An Education

Unlike most parents in Korea, my parents never pressured me to study. Even coming from a family full of educators, and an educator herself, my mom supported my dad's theory: one learns the best when traveling, not in classrooms. So instead, we traveled when we could.
I had to beg once to have me go to a private academic institute that everyone else was going. "I'm gonna fall behind!" I'd rant, but my dad calmly said, "you can still keep your grades without going to that. I'd rather pay you the tuition to teach yourself than others teaching you."
I wasn't quite sure what that meant, but it sounded great. I was more motivated to study. And I don't know why I studied so hard, but I did, and thankfully, I enjoyed it. I liked competing with two smart guys (who are now finishing up studying Engineering at Seoul University, the Harvard in Korea), and I liked "pleasing" my beloved teacher.

"...you should tell us why you educate us," firmly says Jenny (Carey Mulligan) to her headmistress (Emma Thompson), after being startled by her parents' reaction to the marriage proposal (you don't need the school if you have a good husband). I paused the movie and thought, yeah, what's the point of the education system when one can learn so much more by "living it"? If you know the answer, or even ideas, please enlighten me. I continued with the film without having a conclusion.

I was not happy with Jenny--I didn't find myself on her side, as it was intended. Carey was dazzling in her beauty and acting, but I found the character hard to love, unlike for many others. I wondered what she was doing the whole time, when it was clear that she wasn't in love with David (Peter Sarsgaard). And I honestly didn't see David being married already, like I did with Up in the Air from the very beginning, and up until then, I believed that he was madly in love with Jenny. And maybe he was. But the idea sickens me now.

The father (Alfred Molina) bringing Jenny some tea and biscuits, and telling her about listening to the radio that announced that C.S. Lewis had moved to Cambridge, and all through the closed door, was heartbreaking. I melted with Jenny and with the father, played by one of my favorite actors. What a wonderful scene. I felt like calling my dad to thank him and tell him I loved him.

Did I enjoy the movie? Yes--it was smart, well-paced, charmingly-acted, and immensely entertaining. Did I like the movie? Well, yes, I think.
Right after watching the film, I sat still trying to think the message the filmmakers wanted to get through. Education system is bad? But Jenny ends up going to Oxford and lives "happily ever after" with a new boyfriend. Don't trust way older men to be your lover? Well, Jenny knew that he was a con, yet still wanted to take advantage of him. It wasn't about trust, really.

Do you have an answer or even ideas? Please enlighten me.