Humans are social creatures at their core; this is how we become such successful organisms. We interacted and lived alongside others. We interacted and lived for others. But not entirely. At the very core of all humans is selfishness-- we seek to help and better ourselves first and others next. "The Hours" and Mrs. Dalloway present characters who have lost their own motive to live. Septimus, Richard, Virgina, and Laura have lost their connection to humanity; they lost the instincts that make them human; they lost a reason to live-- besides to exist for the sake of others. Richard realizes this when he says "I think I'm staying alive just to satisfy you". If he loses his basic instinct, nothing keeps him ending his life. And he does.
Although the idea of living a life for others seems awful, the opposite seems just as bad. Living a life entirely out of selfishness. Humans cannot survive living in either of these extremes; we must find a life that includes the desires of others, as well as personal needs. If only Richard had. I wouldn't have been so sad watching that movie.
No comments:
Post a Comment