage for 27 years. He always thought he was the last gorilla on earth. He is as patient as a stone. He performed obediently and painted skillfully. He is a loyal friend of other animals in the cage. He lived day after day, and every day just became an "X" he tried to draw on the wall, which was all his writing and records.
Ivan didn't complain or expect.
With the changes of the times, people's understanding of the needs and behaviors of primates is increasing day by day, and society is gradually uneasy about Ivan's lonely life. National Geographic magazine reported on Ivan with the theme of "Gorilla in the City", which aroused the awakening and protest of the general public. When Ivan's shopping center went bankrupt, he was permanently placed in Atlanta Zoo.
Ivan is quite famous in Atlanta Zoo and is deeply loved by everyone. He lived happily and contentedly with Kim and other gorillas. He still loves painting, and he often signs his works with his thumb. ...
If you just tell the story like this, it will be a bit dull. This is just a story of a gorilla that human beings are innocently telling.
The story told by Ivan the Gorilla is more real, affectionate, understandable and interesting. After all, human observation and understanding of gorillas is limited. Perhaps no one wants to spend 9876 days observing and understanding a gorilla. In fact, humans don't even bother to count 9876 "X".
Ivan's story is really good. As long as you have the patience to listen, you will definitely think so. Ivan spoke the voice of the gorilla, and now try to look at human beings from Ivan's point of view:
-human beings waste words. They throw words at will, just like throwing banana peels, and let them rot. If human beings cherish words more, they certainly don't need so many vows. Because what you said, even if it is not an oath, is what you said. Ivan uses pictures to express it. Although he didn't know how to write the word "oath", he defended the oath with his actions. )
Gorillas are as patient as stones. Humans, not so good.
Well, if you try to keep humans in cages for 27 years, you will know that Ivan is right. )
Because of my size, people always think I'm challenging them. They captured the information of the war out of thin air. In fact, I may just be thinking that the sunset looks like a ripe sweet peach.
Humans choose to hurt other animals in order to avoid being hurt. Even if the animal is watching the sunset, the sunset at that time is like a ripe sweet peach. His heart is full of tenderness and joy, but it is interpreted by human beings as a message of challenge and war. What a big misunderstanding! )
That book tastes like termites. Haha, Ivan really enjoys books in a different way from humans. )
Compared with Julia's paintings, mine looks dim and timid. She pictured these thoughts in her mind. I drew what was in the cage. A few simple things in life: an apple core, a banana peel and a piece of candy paper. Ivan's cage is really crude, and his life in it is really boring. )
When I was a baby hiding in my mother's arms, I had an artist's vision. I can see the shape of clouds, and the stones at the bottom of the stream are like statues in my eyes. I keep an eye on the color, whether it's red flowers in the distance or blackbirds whizzing by. In Ivan's memory, there has always been such a moment of freedom. Thinking of the scene in The Shawshank Redemption, people in prison seldom sit in the sun and drink beer. Only at that moment did they feel that they were free people. It is with this desire for freedom that they have the courage to break free from the cage. I also think of Jacqueline Phoenix, the hero of The Clown, who choked up in her acceptance speech: "We all have to fight against the idea that a country, a person, a race, a gender or a species has the right to dominate, control, use and deprive everything with impunity. I think we are out of touch with nature now. We should feel guilty about our self-centered worldview. We thought we could invade nature and plunder natural resources at will. We take it for granted that we have the right to artificially conceive a cow, and then wait for her to give birth to a calf, steal her child and turn a blind eye to her painful tears. Then we put her baby's breast milk in our coffee and cereal. We are afraid of protests calling for change because we feel that we will have to sacrifice or give up something. ..... We should take love and empathy as our guiding principles, and we should create, develop and establish a new system that can benefit all living things and the environment. Run to redemption with love and peace will follow. " )
Not long ago, a little boy stood in front of my glass window, and tears rolled down his smooth and rosy cheeks. "He must be the loneliest gorilla in the world." He took his mother's hand and said. I really want to tell that little boy that it's not that bad. You can get used to almost anything long enough.
