My own perceptions of non-conformity were challenged a number of times by both the film, Lone Star, and the discussions with my classmates. I tend to think of myself as a no-nonsense kind of person who understands that a lot of the world exists in the grey area. I was surprised that the movie's writer appeared to feel the same way yet many of my peers did not.
In the movie the sense of what is right and wrong was tested over and over again. Each character appeared to have had their own personal issues that made them make decisions that none of us would prefer to make. For instance, Sam was forced to reexamine his relationship with the women he loved. He had to make a decision that may not be socially acceptable but he seemed to reason it out within himself that the mistake made was his father's and therefore didn’t affect his relationship with Pilar. The fact that they shared the same father was something that apparently they were both choosing to overlook. For me this would be crossing that line. I understand why they wanted to make that decision but actually following through with it was taking a walk on the dark side. I was surprised that more of my peers did not pick up on this interesting ending.
Hollis, the deputy, also had to make a decision to cross the line when he shot Wade. You got the impression that he was a law abiding guy but Wade pushed him too far. Being the sole witness to all of Wade's crimes, Hollis obviously felt that shooting him was the only way to stop him. There were a few classmates who felt that it was wrong for Hollis to have stepped over this line but I think I understand. He must have been fighting his loyalty to the brotherhood of police as well as his loyalty to "white" people. The people whom Wade was killing and taking advantage of were minorities. For Hollis to step up and cross the line meant that he turn his back on several of his own internal communities.
Another part of the movie that challenged my views of conformity was the way in which Otis' boss expected him to cater to Wade. While I know that this takes place and I understand that the person telling the other to conform is trying to help the victim, it is still hard to watch. I had to wonder that if more people had stood up to Wade would he be able to do what he did. My guess is no, but then this movie was also a great study in power, where it often lies and how it works against the majority. Fear was a powerful tool in this film and in making people cross the line and do things they would not otherwise have done. There was Sam's fear of losing Pilar, Hollis' fear that Wade would never stop hurting people, Pilar's mother's fear of looking like a wetback as well as her fear of not being American enough and Otis' fear of his son never accepting him. Every character had strong personal reasons and motivation for doing what they chose to do.
Many of my classmates saw this film from a very one-sided stance. They accepted the simple upfront explanations for why the characters did what they did. I tried to look beyond that and think about the motivation behind their actions. I don't believe that anyone does anything for simple reasons, I think to make the decision to cross a line that has been laid out either by society or community or even personally a person has to feel like their backs are up against the wall. Something has to threaten them or the ones they love. This film had all of that.
Often we hear people say, "I would never do that", I personally think that this is something a person should never say because truly, you don't know. In someone else's shoes, in their pain or position we don't really know what we would do. In the case of Pilar and Sam deciding to stay together despite the revelation that they shared the same father was hard for me to understand. This was the one decision in the film that was hard for me to swallow yet I had to stop and think about it from their points of view. They had felt torn apart for years because of what Buddy did at the drive-in. They felt like they, as a couple never got a chance. They didn't know that, at the time, Pilar's mother and Buddy had a good reason for separating them. Not knowing they continued to yearn for each other and once they rediscovered each other they didn't want to let go, even if it meant an incestuous relationship. To be in love that hard has to be something else. I'd like to think that I would have made the decision not to cross the line on that one but in retrospect, who knows.
So this film made me question myself, my peers and reality to some degree. I think after having watched it I realize that everyone has a breaking point whether it is to protect you, someone you love or, at times, even total strangers. Our view of right and wrong is in constant flow and anyone who would tell you differently, well, they just aren’t being realistic.
In the movie the sense of what is right and wrong was tested over and over again. Each character appeared to have had their own personal issues that made them make decisions that none of us would prefer to make. For instance, Sam was forced to reexamine his relationship with the women he loved. He had to make a decision that may not be socially acceptable but he seemed to reason it out within himself that the mistake made was his father's and therefore didn’t affect his relationship with Pilar. The fact that they shared the same father was something that apparently they were both choosing to overlook. For me this would be crossing that line. I understand why they wanted to make that decision but actually following through with it was taking a walk on the dark side. I was surprised that more of my peers did not pick up on this interesting ending.
Hollis, the deputy, also had to make a decision to cross the line when he shot Wade. You got the impression that he was a law abiding guy but Wade pushed him too far. Being the sole witness to all of Wade's crimes, Hollis obviously felt that shooting him was the only way to stop him. There were a few classmates who felt that it was wrong for Hollis to have stepped over this line but I think I understand. He must have been fighting his loyalty to the brotherhood of police as well as his loyalty to "white" people. The people whom Wade was killing and taking advantage of were minorities. For Hollis to step up and cross the line meant that he turn his back on several of his own internal communities.
Another part of the movie that challenged my views of conformity was the way in which Otis' boss expected him to cater to Wade. While I know that this takes place and I understand that the person telling the other to conform is trying to help the victim, it is still hard to watch. I had to wonder that if more people had stood up to Wade would he be able to do what he did. My guess is no, but then this movie was also a great study in power, where it often lies and how it works against the majority. Fear was a powerful tool in this film and in making people cross the line and do things they would not otherwise have done. There was Sam's fear of losing Pilar, Hollis' fear that Wade would never stop hurting people, Pilar's mother's fear of looking like a wetback as well as her fear of not being American enough and Otis' fear of his son never accepting him. Every character had strong personal reasons and motivation for doing what they chose to do.
Many of my classmates saw this film from a very one-sided stance. They accepted the simple upfront explanations for why the characters did what they did. I tried to look beyond that and think about the motivation behind their actions. I don't believe that anyone does anything for simple reasons, I think to make the decision to cross a line that has been laid out either by society or community or even personally a person has to feel like their backs are up against the wall. Something has to threaten them or the ones they love. This film had all of that.
Often we hear people say, "I would never do that", I personally think that this is something a person should never say because truly, you don't know. In someone else's shoes, in their pain or position we don't really know what we would do. In the case of Pilar and Sam deciding to stay together despite the revelation that they shared the same father was hard for me to understand. This was the one decision in the film that was hard for me to swallow yet I had to stop and think about it from their points of view. They had felt torn apart for years because of what Buddy did at the drive-in. They felt like they, as a couple never got a chance. They didn't know that, at the time, Pilar's mother and Buddy had a good reason for separating them. Not knowing they continued to yearn for each other and once they rediscovered each other they didn't want to let go, even if it meant an incestuous relationship. To be in love that hard has to be something else. I'd like to think that I would have made the decision not to cross the line on that one but in retrospect, who knows.
So this film made me question myself, my peers and reality to some degree. I think after having watched it I realize that everyone has a breaking point whether it is to protect you, someone you love or, at times, even total strangers. Our view of right and wrong is in constant flow and anyone who would tell you differently, well, they just aren’t being realistic.
