The gorilla in my heart

Gorilla is the seventh picture book published by anthony browne in 1983. This picture book has won many awards, including the Kate Greenaway Award in Britain, and has been translated into fourteen languages for publication. The British "Times" commented on Gorilla in this way-"This is a classic children's literature, which describes a wonderful and touching story of a lonely little girl and a kind gorilla." Night outing may be real or illusory, which is consistent with his "surreal" style.

Taking care of the disadvantaged children, class relations and family problems is one of the themes that anthony browne is most keen on and good at expressing since his debut, even his distinctive personal style! For example, the zoo shows the indifference and authority in a family's daily life. Zhujiajian Island's story vividly describes the collapse of a family. Tunnel describes the discord between brother and sister. There is also the recent "Into the Forest", which is also about the trauma caused by parents' discord to children's hearts. He tried to provide a free space for those traumatized adults and children through picture books.

Gorillas are set in a single-parent family. This is a heavy and sad topic, but anthony browne has written it into a fantasy story. Gorilla, wearing a red and white bow tie, suddenly visited in the middle of the night, which can be regarded as Anna's imaginary father's body body double.

? At the end of the story, the author didn't explicitly point out that it was a dream, which is the charm of anthony browne! One of the greatest features of anthony browne's works is telling stories with pictures, which is why I like his works. The picture contains more details and connotations of the book Gorilla. One example is that the article only says how busy Dad is, and he never has time to spend with Anna. Even the word "lonely" is useless. But through the first three pictures (breakfast Anna and deadpan dad sitting at the table; Dad was buried in front of his desk, and Anna looked at him awkwardly behind him. There is a long shadow on the ground. In the dark room, poor Anna sat alone in the corner watching TV. ) We immediately realized Anna's loneliness, and the cold feeling brought by her father also came from the cool decoration in the restaurant. Dull food on the table; The cold high wall that dad walked through to work; Anna's clumsy body language when talking to her father and the high-backed chair that separates her father and daughter. Seeing this, you can't help but sympathize with Anna's experience, and you can't help but be shocked by your father's indifference and the sense of alienation between father and daughter. Especially the picture of Anna watching TV alone in the room, the author deliberately painted Anna very small, and the room was very big and empty. In contrast, even slow readers will strongly feel Anna's lonely heart.

? We can also find more things from the pictures: for example, eyes. From beginning to end, Anna's father didn't look at Anna. From the moment the gorilla stood by Anna's bed, she showed a warm and loving look, and then looked at each other more than once.

? For example, in the background, on the page where Anna and her father are sitting face to face on the dining table, the cabinets behind her father and the floor tiles under her feet all present a rigid geometric shape; By the end of the book, the rough and lifeless background has been replaced by the comforting flower wall pattern.

? The distance between two people and the change of food. The distance between Anna and her father on the dining table contrasts with the intimate distance between Anna and the gorilla, and the tasteless food at home also contrasts with the rich desserts on the gorilla table.

? Changes in color. At first, the cold and desolate tone is very in line with the protagonist's lonely mood; Later, Anna woke up from her sleep, soft and bright, and the overall color was like spring, until her father finally said, "Are you going to the zoo?"

? This book also hides some seemingly absurd things, but it is full of profound meaning. The Mona Lisa hanging on the staircase wall in Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa indicates the lack of female roles in this family; The mother in Whister's The Painter's Mother, which hangs in the lobby, also said that Anna is more eager for the arrival of her father's love when she lacks maternal love. The appearance of the Statue of Liberty just reflects that the mother is the goddess in her daughter's heart.

The two doorknobs in Anna's hall, one gold and one silver, seem to tell readers that choosing different doorknobs can lead them into different worlds. Then on the next page, we see them twist the silver doorknobs, which is the fantasy world that the gorilla leads Anna into.

? Chaplin's poster outside the cinema, and the poster of a cowboy in the west, superman in the movie, Che Guwana, have also been secretly replaced by a gorilla. The author also wants to tell readers through the roles of cowboy, superman and hero that the father has always been like a hero in his daughter's heart. And why Chaplin is also a recent daughter made me understand. My daughter said that the funniest thing in our family is my father, so the other side of my father and daughter is teasing.

? Anna was riding on the gorilla's shoulder when she came home. This is a picture of father and daughter that we often see. Anna, who lacks fatherly love, feels deep love at this point. The dance that the gorilla led Anna to dance also reminded me that my daughter danced with her father for the first time in the West.

? Finally, Anna's father put a banana in the trouser pocket of his jeans, which is impossible for any reader to ignore, and it is this banana that makes us wonder if the gorilla is installed by his father.

? A good picture book tells a story on any page. In fact, the cover clearly points out Anna's inner desire. She hopes that her father can lower his body and mind, take a good look at her, understand her and meet her needs like the gorilla with his arm hanging on the branch. It seems that the author only reflects the feelings, difficulties and needs of children in the story, but actually presents the weaknesses, limitations and problems of adults truthfully. Just like Anna's father, despite the helplessness of single parents in raising children and working hard, and their inability to express their feelings, he still silently cared for and waited for his daughter in his own way (which is also the reason why the gorilla doll returned to Anna's pillow later). Men always think that giving children a rich material life is the embodiment of love, and often ignore their inner spiritual desire. Finally, the father's heart was moved by Anna's love, and he crossed the barrier of the back of the chair and kissed his daughter in a condescending manner to understand and meet her needs and re-establish their intimate relationship.

I like gorillas, because they remind me all the time like warning slogans, and let me understand that while giving children material life, we should pay more attention to her inner world. This reminds me of teacher Wang Renping's words: "Cultivating" means "accompanying and nurturing". We are busy all day looking for ways to cultivate children's ability and quality, but often we don't even have the patience to accompany us. We want to omit the process of parenting, and only want to educate our children in simple, rude and quick ways such as preaching, beating and scolding, while ignoring the construction of good family relations. Relationship precedes education and includes education. With a solid parent-child relationship, education will become relaxed, happy and natural.