Movie Analysis of Secohand Lions - 981 Words

The movie, Secondhand Lions, is the story of a young boy (Walter) who is dropped off at the home of his two elderly uncles (Uncle Hub and Uncle Garth) by his single mother. There are rumors surrounding Uncle Hub and Uncle Garth’s past lives and speculation that they have millions of dollars hidden on their land. Relatives and strangers hope to find or inherit some of the cash. Both uncles are reluctant to have Walter at their home and view him as a nuisance. Uncle Garth beings to tell Walter tails of him and Hub’s adventures as young men serving in the French Foreign Lesion during World War I. Uncle Hub is a wild character, who seems to be desperately trying to hold onto his youth and prove that he is still as strong and capable as ever.†¦show more content†¦The public images of the elderly uncles are both positive and negative. There are negative terms used toward them like â€Å"geezer† and â€Å"grandpa†. Our society, at times, looks down on th e elderly and this attitude is being feed through the negative attitudes being portrayed in the movie. However, the positives outweigh the negatives. The spirit, strength and adventure of the uncles certainly shines through. The uncles are very adventures and they show that no matter what your age you can still have fun and enjoy life. More importantly, the knowledge and life experiences of the elderly should be learned from and passed onto the next generation. The central theme of the movie is that despite your age, you still have a something to offer and a job to do. The â€Å"secondhand lion† that uncle Garth bought for sport ended up protecting Walter from an attacker trying to find the uncles’ money. The uncles are like â€Å"secondhand lions† in that they are being called to care for young Walter and to be the male examples in his life. Once both uncles discover their new purpose in life, they become happier with their current stage of life. Uncle Hub and Uncle Garth are both in Erickson’s stage of Ego Integrity vs Despair (McLeod, 2013). They both are reflecting on their youth. They attempt to relive it through their antics of fighting, attempting to hunt a lion, retelling old war stories, and buying an airplane. They both