Comments on Pan's Labyrinth, Bruno Bettelheim, Uses of Enchantment

Go to Thoughts on being JewishAdd a commentGo to Pan's Labyrinth, Bruno Bettelheim, Uses of Enchantment

a very thoughtful entry 
bless you
      

posted by Smittenheimer on July 31, 2008 at 7:38 PM | link to this | reply

Hey Mal! I was just pursuing your blog! I am proud of you, this is an excellent well written blog! sammy

posted by sam444 on July 31, 2008 at 2:06 PM | link to this | reply

gap

I haven't seen the movie, but I am familiar with Bettelheim's work, which is insightful and rich in many respects, although in his apparently firm belief that a child's autism is the result of poor mothering he is simply wrong. (Maybe Freud, whom he never actually met, would have something to say about that, lol.)

His is a perfect example of the need to make a clear distiction between a man's work and his life...I don't know if you've read Richard Pollak's biography, The Creation of Dr B, which shows us a man not altogether pleasant...

And are you ever right about the insufferable 'cutifying' of everything 'designed' for children, which, I think, is a tendency particularly strong in America, spawned in Hollywood... 

posted by Nautikos on July 31, 2008 at 6:12 AM | link to this | reply

No, I haven't seen this film but it seems I should........
a real life fairy tale is so much more educational for adults all the better to understand our children and their fantasy worlds which, of course, all children have to an extent; thank you - I found this post quite enlightening

posted by mariaki on July 31, 2008 at 4:32 AM | link to this | reply

never seen the movie.

posted by shelly_b on July 30, 2008 at 7:07 PM | link to this | reply

Re: Sammy
I hope you're feeling better - and THANK you so much for the comments.  It means a lot to me.  This was one of the toughest and most mesmerizing movies I've ever seen. Mal

posted by gapcohen on July 30, 2008 at 5:32 PM | link to this | reply

Hey Mal! Wow! I have never entertained this perspective! What  an eye opener. The most revealing was this: How many children of the Holocaust had to do the same? I am in such pain over this incredible statement! The children that were lost to this horrible crime of humanity and the fear they went through. It weakens my heart! I so appreciate your blog. You write so well. I plan to check the film out. I am a bit out of sorts today but when I saw you posted I had to read you. You are one of my very very favorites. sam

posted by sam444 on July 30, 2008 at 4:46 PM | link to this | reply