Talking from Ethan’s Paintings——Looking at "Stars on Earth" and talking about art therapy

Terrill 2021-11-11 08:01:15

Ethan is a child with dyslexia who is at a loss in the normal education system and is hit hard. However, he has a talent for painting, and through creation, he can release his emotions and show peculiar imagination. But what is the use of painting? How can a child who can only paint enter the society, prepare for battle, and participate in the group competition to become a "useful pillar"?
The teachers in the film are all responsible. They have their own standards and teaching styles, but the starting point is how to help children lay a solid foundation to meet the needs of the society in the future. However, due to blind spots in their knowledge, they did not understand that dyslexia is a disease, and they could not see that Ethan’s frustration was a desperation that had been tried but could not be overcome, and they just classified him as a “common sense”. Students with intellectual disability or mischief. Just like the teachers in the first school, in desperation, they suggested that Ethan's parents transfer him to a special school.
Ethan’s parents don’t think his intelligence is problematic, because the child is a clever ghost in daily life. They, especially Ethan’s father, who is a rigorous and successful middle-class man, thinks that: Caused by lack of strict discipline. So, Ethan was sent to boarding school. Here, according to the school superintendent, "the most difficult wild horse to tame will also obey."
The beginning of the film is very humorous from the music to the pictures, and even in the part where Ethan is playing truant, the tone is still relaxed and joyful. Because at this time, no matter what setbacks Ethan encounters in school, he still believes that he can shelter him at any time: home-a serious but reassuring father, gentle, tolerant and loving. Mother, every good and loving brother.
However, when he arrived at the boarding school, Ethan had no support. The family connection was severed, and the generation of a sense of abandonment distorted his fantasy world. Before, Ethan encountered problems that could not be solved in reality. He would transform into the omnipotent "Captain Ethan" in the fantasy kingdom, and use his imagination to resolve frustrations with humorous imagination although he could not get the correct answer. Even if he is inferior, he can still feel the richness of the real world, leaving a magical path of self-interpretation; however, in a strange and harsh environment, the fantasy space that once made him forget feelings has been alienated, and countless changes are made. The disgusting and terrifying spider not only swallowed the colorful imagination that can bring comfort in the past, but also gradually invaded his real world: the film uses Ethan to beat the non-existent spider and other details to depict the blurring of the boundary between fantasy and reality. , This is a dangerous generalized sign, and the child's spirit is about to collapse.
In classical psychoanalytic terms, it can be described as follows: Under the threat of fear, Ethan activated a defense mechanism to shield his keen sensibility and expressiveness to cut off the connection with the fantasy world. The consequence is that he becomes a child who is suddenly numb and indifferent, and suddenly angry and radical, that is, his perception of the real world has been isolated, deviated, and distorted. He couldn't even feel the love and care of his family anymore.
Ethan can no longer paint, even if the new art teacher creates a warm, friendly and creative atmosphere, he is still indifferent. Fortunately, the new teacher had the same painful experience. He knew that the child was already in a very dangerous situation and actively took rescue measures. In summary, those step-by-step methods are to assist Ethan to regain his own imaginary kingdom step by step, to regain his sense of competence, and to affirm his self-worth. At this moment, expressive therapy, or art therapy, has played a big role.
There is a saying in the film: Art is to release emotions. I think this is a bit one-sided. In fact, what the film expresses and conveys is more comprehensive than this sentence. Art cannot only be used to release emotions, otherwise it is a dangerous double-edged sword. Let's imagine, if Ethan continues to paint in extreme fear and releases the "spider" on the painting, what will be the consequences? He is very likely to be swallowed up by his own work and fall into complete insanity.
Therefore, artistic creation cannot be without emotions, but for emotions, there must be a process of awareness, discrimination, and transformation, instead of just letting it go, letting it flood the sky, and turning oneself into distraction or even addiction. The most beautiful works are the product of the artist's control and emotional game, not the other way around. It is a pity that some people often identify with the artist as their emotional catharsis, but completely ignore that the reason why an artist is an artist lies in constant self-struggle, overcoming emotional distress and pain as the basis for creation, and achieving works with the spirit of fighters.
The above is to illustrate that when artistic creation is just a battle of one person, there are great risks. Art therapy is performed in a relatively safe environment and atmosphere under the guidance and assistance of the therapist. After all, the goal of art therapy is very different from the goal of the artist. But in the end, there are different paths to the same goal.
Going back to the film, the child stopped drawing. This is a kind of sad self-preservation, and the final negative confrontation: if there is no ability to resist the emotions released, it is better to block it for the time being. At least, there is no need to face it. However, depression can't solve the fundamental problem. If you don't look at it, it's still there. Those negative emotions are always watching and waiting for opportunities to invade.
In the art class, a blank sheet of paper in front of Ethan's desk made the substitute teacher Ram put a question mark in his heart. Seeing the child's workbook, combined with observation of the child's daily behavior, Ram understood the danger of Ethan Situation. Through home visits, Ram not only learned about his family background and family attitudes, but also discovered Ethan's expertise in painting. This is an essential course for psychotherapists: to truly help visitors, in addition to understanding the individual, an understanding of their family and social relationships is also very necessary. One is to look for the face of the problem in the social environment. If there is a problem, it is abnormal, but the concept of "normal" has different connotations in different cultural backgrounds. Therefore, the retrospective problem cannot be separated from the specific social and cultural background, including our native family; the second is to seek social support to solve the problem. People who suffer from psychological symptoms sometimes actively cut off social support, including close interpersonal relationships, such as Ethan becoming indifferent to his family. Emotions will always irritate each other, and family members will be distressed and even angry if they don't know their symptoms. Therefore, to intervene from the therapist's point of view, it is necessary to clarify the crux of the problem and obtain the understanding and support of the family. In the film, how Ram makes his stubborn father understand what dyslexia is, and there is a wonderful rivalry.
