Assignment #1 part 2: Consider the internal and external journey that Billy Mill's experienced and describe both. How were his internal and external journeys related, i.e. how did they influence each other? Be sure to reflect on his decisions and the outcome of the race.
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" (Lao Tzu) As we continued to watch the movie, Running Brave, this is exactly what happens to Billy's journey. The first part of the movie, which I already wrote about, is just a small step into what is going to happen. As the story develops, we are shown how Billy's internal journey keeps getting more complicated as his emotions begin to take more control of his actions and his values get tested with every decision he makes. His external journey complicates and takes many turns as well; his passion to become a great athlete succumbs to the pressures of living outside the reserve.
As the coach told Billy, in order to get to the Olympics "don't ease up". For Billy running is not an obligation, but rather something he enjoys and loves to do. As the pressure builds up with the team and coach, the love and fun in running begins to fade for Billy, and he starts lose many races. This is the major part of his external journey. Billy starts to lose this identity that people have created for him, since he stops being Billy, the runner who always wins. Also as he begins to date Pat, a white girl, he confronts the prejudiced against indians even closer. Her parents don't approve of their relationship, since Billy is half native american. This ordeal doesn't end here since Billy is also prohibited to join a fraternity because of his race. As his external journey begins to take the shape of prejudice, hate, seclusion and pressure, his internal journey also begins to develop.
Billy begins to feel out of his comfort zone and running no longer serves as a vehicle to release his tension. He starts to miss the reserve and hate the way the white world works. Once after a race, an interviewer asks Billy that if he thinks his game is not perfect because of his ethnicity (referring to his indian heritage). Billy wisely answers: "Im also half white, so which side do you think loses?". He is fed up with all of the prejudice and racist remarks. His internal journey consists of trying to emotionally cope with all of this. I believe Billy's breaking point is when his family comes to visit and he feels he doesn't fit in with them anymore. His first reaction is to try to run away from it all, but since Pat disagrees with this idea, Billy quits the team and returns to the reserve to rediscover his roots. "If the sky and earth are in flames, the eagle flies until falling", Billy feels like he is falling. I believe Billy quits inside. He quits the white world, his team, his dreams, but never his passion. Once back in the reserve, he rediscovers his love for running and himself.
In the end, in the process of rediscovering himself and his roots (internal journey) Billy shapes his external journey. He makes the decision to quit and return home, but never stops loving Pat or running. Even though I haven't seen the end of the movie I believe Billy is obligated to find a balance between both worlds in order to be happy. This is where Frank fails and thats why he ends up committing suicide. As history shows, he does find this balance since he goes to the Olympics, but never denies where he came from and who he is.
It takes a winner to come from behind: Video on Billy's winning moment
As the coach told Billy, in order to get to the Olympics "don't ease up". For Billy running is not an obligation, but rather something he enjoys and loves to do. As the pressure builds up with the team and coach, the love and fun in running begins to fade for Billy, and he starts lose many races. This is the major part of his external journey. Billy starts to lose this identity that people have created for him, since he stops being Billy, the runner who always wins. Also as he begins to date Pat, a white girl, he confronts the prejudiced against indians even closer. Her parents don't approve of their relationship, since Billy is half native american. This ordeal doesn't end here since Billy is also prohibited to join a fraternity because of his race. As his external journey begins to take the shape of prejudice, hate, seclusion and pressure, his internal journey also begins to develop.
Billy begins to feel out of his comfort zone and running no longer serves as a vehicle to release his tension. He starts to miss the reserve and hate the way the white world works. Once after a race, an interviewer asks Billy that if he thinks his game is not perfect because of his ethnicity (referring to his indian heritage). Billy wisely answers: "Im also half white, so which side do you think loses?". He is fed up with all of the prejudice and racist remarks. His internal journey consists of trying to emotionally cope with all of this. I believe Billy's breaking point is when his family comes to visit and he feels he doesn't fit in with them anymore. His first reaction is to try to run away from it all, but since Pat disagrees with this idea, Billy quits the team and returns to the reserve to rediscover his roots. "If the sky and earth are in flames, the eagle flies until falling", Billy feels like he is falling. I believe Billy quits inside. He quits the white world, his team, his dreams, but never his passion. Once back in the reserve, he rediscovers his love for running and himself.
In the end, in the process of rediscovering himself and his roots (internal journey) Billy shapes his external journey. He makes the decision to quit and return home, but never stops loving Pat or running. Even though I haven't seen the end of the movie I believe Billy is obligated to find a balance between both worlds in order to be happy. This is where Frank fails and thats why he ends up committing suicide. As history shows, he does find this balance since he goes to the Olympics, but never denies where he came from and who he is.
It takes a winner to come from behind: Video on Billy's winning moment
This is a movie everyone must see. Recently, I read an essay wrote by Arcadio Díaz Quiñones whose title is "De cómo y cuándo bregar" and he talked about Víctor Pellot, a famous Puerto Rican baseball player. His story is very similar to that of Billy Mills because he also had to deal with prejudice and racism.
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