Ivan is really too patient. Patience is his last defense and resistance, and he can only endure until he finds a better way. )
Unconsciously, I looked at the skylight in the food area, and those flying gray clouds completely fascinated me.
(Ivan's good friend Shi Daila, an elephant who likes to recall the past and often tells Ivan about the past, has passed away. Because Ivan thought of Shi Daila, even the color of clouds is like the color of Shi Daila's body. )
I've been comforting Ruby all day, but what can I say?
Can I say, how is Shi Daila? Said she lived the life she deserved? Said that the companion who loved her most when she died was beside her?
Fortunately, the last item is true.
Shi Daila's death made Ivan rethink. He recalled his past freedom. He has not forgotten his promise to Shi Daila. He is determined to take good care of Ruby, let her live a different life and have a better home than Shi Daila. )
-I looked at the skylight in the food section. Shi Daila's favorite moon was hidden by a big dark cloud.
(Because Shi Daila loves the moon, in Ivan's mind, he has decided that the moon belongs to Shi Daila. )
I suddenly heard my voice, "A long time ago, there was a gorilla named Ivan."
Then, slowly and painfully, I began to think back.
(After Shi Daila's death, Ivan began to recall the free time in the past. In order to adapt to the life in the cage, Ivan deliberately chose to forget it. In the past, he dared not recall the past or look forward to the future. He erased "freedom" from his memory, so that even without freedom, he could live indifferently. But now, he will try to remember freedom, because he promised Shi Daila to help Ruby find a better life. )
There seems to be something pressing on my chest, something dark and hot. Besides, this is not a territory. This is a cage.
Since Ivan had the belief of pursuing freedom, he realized that what he once regarded as "territory" was actually a "cage". "Territory" is the place where he is willing to stay and guard. The "cage" is a place to break and get rid of. He will always remember his promise to Shi Daila. He has begun to change himself. He wants to break free from the cage, although he doesn't know how. )
-I am here, probably more inclined to peace. Most of the time, I watched the world pass by, and all I could think about was sleep, bananas and yogurt raisins.
But in me, there is another Ivan hidden.
He can break an adult's hands and feet.
He can taste revenge at the moment when the snake sticks out its tongue and tastes the air.
Another Ivan is gradually showing his determination and strength, and the other Ivan is accumulating and releasing his belief in freedom. )
Day after day, I waited. Night after night, I was painting.
Ivan can only continue to wait patiently during the day. At night, Ivan is quietly accumulating strength, with which Ivan will break free from the cage. )
I want to draw, which is different from before.
What I drew was not what I saw before my eyes: a banana and an apple. I draw what I see in my mind and what doesn't exist in reality.
At least, it doesn't exist yet
Ivan once had only a few monotonous bananas and apples in a simple cage in his eyes. Now Ivan's thoughts have gone beyond the prison. He can see things outside the cage, and this kind of sight will bring his body and his friends out of the cage. )
I have to wait. That kind of thing will come to me, and then I will know that my painting is finally finished.
Painting is Ivan's idea; Painting is Ivan's imagination; Painting can make Ivan imagine the world outside the cage; Painting can make Ivan express himself. What else did he almost do? He has enough patience to wait for the answer. )
-I'm still thinking, the hundredth time, maybe the thousandth time, what's missing from my picture. For a gorilla, this is really a very difficult thing. )
It's a deal.
Humans like their language.
For Ivan, this word is completely meaningless. In order to make people understand, Ivan will begin to learn human characters. Humans can't even understand Ivan's paintings. How hard does Ivan have to work to understand human character? )
-"I like Ivan's paintings." Julia said, "He put his feelings in."
"He put his hair in."
