4 Life Lessons from Wonder Woman
It’s worth starting out this piece by noting that I’m a guy. I know that this movie wasn’t made with the image of me in mind, walking into a cinema with a group of friends and staring at the screen in anticipation of the latest from the DCEU. No, this film was made by a woman, for women and girls around the world.
But.. Yeah.. BUT… Wonder Woman can be your hero, no matter who you are. And if she’s a hero to you, that’s awesome. Walking out of the cinema, as a person who was almost completely losing hope in the DCEU, I can safely say that my faith has been restored by Patty Jenkins.
And while I was initially skeptical on the casting of Gal Gadot; she has now become Wonder Woman for me. Well done to these amazing women, and all the people involved in this project. Now, on to some life lessons from the film that has been dominating the box office, and inspiring people around the world.
A Hero’s Strength is more than Physical
Yes, Diana is a goddess with super strength who has amazing weapons and armour. I mean, when she smashed that bell tower and that tank everyone was cheering in the cinema! But she’s got so much more than that. Her strength is empathy. It’s not what she does, but why she does it.
When she runs shield first into No Man’s Land, they could have had her turn to the camera and have a “I am not a man” moment, but they didn’t. It’s clear as day that she is willing to do what no man there can or (if they could) will do. She DOES it, and therein lies her strength.
You Define You
Yeah that message is for anyone, not matter who you are. It’s important to remind yourself that you can do great things that are of you, and not dependent on others. But it’s worth noting that this is especially important as a message to young girls who will be watching this film around the world.
Wonder Woman is, no doubt, an icon; a role model for many girls and women around the world. In the world today, and in representation in media, it’s important that the message is made clear: You are not defined by the people around you; by the men around you, whether they are a part of your life or not.
Your strength is not dependent on the weakness of others, and your world and life should be shaped by your decisions. This is especially poignant in the wake of a speech that Jessica Chastain made at the end of the Canness Film Festival this year. See the video below, shared by Ava DuVernay.
Say that, @jes_chastain. https://t.co/H7QHnEE5JA
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) May 29, 2017
EDITOR’S NOTE: The video tweeted by Ava DuVernay was removed on Twitter. Here’s the video once again, as a reference:
Kindness is Kindness Anywhere
In the first part of the film, we spend quite a bit of time in Themyscira, where Diana is from. We see her grow up, learn to fight, and get to know the values that are instilled in her.
The rest of the film is spent in London, as well as the heart of World War I in Germany occupied Belgium, where Diana travels with Steve, and they make their way through the war-stricken land in order to thwart Ludendorff, Dr. Poison, and Ares himself.
So, for a part of the film Steve finds himself in Diana’s world which is alien to him, and she then finds herself in his world, which is completely unknown to her.
Although Diana’s people are very skeptical of Steve upon his arrival, they soon find out that he doesn’t mean them any harm.
The thing that is clear on both sides is that these are two kind people. Their kindness carries the same weight in both worlds, and I think that that is a remarkable idea: That kindness is this currency that you kind of just give away to the world around you. No expectations. It’s pure.
Women will save the World
Yeah, it’s true. Look at all the shit in the world today, and in history, and you’ll see a common theme: The war and violence are predominantly caused by men. It’s just a fact. Maybe, just maybe we need more women leaders in the world. Women who have strength, women who have worked hard and defined themselves by their behaviour and positive intentions; women who are kind and who can lead us into a better future.
No matter who you are, we all have Wonder Women in our lives. Here’s to Wonder Woman (the film and character) and hoping it continues to inspire scores of women and men (and boys and girls) around the world.
You can watch the first trailer for Wonder Woman below:
Loved these Life Lessons from Wonder Woman? You can check out other Life Lessons from Films and TV Series we love. Please share this post if you enjoyed!
You can follow BTG Lifestyle on Twitter @btglifestyle and click here and LIKE us on Facebook. Subscribe to the BTG Lifestyle blog for updates, and email us at [email protected] if you have feedback, or would like to collaborate with us.
SAY SOMETHING