"Lincoln": He always stood where there was light

1. "The Biography of Lincoln"

Actually, I have no particular preference for biographies. I read some occasionally just by chance. But Lincoln's biography can be said to have original intentions. Some time ago, I read Carnegie's famous complete collection of "The Advantages of Human Nature", and my impression of Carnegie as a person has been greatly changed. I even remember the example of Lincoln he quoted in the "No Complaining" section. The author said that he has studied all the literature about Lincoln and knows his life very well. He believes that Lincoln is the most tolerant and non-complaining person in the world. .

No matter how great and holy a person is, our interest in him still comes from the most secular place - the uncomplaining Lincoln, not the great Lincoln. So, I had the urge to learn about Lincoln’s life.

At that time, I had no idea that Carnegie had actually written "The Biography of Lincoln." I went to the bookstore to pick out books that day and happened to see a copy. I bought it and read it. It turned out that it was Written by Lao Ka. He made it very clear in his preface to this book that he wanted to write a biography that everyone could understand. Therefore, the whole book is not too densely narrated, but selects representative events according to each stage. The book is not a thick one and is easy to read.

After reading it, I feel that the description of Lincoln’s leadership in the Civil War is not specific enough, and this colorful chapter should be written more thoroughly and comprehensively.

While reading, I always had the illusion that I was not reading the life of a great man that I expected, because he was always failing, and even the marriage where everyone ended up happily failed. It was really full of "Negative energy". If he hadn't been elected president in the end, I really think his life would have been ordinary. However, this made me curious and wanted to know more about this person, more from the history of human nature and the Civil War.

2. The movie "Lincoln"

So it would be great if Director Spielberg filmed Lincoln from his childhood, so that I can compare it with the text and get more information. Good interpretation of Lincoln. It is said that the director had been preparing for the filming of this film for twelve years, and had been struggling to find a suitable entry point. It can be seen that the final choice to show the time only after he became president at the age of 56 was not accidental.

Spielberg is known as the most Hollywood director. His movies have created many paradigms in the history of Hollywood movies. This movie uses deep and heavy tones from beginning to end, and the use of light is very restrained. In my impression, Lincoln's face is always in a state of half-darkness and half-light. It seems that the director is conveying a signal: he is a great leader, but first of all, he is a real person with his own pain.

After Lincoln died, his son asked people around him if his father was dead. When they answered yes, he said that he could finally be at peace, which he had never felt since he came here. Be happy.

Lincoln actually did not have much enthusiasm for politics and power in his heart. His greatest wish in life was to abolish slavery and make everyone equal in the world. This was all his choices and actions on the political path. The highest guide and the only direction. It can even be said that Lincoln seemed to be born to save black people.

But at the same time he is not at all like a "leader". At the very least, he was too kind. It is said that kind people cannot be leaders, because the inner conflict is too great, which is not conducive to decision-making on the one hand, and on the other hand, they suffer too much. I don’t know how Lincoln reconciled the contradictions between these two aspects in his real life, but judging from the results, his generosity was still too weak even during the war, but it still shone with the brilliance of humanity, and he was obviously strong. The self-controlled side, for example, in the only major quarrel with his wife Mary in the whole film, about the death of his son Willy, he said: I don't want you to show that kind of grief, because I don't allow myself to be like this.

He is more like an old man who takes care of his homeland. He is described as old, with no sharpness in his eyes. He is hunched over and walking alone. The top hat on his head reflects his loneliness and loneliness. He likes to talk about He is a joker and never speaks harshly. Occasionally he will say "I'm too tired".

In the movie, it is these indispensable details that give Lincoln his most basic character: he looks at the world from the dust.

People standing in the dust often like to look up, but Lincoln gave his soul to all living beings and looked down, so he saw goodness and its connection with life.

He "fighted" with the people in the cabinet, "fighted" with the Communist Party and the party, and "fighted" with the Democratic Party. In the end, I saw him slamming the table in order to stop the last quarrel before the vote. I think he is a bit like Tang Monk. He may not be perfect, and he may not have the ability to reach the sky, but he always stands in a place with light and always knows where he is going. This is also the part that touched me the most in the whole film.

Spielberg said this is a movie about Lincoln's work. Indeed, the film does not focus on the entire Civil War to show Lincoln's leadership and political talents, but explores Lincoln's truest state amid various difficulties, relationship constraints, and pressure.

The scene where the amendment is reached is the climax of the whole film, because the director's grasp of the rhythm gives the whole scene great tension, which is very exciting.

Regarding the love life of Lincoln and his wife Mary, the movie tries to avoid too negative events. Basically, Mary’s character is not annoying. In fact, if the facts are true, Lincoln is the owner of the most unfortunate marriage in the world, and the torture he suffered in his relationship should be far more than what is shown in the movie.