You are what you see. Julia regards Ivan as a friend, so she sees the feelings in Ivan's paintings, while Julia's father only sees Ivan as a gorilla, so she only sees Ivan's hair. )
I hit the wall, screamed and roared. I beat my chest, beat my chest, beat my chest.
I finally got angry.
I want to protect someone.
Ivan is no longer the gorilla who is willing to be locked in a cage. He opened the box of memories that he dared not open in the past. He has fully understood those memories about freedom, and he clearly remembers how his parents taught him kindness, fortitude and loyalty. He remembers his growing process: making mistakes, playing games, studying and starting over. He remembered that he had lived a free and precious life. He once had all the qualities that a silverback gorilla should have: guide, teacher and protector. He beat his chest and feet, and no other gorilla can compare with him. Yes, Ivan wants to protect Ruby. He tried to escape from the cage with Ruby. He wants to release hidden Ivan. As the song goes: Only when I am dying can the real me be born. That's me, that shines, that flies, that indomitable spirit, that's me. )
-I crossed my hands on my chest and looked at her.
I didn't expect it to take so long.
Humans.
Sometimes, even chimpanzees are smarter than them. Julia is Ivan's friend. Ivan is very patient with his friends. He is waiting for Julia in fear and trembling, which is very important and related to whether he can successfully escape from the cage. However, at present Ivan can only wait patiently according to the resistance. )
On the other side of the performance field, Julia suddenly raised her fist. "Yes!" She shouted, "Dad! I tell you, this is: h-o-m-e, which means home. "
Julia finally understood the first word in Ivan's dictionary of life: home. For Ivan, this word is about vows, promises, beliefs and freedom. Julia must have spent a lot of time from watching Ivan's picture to watching Ivan's first sentence. However, for Ivan, he did his best. However, it's all worthwhile. His efforts paid off, and he finally took Ruby to the zoo, a very good zoo, just like Shi Daila said: a zoo showing human compensation animals. They started a new life. )
She has smart black eyes, just like my mother. She is wearing a white coat and smells like a blooming iris. Her hair is thick and brown, like the color of rotten branches covered with delicious ants.
Poetry of nature began to flow. Ivan, who thought he was the last gorilla in the world, finally met another gorilla. )
-During the day.
Grass.
Trees.
ant
Branches.
Birds.
Earth.
Clouds.
The wind.
Flowers.
Rock and roll.
It is raining.
Ivan finally came out. The world he saw was a poem in itself. A poem of freedom. A poem that needs no language to weave. Ivan's contact with nature is a painting, and nature is a harmonious background. Ivan is a moving color and a vivid life form. )
-Eye contact.
Show your posture.
Walk with your head held high.
Guru guru.
Throw branches.
Give a grunt.
Take action.
Falling in love is a very laborious thing.
Ivan can certainly learn the body language of love. )
-I calmly walked to the mountain and enjoyed the feeling of grass around my knuckles. There are children crying in the breeze and the buzzing of wasps. Near the top of the mountain, there is a tree with drooping branches, which is the kind of tree my sister would like.
Ivan and Ruby got some freedom, but his sister didn't, and neither did his good friend Shi Daila the elephant. They're all dead. )
I nodded, and then turned to my family, my life, my home.
"Hercules silver-backed gorilla." I whispered.
Ivan finally found himself: Hercules, silverback gorilla. )
Go back to The One Ivan and write a sentence at the beginning of the book: "It's never too late to be what you want to be."
Yes, thank you, Ivan, for telling such a good story. To be exact, he explained such a good story with his life.
We should also practice this rule: be the person we originally wanted to be, from now on.
Moreover, human beings should also do it and reflect on themselves. We are not too late, we still have time, and we still have a chance to do it:
Let the trees return to the forest
Let the river return to the sea.
Set gorillas free
Give the child back to the future.
……
"Run to redemption with love,
Peace will follow. "
……
Yes,
Humans,
Put love and peace
Give it back to the world.