Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Hachiko

Hachiko is a movie based on a true story about a dog which waited for nine years everyday at the same spot outside the railway station for its master, who had long passed away.

The story line is very simple and there is nothing dramatic in the plot development. There is no terrible tragic scene, as the Hachiko's master died without suffering while giving a lecture (possible sudden heart attack). Yet it got most folks watching the movie sobbing away. This is its success, as it is able to link up with our inner emotion.

OK, the sobbing part is not when its master died, but the scene showing an old dog still making its way slowly to the same spot, regardless of weather condition to continue its wait.

Why did it keep going back to the station to wait for its master? The answer for most will be linked to the quotation - "As faithful as a dog".

Besides faithfulness, I think there is more to it. Perhaps it is clinging to pleasant memories it had together with is master. The railway station is where it was found and later adopted. It is where it look forward to each day accompanying its master to work and later await eagerly for his return. Don't we human cling to pleasant memories too ?

Then there is the question of sudden death, especially those which we did not witness. Even as human we find it hard to accept sudden death of a love one. This bring to mind disaster where sometimes the body of the deceased is not recovered. It is even harder for family members to accept death in this case. I wonder who have it worst, those who witness their love one suffering from slow prolong death due illness, or those who have to come to terms with the sudden departure of their love one.

So here we are talking about a dog which sent its master off to work expecting to welcome him home as usual in the evening. He never returned. Can it comprehend this? As animal is habitual creature, perhaps it kept to its routine for 9 years, until its own final dismissal.

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