The Dekalog One film revolves around a nonbeliever computer expert Krzysztof (Henryk Baranowski), and his son Pavel (Wojciech Klata) who wholeheartedly do not have trust in God, but rather take their computer as their god. The misplaced faith that Pavel’s father clings to is antagonistic to what human knowledge perceives right. The film fundamentally focuses on the computer as a false god that caused more harm at the end when pave dies. Montaigne’s essay on “The Affection of Fathers to Their Sons” also focuses on a number of ways and the crucial role that fathers should engage in bringing up their children. This paper seeks to explain in details the relationship between Dekalog One Film and the Montaigne essay and how this tend to affect the lives of the children at long run.
Montaigne’s take on the role of fathers as “donors” to their sons is reasonable in that, fathers tend to instill wisdom to their children on various aspects of life. A good father, according to Montaigne, provides a broader experience on social economic lifestyle and plays a rougher life competition, to ensure that their sons are well armed and ready to tackle life. Perhaps, as Kickasola highlights, Kieslowiski’s time with his father motivated him in working on various films such as Dekalog One (Kickasola 8). A father’s role as donors to their sons also includes teaching them impartiality and how to walk responsibly to the future world knowing what the consequences of bad and wrong deeds are. Sons benefit from their dads in uncountable ways. Through their father’s wisdom, they tend to know how to romantically treat their wives (Montaigne 433).
Referring to the Holy Bible, Ephesians 5:25, sons are encouraged to love their wives as Christ loves the church and also respect the male-female relationship. Fathers are supposed to teach their sons issues related to faith through scriptures that will instill virtues such as uprightness, hope, and perseverance. Faith strengthens and keeps their sons going especially when they encounter life challenges. Montaigne curses the tendency of down looking boys’ emotional touch to their fathers by the society, it should be understood that men also tend to need such a paternal love and affection. He insists that sons should at least benefit from their fathers by getting whole affection, approval, affirmation, and appropriate touch. However, in some cases, father’s fail to play their roles and subject their sons to situations that destroy their future (Montaigne 435). Boys mostly admire their fathers and want to be like them when they grow up. Fathers are, therefore, suggestively required to whisper genuine love, appreciate their physical talents, and get to know what works for their sons.
According to Montaigne, a number of studies reflect that, immediately after birth, children who are directly attached to their fathers grow physically and emotionally. Their confident and self-esteem is raised and they tend to be disciplined. The way fathers interact with their kids can be seen as a simple act but it truly contributes much to their social and emotional development, thus knowing the importance of being emotionally intelligent and how to respond to the outer world. Studies have also shown that fathers greatly influence the stimulation process of a kid as compared to their mothers. Right from the preschool level to young adulthood, one on one bonding of fathers with their sons has been linked with good education outcomes, proper verbal skills, and emotional growth. In the real world and according to Montaigne, it is evidenced that fathers play a crucial role in the cognitive, spiritual, and general health of a child. For this reason, fathers are urged to link with their children in all fields and value their role in the family.
Indeed, as Montaigne argues, fathers try am much as they can to bring out the best in their sons. However, it is not guaranteed that their sons will positively respond. In the Book of Luke chapter 15, the parable of the prodigal son is a reflection of how fathers play their noble and just role to ensure that their sons live in comfort. Despite the love from his father, the son in the parable walks majestically, demanding for his portion from his father’s wealth. The dad, out of love, did not hesitate but matched his expectations. The son wanted to make life a heaven on earth by believing on an independent life, out of his dad’s sight. After going away from home, he spent unsparingly, remained poor and he had only one option, to eat with the pigs. Nevertheless, it is amazing that his father did not buy other people ideas; he loved his son so much and ceremoniously accepted him back.
The story of Eklavia from Mahabharata is so relevant to Montaigne’s take on how fathers should play a noble and fair role to their sons. In the story, Eklavia, the son of the superior tribal chief from a humble and forested kingdom of Hastinapura, wanted to become a great archer. Knowing well that his background and customs only appreciated hunting, and that archery was for the royal prince, he still took a step to convince his father to allow him to be a disciple of Dronacharya (a training master). He was passionate and yearned for an opportunity to join Drona’s Gurukul (school) and become a great warrior in the entire kingdoms of India, despite that he came from a hunting tribe. His loving father was deeply disturbed knowing the consequences of such a move. He never wanted to hurt his son; he simply blessed him and allowed him to leave for archery training. Despite mistreatments and disappointments, Eklavia emerged the best warrior. This, in turn, impressed the Dronacharya, who praised him and recognized him as the best student in the epic of Mahabharata. This is a good depiction on how a father’s hand fully contributes to the life of their children throughout the life circle by supporting their progressive diverse talents.