However, to solve the fundamental problem, the cooperation of the school environment is also needed. Ram persuaded the principal to allow his help plan for Ethan to be implemented on the school platform. At this time, we can see what kind of expressive therapy tricks Ram used: writing in the sand (sensory experience); writing letters in different colors (visual guidance of the nature of attention shifting, diminishing his singular form of letters) The sense of confusion caused); practice writing "8" in the grid-like view frame, and gradually reduce it after mastering the rules of strokes... After
Ram’s home visit, I already knew that Ethan was good at painting, but consciously avoided using painting as an expression The direct use of channels, but through manual production, allows Ethan to rebuild his self-confidence. Ram led the students to freely draw materials from the natural world (this is also a trick), and the ingenious Ethan made a propeller boat that can move on its own in the pond, winning the exclamation and applause of the students.
Seeing this, I couldn't help but sigh: how difficult it is to be a professional art therapy therapist! Art therapy, if you are only confused and attached to specific expressions, you will never be able to learn it in a lifetime. Because art activities are inherently diversified, such as music, painting, sculpture, drama, poetry, dance, pottery... etc., using only the art of painting as a medium can become a complete and huge system. Therefore, it is very important to establish a project. Where to study, in which direction to go; secondly, do not forget the basic skills as a psychotherapist, basic theoretical knowledge and clinical operating procedures, the same must not be lacking.
A therapist who has a shallow foundation and only knows the various tricks of art therapy tends to cover the client with what he doesn't understand, and lacks the ability to formulate guiding steps according to the specific client. This will hurt others and yourself.
It was not until the end of the film that Ethan regained his brushwork, and it was Lahm that created an opportunity for the school-wide teacher-student art competition. Ethan finally defeated the inner conflict and appeared on the field. With the theme of putting a self-made boat on the side of a small pond, Ethan created a picture that merged reality and fantasy. There is a small detail. He used the 24 color pens his brother gave him. I think this means accepting the love of his family again. The film faintly highlights the love and competition between brothers, but it is not the theme.
In the art competition, Ethan's work won the first prize. In this picture, we can see the colorful colors and the various elements that Ethan likes to fantasize: the sky, stars, mountains, trees, water creatures... and so on. It can be said that they are all back. It is worth noting that although the child in the painting is alone, he is accompanied by a reflection in the pond. I think the "mirror puzzle" that can be interpreted as Ethan has become the source of his creation. This arrangement is actually a bit deliberate, but as a good wish of the director, after all, he played the teacher Ram in it:-D
film is very warm, and the problem can be solved properly under the arrangement of the director. However, in reality, it is extremely difficult to implement education without distinction and to teach students in accordance with their aptitude. In addition to the education system, it also involves education costs: if Ethan was not born in a wealthy middle-class family, his fate would be completely different.
There is also the issue of personal qualifications, which is similar to "Mind Catcher": Ethan and Will Hunting have obstacles and traumas, but they are both talented and talented people. Therefore, it is easy to arouse the heart of cherishing talents of Bole people. If they meet at the corner of fate, they are willing to invest their energy to help them; secondly, they can find self-confidence sooner, which is to achieve strengths to avoid weaknesses. But what about children with ordinary aptitudes and various defects?
I don't advocate short-term protection to accommodate the child's incompetence, and long sweet dreams to appease those who run into a wall in reality, which will only deepen the regression. But just as geniuses have shortcomings that need to be overcome, low-energy children can also gain a sense of competence through the guidance of action, and enter the positive spiral of "choice"-"action"-"competence"-"self-worth" promote. It's just that it is an effort that requires enough patience and meticulousness to see, and it will not shine brightly throughout her life, but if she can warm herself and let her (him) be self-sufficient in society, it will be enough. The duty of education is that parents and teachers should light this kind of dim light so that children understand that a single spark can start a prairie fire, but being a firefly for a lifetime also has its own track of light. Haha, it's a bit of a dilemma.

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Extended Reading
  • Amanda 2022-03-25 09:01:06

    The colorful pictures and innocence and simplicity have created a different kind of moving in "The Stars on Earth". Every child will be special, and whether we can treat those "special" with love, tolerance, patience and care. The children have become the inspiration for the education and growth of the book. As long as the teacher can have the brightness of the sun, each student can be a shining star.

  • Arden 2022-03-24 09:01:31

    The whole film was not as good as I imagined for nearly 3 hours, and Aamir only appeared after watching it for an hour. . . . Child, are you Xiao Luo's son! ! !

Like Stars on Earth quotes

  • Ram Shankar Nikumbh: On Solomon Islands when the natives want a part of the forest for cultivation they don't cut the trees. They simply gather around the tree and shout abuses to their heart's content. They curse it. In a matter of days the tree withers and shrivels. It dies on its own.

  • Ram Shankar Nikumbh: There are various diamonds that have been born in this world, who have changed the map of this whole world... because they were able to see this world from a different angle