“Soul: An Adventure with a Soul” is the name of a 2020 film that was directed by Pete Docter. Made in animated format, the feature film is classified as children's, although it brings lessons that can move many adults. Another movie, also from Pixar, that fulfills this role is “Inside Out”.
In this production, the public is graced with a series of surprises. The first is the reference to blackness, which appears both through black characters and the protagonist's interest in the jazz musical genre. Thus, “Soul” is an example of representation.
On the other hand, a point that can cause strangeness in the plot is the presence of death in the plot. The theme, which is also present in “Live: life is a party”, however, is approached in an original and reflective way. In that sense, the story is not sad, although it is a little harrowing for adults to some extent.
Finally, another surprise that the film presents us with is the comic relief in the form of a cat and a soul that are quite sympathetic. For children, it is precisely this part of the production that causes laughter and identification. Beyond that, though, what are the lessons that “Soul” presents us with? Check out some of them below!
The plot
Joe Gardner is a high school music teacher who dreams of becoming a jazz star. Even though he is very talented, he cannot dedicate his career to music, because this medium is unpredictable and he has bills to pay, like any adult.
When the character was unmotivated, believing he could never fulfill the dream he always had, however, something unexpected happens. An important jazz band needs a new member, who will be able to participate in the performance rehearsal to be hired.
Happy with the possibility of joining a major musical group, Joe is taken by a euphoria that makes him even a little distracted. After an accident motivated by this inattention, we see the character transform into a soul, which must go to the afterlife.
At the location where Joe is, however, he states that he has a desire to return to Earth, as he will have the chance to fulfill the biggest dream he ever had. Unfortunately, the beings from the beyond mistake him for someone else and assign Joe the mission to convince a young soul to be born, showing how good his life was.
At this point in the movie, we discover that all people choose, before they are born, what their life purpose is. With the help of a mentor, who is the older soul of someone who has passed away, they discover what their skills are and how they will be used as they develop.
It is also before we are born, according to “Soul”, that we discover what our personalities will be like, from the coexistence with other souls in this parallel universe. Even if we lose awareness of all this at birth, it is as if our essence has already been defined.
Therefore, the cycle that a soul goes through is the following: to develop in a spiritual plane, to find a life purpose with the help of the soul of those who have passed away, to be born, to live following the purpose that was chosen and, finally, return to the Beyond, to teach the other soul how good it is to live.
Despite this, the soul who ended up with Joe as a mentor can't understand what the point of life is. She has talked to many other people who have passed away, but even so, she cannot figure out why she should go to Earth. No profession appeals to her and no purpose seems to be good enough.
From that moment on, the film becomes less objective, giving space to the subjectivity of the audience. We have the opportunity to look at Joe's life and question whether he was truly happy, whether he deserves a second chance on Earth, and how someone who, in theory, failed could convince someone else to start life.
Do we need a purpose?
During each event of “Soul”, we watch the main characters claim that all people need a purpose to live well. Finding that purpose would be essential for the souls that will be born, because that would be what would bring a reason for each one's life.
However, in an intense journey of self-knowledge, Joe discovers that this idea of ​​having a life mission is very much associated with a demand from society, less linked to the true desire of each person.
To understand more about how this idea manifests itself, think a little about your childhood. There is a very common question that we all heard back then and that we have even asked: what do you want to be when you grow up? Most answers are the name of a profession, not a state of mind, for example.
This happens because we, as a society, believe that life can only be full if it is directed towards something very objective and well defined, such as a job. Joe, in this case, believed that he was meant to be an important jazz musician. But he could not fulfill this dream because he might face financial problems if he dedicated himself to it.
All people need a job in order to survive, but is that what sums up our existence? Are we born just to produce something for the world and for other people? Or does existing go far beyond dedicating yourself to a mission? Reflect on these questions and ponder whether we really need a purpose to say that we live fully.
What is the fun of living?
Taking advantage of the mission that Joe receives in the movie, do an exercise. If you had to show a soul why it should be born, what would you say? With this reflection, you will have a chance to analyze what you love most about your life, what you have already learned from it and what you can still do.
In “Soul”, we see that the young soul feels ecstatic to be in contact with nature, to taste delicious food and to be able to simply be on Earth. Would that be enough for you to be happy? Or do you still believe that it is not possible to live fully without a mission?
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As the plot develops, we notice that Joe has a big reveal. What seemed to be the biggest dream of his life, the main purpose he had, proves to be disappointing. Have you ever been through this? When we place too many expectations on something, we can blind ourselves to other opportunities, which damages our way of enjoying life.
So what's the fun in living? Why should anyone do this? These answers are not simple and they are not unique either, but they help us to have a new perspective on what we seek daily. Based on the plot of “Soul”, we can be surprised at how much better life can be if we know how to enjoy it with simplicity and gratitude.
