# 4) How can we use “metaphorai” (Schirato/Web 82) help explain this film (Children of Invention)?
In “Visual Narratives” by Tony Schirato and Jenn Web, Michel de Certeau defines metaphorai, root word: Metaphor, as “a bus or a train, stories could also take this noble name: everyday, they traverse and organize places; they select and link them together” (Schirato/Web 81). In Children of Invention directed by Tze Chun, metaphorai can help explain this film by allowing us to see the journey the characters are on. In the beginning of the film we see that Elaine, the mother, loses her job with Vitafuture, while losing a lot of money in the process. In result of losing her job, she can no longer pay for her house which leads the mother, Raymond and Tina to live in a vacant apartment complex. This living situation is completely secret because they complex are not open to the public yet. After moving to the apartment we witness the hardships of taking care of children and not having a lot money to take care of them. Elaine calls many companies, in hopes of getting another job to support her family but nothing comes from it. Until Elaine goes to an informational party, with her children, she gets involved with a pyramid scheme job.
Although we have not finished the movie, we see the journey Elaine and her children are on. The process that she goes through, including the emotion and frustration, is obvious for the audience to see and be effected by. Metaphorai can help us explain and understand the film to us because we see where the family has been and how they are dealing with day to day hardships. When a film practices “metaphorai”, the audience is more involved and easily constructed that way.
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Thank you, Lyndasy. After reading your post, I rethink about the meaning of “metaphorai”. As Lyndsay points out, Elaine is moved out of the job losing money and dream, and bounces from one sale jobs to another with making endless class to find another fast opportunity to overcome the loss. That condition makes her wander with their kids and it was the main story of the film we saw in the last class. But, today I saw another “metaphorai”, two kids’ survival travel. Though I expected their journey because of the trailer, I never thought their travel is similar to what their mother is struggling. In this point of view I think, the kids’ movements repeatedly explain their mother’s situation with an additional approach.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, the director achieved to make the film as (not just accusing documentary-style, low-cost film) (but) well dramatized hopeful message. Elaine is not mad for money like gambler. Actually, she is trying to recover because she is mother of a family. She seems to love their kids so much and always take care of them, even if she is tired and busy. I think her way to escape the economic crisis is absolutely wrong and crazy, but the reason she was crazy about the pyramid is based on her role in the family.
Just like Elaine, Raymond carries his sister and tries to escape the emergency. He plans to take subway and goes to China town. Similarly, Raymond had to stay in the house. Two young kids wandering alone in Boston? Probably, Raymond felt certain sense and responsibility to solve the problem quickly with a way of going outside which is not the best way as much as his mother’s choice. But can we blame the boy’s choice with just a sense of security? Though we fully don’t know what it’s really like to be left in a temporary house without anyone’s help. I think the film extends this question from Raymond to Elaine.
Second of all, by Raymond’s choice, the physical distance between Elaine and the kids get far away. No roof, no food. Because they don’t have enough money, they even can’t buy two pieces of pizza, but one. For keeping his sisters from starving, Raymond chooses to bear. In the painful and fearful life travel, there is love for family members. Keeping the family is itself part of the reason for the journey. We can also read the love of mother from Raymond’s devotion to his sister.
My conclusion is that the ”metaphorai” in the film devoted to the film’s bright message behind the dark side, and indirect possible questions.