Lion: An Exploration Of The Human Desperation To Amend And Belong

Lion: An Exploration of the Human Desperation to Amend and Belong Many needs accompany the human condition, some more essential to survival and others to our humanity. One of these conditions is the need one has to amend their past with their present. This human desperation is the topic that Garth Davis explores in the film Lion. The story follows Saroo, a five-year-old, living in poverty with his mother, brother, and sister. Through Saroo’s character development in the film Lion, Davis suggests that one’s failure to resolve the uncertainties of their past lead to them feeling haunted and lost in their present; however, if the individual is capable of remedying their past they will be able to find happiness and fulfillment in both their identity

At the beginning of the film Saroo and his brother, Guddu, are trying to steal coal from a coal train and even though they are being chased by security the brothers playfully shout for each other and loudly laugh. The almost carefree attitude of the brothers, especially in that moment of danger, portrays their feelings of certainty and safety that stem from their connection. Saroo’s attachment to his family can also be seen in the scene where he offers the reward milk from the stolen coal to his mother. This scene depicts how giving Saroo is even as a five-year-old and how caring he is of his family; he feels a strong sense of connection and certainty in his family relationships. He is especially close to his brother whom he respects and tries to imitate since Guddu takes responsibility to care and provide for their family. This is further illustrated when Saroo tries to argue that he can do night work with Guddu since “[he] can lift anything” (Davis) even though he is

Howbeit, he gets back on his search for his family as he is once again haunted and feels lost because of his unresolved past and unanswered questions. In his search, he loses control of his life, relationships and well-being in the present moment to remedy his past. Saroo shares in his hotel management class that “[he’s] not really Indian” (Davis) because “[he’s] adopted” (Davis). Here, he is still refusing to acknowledge his past and in doing so he suppresses a piece of his identity. When he is at his classmates’ house he is the only one who cannot eat with his hands and when he is offered the fork rather than participating in the etiquette he immediately accepts. This again illustrates how he has assimilated himself to live in Australia and how he tries to ignore his past, identity and culture. Later, when he enters the kitchen he sees a plate of jalebis and a flashback of his brother in the market is triggered. This is the first flashback he has had in twenty years and it forces him to acknowledge his past as well as the fact that “[he’s] lost” (Davis). After this flashback, he is deluged by memories of his past to the extent that he restarts his search. Saroo leaves Lucy to search Google Earth but when she wakes up he gets back to their room. This scene immediately cuts forward to the future in Tasmania where Lucy wakes up alone in an empty