Photo Credit: Abir Sharma
When I first heard the story of Ferdinand in one of the Read Aloud Sessions arranged by a friend, it took me back to my own childhood. During recess, when kids were set free to frolic in the sand pit, I would stand against the bricked plant enclosures, some distance from the pit and would relish in the fragrance of the roses, wafting through them. There was also a desire to join the crowd but many times hesitation took the better of me and the allure of this heavenly fragrance made me reject the idea outright.
With time and support I overcame the hesitation but the fragrance of peace and solitude still fascinates me. I still prefer spending most of the time of quiet mornings and calming nights to myself in the good company of my books and laptop. And I have never regretted it!
The story of Ferdinand written by Munro Leaf is about a bull who hates bullfights and ultimately decides to remain peaceful and never participate in violence, after an experience in the ring which does not excite him. Instead, the smell of his favourite flowers at the centerstage sweeps him off his feet and he chooses to sit and savour it, right inside the ring.
True to his nature, Ferdinand, through the support of his mother who works infallibly on her motherly instincts, eventually learns to cherish the gift of his authenticity.
But is the story also pointing to a darker layer of human psyche that allures us to stay in our comfort zones, devoid of challenges?
After a careful study of the theme, the story seems to reassert the premise – necessitating the effort on the part of parents and teachers, of assuring that their children and protégé stay true to the beauty of their uniqueness and learn to assert it without fear. Contrary to what many believe about the message the story is silently conveying of anti-growth mindset and not stepping out of our comfortability, the bull in fact is challenged for his peaceful way of living but stays determined on his committal of being non-violent.
The story plays on a bigger moral – the lesson Morrie taught his student in ‘Tuesdays with Morrie’ –
‘Our culture does not make us feel good about ourselves. We are teaching the wrong things and you have to be strong enough to say that if the culture doesn’t work, don’t buy it. CREATE YOUR OWN. Most people can’t do it and so they remain unhappy.’
The very idea of a violent game with aggression as its fuel, worked fundamentally as a repellent to Ferdinand and so portrayed his authenticity and not cowardice.
Lesson 1 –
Lesson for kids –
Choosing to stand for your authenticity is truly liberating. (Authenticity – being legitimate and true to the self.)
Our men, since childhood, have been nurtured to believe that they should be tough. But how far does it take them towards the boundary, where toughness ends and aggression begins? Why have we forgotten that our young boys are after all children with a tender human heart and the fact that each has their own uniqueness; some being more sensitive than the others?
Lesson 2 –
Acceptance of variety and distinctiveness – as parents, as a society.
Ferdinand’s mother, initially apprehensive about her son’s distinct behavior and fearful that he might remain singled out, eventually discovers that he is happy and complacent, for he is being what he truly is – extension of his identity without being unethical or hurtful to someone else. She accepts him in his entirety. The story can question the capacity of a society as a unit to accept a distinct member, its inclusivity and integrity. It can question the member of a tribe about his sense of belongingness to his clan.
Lesson 3 –
The story also gives a perspective on an important underrated issue of animal oppression. The fact that being a member of a particular specie can obligate someone to perform a task a certain way, is questionable. The need to live and breathe freely applies to all.
Twentieth Century Fox partnered with PETA’s friends at animal sanctuary The Gentle Barn to create this “film, based on the original story by Leaf about misunderstood animals and their right to be free.”
Every year, thousands of bulls are killed within the deathly confines of the bullrings in the fights triggered by matadors and picadors. But for many of us, in love with this gentle bull hero, the good news is bullfights are now being banned in many nations and even former champion bullfighters are now speaking out against it.
Lesson 4 –
Dealing with Aggression
Ferdinand triggers a philosophical debate and questions the child reader about whether she would choose aggression as a response to an adversity or would adhere to ‘passive resistance’ or accommodate self-defense as a justified form of aggression?
Ahimsa has long been an identity of Indians. As Mahatma Gandhi’s pet weapon in driving Britishers out, as Martin Luther King’s philosophical motivation, it has taken hundreds of years for us to understand the significance of a non-violent settlement.
While most of our decisions can be driven by circumstance and can be intuitional, several studies and researches reveal the consequence of aggression, if unregulated – major mental disorders or poor social outcomes.
In the movie Ferdinand, taken from the story, the hero asks his father – “Is it possible to become a champion, without having to fight?’
In any case, we can easily imagine a regressive world – uncivilized and primitive, if we choose to live with aggression or teach our children to resort to it as a primary form of defense.
Ferdinand was BIG and STRONG but he did not let it equate to being AGGRESSIVE.
The story works on another important sub-theme of gender-stereotyping. Working on the same lines the story penned by Indian author Richa Jha, The ‘Unboy Boy’, features Gagan, considered ‘un-boy’ – ish for being peaceful and for not joining other boys in their violent pursuits. Ultimately his friends discover and applaud what he truly is – Brave, Adventurous and PEACEFUL.
The story of Ferdinand offers life lessons for adults more than children. It is the responsibility of the parents to teach their child, the difference in facing a challenge and standing true to his identity for he might confuse the two. And for this reason, it is imperative to understand the difference ourselves first.
For kids although it offers the lesson of celebrating one’s identity in a truly light-hearted, serene narration that is enjoyed by children of all age groups.