The Bridge to Terabithia is a heartwarming story about a boy named Jess and a girl named Leslie. Both don’t fit in but they found the best versions of their selves through the power of their friendship and imagination.
The movie has a lot of themes, namely: Family, Talents, Growing up, Imagination, Friendship, Love, Dreams and lastly, Grief.
I want to discuss two themes of the movie that struck me the most: Growing up and Grief. Remember the Five stages of grief? Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance? I’d like to think that this movie reflected grief as a major part of growing up. And notice that things one would usually consider “childish” still remain in the main protagonist even as he went on grieving the death of his friend? (oops… spoilers, my bad) because being a child and remaining a child at heart doesn’t really mean that you haven’t grown up. the things like our childhood and our grievances shape us as we grow in this world full of experiences.
Several events of my life can be reflected upon the 5 stages of grief in comparison to the events of the movie. I want to share how i grew up[ a little by going through the five stages of grief, like how Jess did in the movie.
You see when I was a kid seven years ago, just like Jess, I had no problem dealing with people. Sure I felt shy most of the time, but it was never comparable to my situation four years ago from now. Sure I grew up but I never grew out of my shell and became socially and emotionally distant with my friends and family.
The Denial:
When Jess pushed Leslie away and stopped going on adventures with her after a conversation with his father, it reminded me of a time I kept denying to my parents and to myself that I became a shut-in – a coward who was afraid to show others their flaws and mistakes. I denied to myself that I was no longer who I used to be in the eyes of my parents.
The Anger:
The line “Get Your head out of the clouds” was parallel to the time I was mad at myself because I couldn’t do a thing to change myself. I was always scared to try new things and kept telling myself that I would never get rid of my fears and anxieties. My insecurities ate at me whole yet no one realized.
The Bargaining:
The part where Jess was told that Leslie died, the part where he didn’t want to accept it reminded me of the times when I kept thinking that I could’ve changed the way that I was back then if only I changed my past decisions.
The Depression:
I could relate the time when Jess fell into depression after finally accepting Leslie dying and not going to “Terabithia” to the time when I was at my lowest. When I was scared to talk to anyone out of my super small personal bubble and spent a whole summer with no communication whatsoever with my friends.
The Acceptance:
This stage is rather recent. Compared to when Jess finally accepting Leslie’s death, I finally accepted my flaws, I am still terrified of what’s to come and anxious everyday of my life, but I accept being me.
Though i stated these five I still have an additional stage:
The Resolution:
Parallel to how Jess built a bridge leading to Terabithia, and opening it to his sister, I learned to not only live with my fears and flaws but now I try to change myself. Little by little I change myself not to become who I used to be, but to become a better version of myself I have never seen before.
I learned to love myself because of my grief and maybe that’s what most of us should realize. In my experience it’s like I watched myself die but from that death a new version of me was born. Growing up and Grief is what made me the “me” I know today and it may be that way for you. But most of your probably know that anyway.
Long Short Stories 