Avatar
Nowadays, not too nowadays though, world is crowded by, especially through audio-visual media i.e. movie, the word ‘Avatar’. But, what actually Avatar is? Avatar, or Avatara in Hinduism religion, can be defined as incarnation of god, especially Vishnu, in human or animal form in order to help mankind from harm and injustice. Vishnu or Agni or Chu Ta is one of the major of gods of Hinduism and Indian mythology, beside Indra, Soma, and Shiva, that is regarded as the god of peace, the preserve of the universe. According to two beliefs, human may accomplish by following predetermined paths of task faithfully, and good and evil powers (gods and demons) contend for dominion of the world. Unfortunately, the balance of the power was troubled by evil. That’s why Vishnu descends to earth in a mortal form (avatar) to save humankind and world. Rama and Krishna are two important descents that are popularly recognized. Customarily, he is depicted in dark blue with four arms: one hand holds a lotus; a second holds a conch; a third holds a discus; and the fourth carries a mace. While lotus symbolizes unfolding of creation and conch symbolizes the origin of existences, discus and mace apparently were gained by Vishnu as reward for those who can defeat Indra, the god of the atmosphere, storms, rain, and battle. Lately, based on lotus and conch, Vishnu is assumed as the four elements of the world i.e. earth, air, fire and water. But as we know, numbers of movies represent Vishnu in his form of Avatar refers only to earth. The rest is forgotten, and that cannot be forgiven.
Aphonia
Related to a movie still, there is a Japan’s movie entitled The Snail Restaurant. What will be discussed is not about how the story is, for there are lots of aspects that can be analyzed, but rather than the main character of the movie. Rinko or Furino Rinko is actually an excellent girl with skill and talent. Little Rinko is an unfortunate girl for her the people of her villages always make rumors that her mother likes men so much. This makes Rinko sad that and calls a mind by leaving her mother and went to her grandma in the city. Within her grandma that is great in making dishes, she learns everything about it until she makes up her dream to manage a restaurant. But before she conveys her dream, her grandma has already passed on and left to her a grind to make miso (one of Japanese dishes). In a short time, she falls in love with Turk man that has same interest in dishes. But, unfortunately, the truth is revealed: His love is a thief that steals everything belongs to Rinko: money, love and her dream. The result of this is aphonia. Rinko looses her power of speech and makes conversation with helps of a note. She writes everything on it each time conversation is held. As a term, aphonia defines itself as some kind of incapacity in speaking a language with no relation to disease or injury over speech instruments (articulation). It is rare from other characters in most of the movies since the main character is the significant one that delivers within him or her message of the story in the movie. In this movie, Rinko speaks not a single word except one: oishii, which means delicious. Related to nowadays situation of the world, one maybe keeps this aphonia to decrease sounds and voice so that, for a little while, one can have a peaceful life far form noise and crowd. Rinko is a fine model of aphonia, living a life without voice and sound, though a the fact drags her down, as the climax of the movies is revealed, that she was born form her mother that keeps the virginity till the end of life.
Agraphia
Recently, I have been writing whether articles, short story, poem, etc. using ecological view for its perspective –yet, I haven’t published the writings in this blog. The problems occurs when I write some writings that have no classification or, let‘s say, genre among what I have said before. Surely, the writings talk about everything in exception that it uses one and only ecology for their perspective. Things definitely have names and I assure myself to give names for my writings unless if I condemn myself to lose my creativity in creating works before I have to be defeated upon agraphia. The word agraphia consists of two main root of words, i.e. a which means without or not, and graphia, that is derived from Greek graphein, which means write. In other word, agraphia is meant by having incapacity to state one’s mind over writing. I have experience how does it feels to be an aphasic person, which is not only lack in understanding language whether speech or written, but also lack in holding conversation, stating myself, and recognizing sign and symbol. And I don’t want this recent problem turns me back to that situation. At last, action is accomplished. Based on fact that man is animal educandum (homo faber) I made myself status or genre upon my writing. I call it ecography, that in indirect way makes one as ecograper. However, in my opinion, name is matter, because only human being that makes names upon things before he or she gives a damn upon something. [Pipin Saswa]
Subang-West Java, December 18, 2011
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