After School - Week 12 & 13 (Movies and Books Special Post)

Welcome back, everyone!

For this post, I’m changing the format a little. Since these are the last weeks, I don’t have much course insight to share with you. You might have noticed the bulk of information I’ve been sharing has been going downhill. I’m not sure if it‘s because we have less interesting material after the midterms or I‘ve started paying less attention to/retaining less information. Could be both. But I still tried my best to keep up with the posts! The week 13, on the other hand, was mostly a revision week. So, I decided to combine weeks 12&13 and share only WTW and WTR sections with you (and the news section ofc)! Does that sound good?

What to Watch (WTW)

Mary & Max, Adam Elliot

“Que sera, sera…”

“You are my friend. You are my only friend.”

I watched Mary and Max last week (Week 12) after coming across a comment about it. The commenter said that after watching the movie, they felt like they could do anything. Naturally, I assumed it would be a self-discovery or coming-of-age movie, and I thought, why not give it a try?

I have this habit—I don’t usually look up a movie’s synopsis beforehand. I prefer to figure it out as I watch. (You might have also noticed that I don’t often include synopses in my reviews either.) Anyway, although it was an animated film, it was definitely not for children. In fact, I found it deeply tragic and, at times, even painful to watch. That said, I think everyone can find something to relate to in it. Max’s question got me into thinking: why do people treat him as the weird one when there are so many others who are even weirder? He also wears a necklace with a small book that helps him interpret people’s facial expressions and what they mean. That detail struck a chord with me because I sometimes struggle to fit into social situations. I find it hard to meet expectations, or even detect what they are, so I could really relate to Max in that sense.

The movie was done in stop motion, and I read that it took five years to make. Impressive, isn’t it? By the way, the director has another movie that came out this year called Memoir of a Snail. It had been on my watchlist for a while, but thanks to Mary and Max, I finally got to know this director’s work.

Perfect Days, Wim Wenders

“The world is made up of many worlds; some are connected, and some are not.”

This week (Week 13), I finally watched Perfect Days by Wim Wenders, a movie that had been on my watchlist for far too long. It’s a story about a simple life—one that’s full of meaning, beauty, and routine.

Hirayama’s days revolve around a seemingly modest job: cleaning public toilets in Tokyo. But the way he approaches his work is remarkable. There’s a quiet pride in the way he folds toilet paper into a triangle or ensures every detail is perfect. It reminded me of something Martin Luther King once said: “If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry”.

His life isn’t just about work. It’s about appreciating the little things—reading literature, collecting cassettes, enjoying photography, noticing the changing light of the day, and taking time to connect with nature. He moves slowly, deliberately, savoring his routine. It’s a simple life, but one that feels deeply fulfilled.

When the frame shows him and his life, you are filled with tranquility. You enjoy the rhythm of his days, the beauty of his surroundings, the small rituals that make up his world. But then, when other people get involved, it breaks this serenity. You witness clashes that disrupt the calmness of his routine. The women in his life—the girl who listens to a cassette in his car, his niece, his sister, and the woman at the food stall—bring moments of conflict that feel jarring against the quiet flow of his days. They don’t see the depth of this person. They approach him superficially. Or maybe that’s just how life is—you can’t grasp someone’s entire layers just by being their colleague or whatever. And I felt anger. Anger because they disrupted his serenity. Anger because they failed to see the beauty in his soul. Especially when his sister asked him, with horrified eyes at his response, if he really earned his living by cleaning toilets. It’s impressive how such a serene and soft movie can evoke such intense feelings.

Perfect Days is mostly silent —Hirayama speaks little to nothing—but that’s its power. It lets you sit with the quiet, feel the tranquility, and absorb the details—the way the day changes, the sound of a street cleaner’s brush in the morning instead of an alarm. It’s a meditation on the value of living intentionally, no matter how modest or overlooked that life might seem.

What to Read (WTR)

Savaşları, Kralları ve Filleri Anlat Onlara (Tell Them of Battles, Kings, and Elephants) by Mathias Énard

Speaking of Michaelangelo… This short but powerful book follows Michelangelo as he is invited to Istanbul by Sultan Bayezid II to design a bridge over the Golden Horn. Through Michelangelo’s eyes, we witness 16th-century Istanbul, its unique culture, and the nature of human relationships. What surprised me the most, though, were the parts about Granada and the fall of its kingdom—they came out of nowhere yet fit so well within the narrative. I am also surprised that Mathias Énard is currently teaching Arabic in Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona!

Despite its brevity (you could easily finish it in one sitting), the book offers a richly detailed and captivating story. I also can’t help but comment on the translation by Aysel Bora—it was exceptional, elevating an already great book to another level.

Sevme Sanatı (The Art of Loving) by Erich Fromm

“Paradoxically, the ability to be alone is the condition for the ability to love.”

We rarely think of love as something to be learned. Often, we see it as a means to an end or reduce it to the object of our affection. From the very first pages, the book challenges readers to reflect retrospectively. For instance: How many truly loving people have you encountered in your life?

What I loved most is how Fromm approaches love as if it were a science. Reading this felt like diving into a well-crafted research paper. He starts by defining love and art, explaining why love is considered an art, and later delves into different types of love and their practical application. Fromm proposes four essential elements for loving: care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge.

You can find many quotes from this book online, and if you go to my 1k account, you’ll see the ones I’ve highlighted. I won’t go into detail here. Though this book is also quite short, it’s much harder to read because of its scientific and philosophical depth. It makes you pause, think, and reconsider your own understanding of love.

Anything new?

Yes! Last week (which is Week 12), my brother was invited to participate in the Boğaziçi Environmental Awards exhibition (held at my university)—a proud moment for all of us! His works, crafted from upcycled denim fabrics, showcased not just his creativity but also his commitment to sustainability and love for nature. This exhibition wasn’t his first contribution to the cause; this year, he has led workshops and given talks about sustainability. It was wonderful to see his efforts recognized with a plaque, awarded to him on stage. Watching him share his journey and inspire others felt truly special. You can visit this link to read his thoughts and watch the video of the event!

On a personal note, the event had a little bonus for me too. I got to connect with one of the few celebrities I know, Doğan Akdoğan, which added a fun twist to an already memorable day!

And here we are—the end of 13 weeks of sharing course insights, what to watch, what to read, and glimpses of personal notes. This chapter comes to a close, and I want to thank you for being part of it. It’s been a joy to share this journey with you.

Until next time!

Betül Mulbay

22.12.2024