In Dekalog One, the measurement theory is used to evaluate fathers’ involvement in raising their kids and the relevant outcomes. The measurement theory suggests that the manner in which fathers relate to their kids especially at preschool level is associated with positive outcomes. At adolescence, the approach that fathers use to guide their sons, either positively or negatively, impact their lives in the same manner. This approach also indicates that the way children behave in school and their academic performance is directly linked to a father-child relationship. Children who engage with their fathers quantitatively perform better as compared to those who have a strong connection with their mothers. The level of sociability with other students cannot also be compared to the two slots. In Dekalog One, Pavel’s intelligently involves his son and engages him in a series of complicated computer games that Pavel seem to enjoy much. His father buys him ice skates as an appreciation of his skills. According to Montaigne, a father who got the affection for his children should prove so by rendering himself commendable to be respected by his desirable quality and intelligence and dearly loved by his compassion and the syrupiness of his manners (Montaigne 450).
Montaigne’s essay is overwhelmed by emotions because he believes that paternal affection for children starts right from birth, molded all through to adolescence and later to adulthood. He does not seem to understand why fathers do not act to their coats and do what will emotionally build their sons. In Decalog one, Pavel has an exciting and affectionate relationship with his father. At the age of 11, Pavel plays intellectual computer games with his father; his father is also much attached to his son, treating him as an adult and frankly shares everything with him. Pavel’s father embraces modernity and pragmatic validation. Krzysztof is not skeptically emotional and the fact that he engages his son on reality issues, to him, is fair and just. For instance, when panel seeks to know what death is after seeing a dead dog, his father emotionlessly and scientifically explains to him that death occurs when the blood supply to the brain stops and that whatever remains is a just achievement and memorable history. Krzysztof wants his son to embrace reality including the unfortunate events of death and does not provide fictional tales on what happens when people die. However as events unfold, when Pavel goes out to try skating on ice with his new skate gift, the ice breaks loose and he dies. His father remains somber and blames himself for the unfortunate events. In the end, he swallowed by grief and sorrow: He was left lonely!
Montaigne does not trust women when it comes to nurturing them. To him, fathers are mothers too to their kids. He argues that mothers’ affection towards their children is of importance, but not as significant as that of fathers. His stand is evidenced by the poor role that mothers play in bringing up their children. However, Irena, Pavel’s aunt, proves this statement wrong because she really takes good care of him when his father goes to lecture at the university. She tries to teach him more about emotions. When Pavel, for instance, asks questions regarding the dead dog, spiritually, Irena answers by using the Pope’s picture. She asks Pavel’s father if he is willing to allow his son to attend religious classes at the church. Irena defines God and the Pope religiously as the giver of life and source of light in this world. She further encourages him that after death, one’s soul lives but the body diminishes. The faith that Pavel has on this computer really bothered Irena. To Pavel, the strongly programmed computer was in a position to detect her mother’s dream when she was asleep. Pavel connected to his mother through the computer and her aunt tried to instill sense into his computer corrupted mind that a computer calculated love cannot be compared to a mother’s love.
Montaigne also argues that he rather be loved by his kids but nor be feared. He does not understand why men of his age fail to find a place in their hearts and embrace their children with unconditional love. To Montaigne, children get socially, physically, academically and spiritually growth when fathers play a loving role than a fearing one. As such, according to Montaigne, rewarding your children as a father is an incomparable motivation that will keep them moving while constant punishments is taken as a dissociative factor that keeps children locked in their rooms (448). Nevertheless, fathers should also ensure that they correct their children and show them that they are responsible for the consequences of their action. In Decalog One, Pavel’s father intellectually involves his son in programming their computer and made him believe on the computer as their ‘god’. However, things go astray even after Pavel’s father proves several times that the ice skates are working. Thus, Pavel’s father is seen to disobey God’s commandment by worshiping an idol (the computer). Even after justifying that the temperature will be favorable for skating, his son does not come back because he immediately dies when the ice broke down. He lives with the guilt of losing a son, possibly attributed to his actions, which could be termed as blasphemy.
Indeed, although Kieslowiski and Montaigne explain how fathers should mold their sons, the latter’s approach depicts a father who is dedicated to showing his son that no sovereign being is responsible for his success. On the other hand, Montaigne majors on the need for fathers to support their sons in what they want to do and provide guidance that builds their decisions in life. Moreover, in DeKalog One, nature is a natural and emotional force that cannot be measurable by any scientific mind. As evidenced and illustrated by Kieslowiski, a father should agree that as much as he is professional with his area of expertise such as computer programming, some life issues are better left in the hands of God. Arguably, Pavel’s father might find a chance to understand the limits of man and the abilities of God. Pavel’s father will probably take time to adjust and decide which path to follow; a religious one or his computer skills. Most likely, with the failure of his computers, he may take the church path.
Works Cited
Kickasola, Joseph G. The Films of Krzysztof Kieślowski: The Liminal Image. Continuum, 2006.
Montaigne, Michel. “On the Affection of Fathers for their Children.” Michel de Montaigne: The Complete Essays, (1991): 432-452.
