Bridge to Terabithia: A Reaction Paper

Children have the wildest and most colorful imaginations.

They can turn floors into boiling, hot lava using their minds.
They can be a fairy, an astronaut, or even a dragon, just as long
as they imagine to become one. They have the ability to see
things in a more creative manner. Disney’s Bridge of Terabithia
(which was originally a novel by Katherine Paterson) was about
two bullied kids, Jess and Leslie, who eventually became best
friends despite differences in their upbringing. They had each
other’s backs and went on little adventures together. It somehow
reminded me of my bond with my best friend. We had different
inside jokes and had a little world of our own whenever we were
together. We are inseparable and we try to keep each other afloat
and stable even if there are times when we’d face problems of our
own.

The film showed two types of families: a small family of

three and a big family of six. I came from a family of four which
wasn’t really that much of a struggle. Though I find Jess’
character quite relatable. Being the second born son of my
parents, they expected a lot from me. They wanted me to be become
academically successful whilst juggling with chores and
responsibilities at home at the same time. It was as if they were
expecting me to do everything stoically. Jess’ father had high
expectations for him. He wanted him to be the man in the house
instead of drawing on his sketchbook. Sometimes, parents set this
impossible expectation for their children. Sometimes, they even
compare them to other kids, which pressures them even more
instead of motivating them. Leslie’s parents were more open and
gave her a great deal of freedom and personal choice. The two
were raised in different environments but somehow, Leslie turned
out to be more confident than Jess because of the way her parents
treated her.

Leslie was the new girl in school who struggled to fit in

because she was athletic and struggled to fit in the feminine
category. Jess had a problem with blending in as well because he
was not as masculine and strong as he was expected to be. It was
upsetting because lately, people care too much about gender
roles. We’re not allowed to do certain things unless it fits with
our genders. It was as if the innocence that we once had as
children was now gone and replaced by the unending problems of
adulthood, a judgmental society and reality. Society shapes us to
become one of them instead of teaching us to be ourselves. We are
taught to behave and act in a certain way. If these standards
aren’t followed, you will become an outcast.

Jess’ main struggle is to discover his true identity when

faced with the demands of his family and society in general. When
Leslie came along, she helped him escape the pressures and
burdens of conformity. Like him, I am still trying to find the
truth about myself. Why am I alive? What is my purpose? Am I
doing the right thing? Until now, I am still trying to figure out
what I really want to do in life and what makes me happy. By
having a few friends around me and a few people that I could
trust, I am slowly learning to accept myself for who I am.
With strong performances from all the leads, including Zooey
Deschanel as a spirited music teacher and little Bailey Madison
as Jesse’s youngest sister, May Belle, “Bridge to Terabithia” is
able to handle adult topics with nuance and sensitivity. As the
emotional landscape darkens, those who haven’t read the book may
be surprised at the sorrow the filmmakers evoke without ever
resorting to shock or sentimentality. In other words, your
children may sniffle, but they won’t be traumatized.

The film taught me a lot of things. The first one is to

enjoy your childhood. As silly as it sounds, we should remember
how it feels like to be innocent, to find small things that can
somehow brighten up our day and to never stop being curious.
Second, we should make every moment count. We never know when
we’ll die. It could be later, tomorrow, or even fifteen years
from now. Nothing in the world is certain and change is
inevitable. We should treat people with kindness, take risks and
remind the people that we love how important they are to us. And
the last one is to embrace who you are. No law or stereotype
should ever stop you from being yourself. Accept that not
everyone will like you. Some would try to tear you down, some may
help you get your way to the top and sometimes, you have to do
things on your own. You should not let anyone tell you to act
differently or to behave in a certain way. Remember that all of
us is unique and that it is okay to be different.

- Dennies A. Elefante Jr. 11 – STEM OLLS