Examining “The Butterfly Circus”
Have you ever wanted a different body or considered changing your appearance?
Have you ever dreamed about being someone other than yourself?
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In the last blog post, we had a bird’s-eye view of the plot of the short film “The Butterfly Circus.”
In the following four blog posts, we will dive deeper into the story, focusing on what standards the world uses to judge the value of human beings, how God views His creation, how one person can live to their fullest potential despite limitations, and what kind of social environment is the best conduit for a person’s transformation.
In this blog post, we will explore how, in general, society judges people and also how God judges human beings. You may be surprised at how vastly different these two views are.
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The film opens with the members of the Butterfly Circus visiting a carnival sideshow, where the circus master, Mr. Mendez, meets Will, the film’s main character. Will, being limbless, is put on display alongside others considered “odd,” including a bearded woman, a pair of conjoined twins, a heavy-weighed woman, and a man covered with tattoos.
Being the main “attraction” of the sideshow, Will is behind a curtain to excite people’s curiosity. The sideshow host gives an evocative and pejorative introduction to Will – a perversion of nature, a person even God has turned His back on – before revealing Will’s limbless body.
How does the crowd react?
Horror, incredulity, disgust, revulsion, abhorrence, and disdain. The audience shake their heads and turn away from Will.
One boy mocks Will by throwing a big tomato at him, knowing full well that Will cannot defend himself. Instead of stopping the boy, the sideshow host laughs at the scene, further insulting Will.
Another boy raises his hand to throw another tomato, but Mr. Mendez grabs the boy’s hand in midair. Mr. Mendez does not say anything but walks toward Will. He kneels down and looks intently at Will. Everyone is in suspense. What will Mr. Mendez do? What will he say to Will?
“Magnificent!” is the word that comes out of Mr. Mendez’s mouth.
Is he sincere? Or is he ridiculing Will, just like the rest?
Will, at least, takes it negatively. He spits at Mr. Mendez.
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Human beings can be self-contradictory. On the one hand, we feel ill at ease or uncomfortable around others different from us, whether the difference lies in size, ethnicity, culture, language, appearance, or socioeconomic background. We often try to avoid contact or interactions with those who are different from us unless it is necessary. On the other hand, we seem drawn to people who appear “odd” or “strange” to us. We find ourselves looking at them, scrutinizing them, or even being mesmerized by them. We are curious about them but hesitant or reluctant to reach out.
This self-contradictory tendency may explain why, in the film, the carnival sideshow draws so many people. People are repulsed, incredulous, or shocked at the sight of those in the show. And yet, they cannot keep from staring at those on display.
Why do people spend money to see the sideshow? To satisfy their curiosity over the misfortunes of others? To seek inspiration in the seeming “oddity” of others? Or to help them feel better about themselves because of the “imperfections” of others?
Sometimes, there is only a thin line between being curious or cruel, innocent or ignorant. Our fun may cause others pain, and our inquiring attitudes may result in inadvertent hurt.
On the other hand, many people are content with staying within what is comfortable and familiar. They never try to step out of their comfort zone of familiar social environments to reach those who are different or to understand what life is like for them.
The distance between what’s comfortable and familiar and what’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar grows more prominent over time. It often leads to misunderstandings, misconceptions, or even bias and prejudice. Society stigmatizes or labels certain groups based on long-held prejudice. Labeled Individuals may even believe the labels in the long run.
In the film, Will has believed the label society places on him – useless, a perversion, a God-reject. He is shocked by Mr. Mendez’s kindness. Will spits at Mr. Mendez because he is used to people’s cruel jokes and believes Mr. Mendez is also cruel. Will has listened to the lies for too long and believes them.
The truth is that every human being is created by God with love. God has endowed all human beings with dignity, value, and worth which no one and nothing can take away. God will not consider His own creation a perversion.
We need to avoid labels that are untrue or that cause pain, division, and hostility among people. The truth is that God loves everyone and has a purpose for each person. We are all creatures and are meant to live interdependently with one another.
Society tends to judge people based on utility – what they can produce, deliver, or offer. However, God judges people by their character. He values kindness, goodness, love, patience, humility, and honesty.
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Here are a few questions for us to ponder:
- How has your life been affected by social labels?
- Have you labeled others or been labeled by others?
- How can you overcome negative social labels?
- What factors make different social labels good or bad?
- Are you reluctant to interact with people who are different from you?
- If you are, how can you overcome your fear and reach out to others?
- If you are not, how can you encourage those who are hesitant to embrace those who are different?
- What are some things all humans share in common?
- What would our society be like if we valued each person as God’s masterful creation?
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In the next blog post, we will look at how the light of God’s truth breaks into the darkness Will lives in and how the love of the Butterfly Circus members brings life to his deadened heart.