Overcoming Adversity in 'Billy Elliot' and 'Love Simon'

The most significant aspect of human experience in my studied texts, Billy Elliot by Stephen Daldry and Love Simon by Greg Berlanti and Becky Albertalli is overcoming adversity. Overcoming adversity is defined as ‘to prevail in spite of hardship, to successfully solve a problem or defeat an opponent, or to be consumed with something. ‘

Love Simon is a film about the protagonist Simon Spier, as he keeps his sexual orientation a secret from his family. However, when a blackmailer threatens to reveal it, he goes on an eventful journey in order to overcome adversity thus, come to terms with his identity. This concept of coming to terms with identity is similar to the prescribed text Billy Elliot. Billy Elliot is about a young boy who finds his passion for dance, in a masculine society that has strong gender values.

The representation of Billy overcoming adversity is shown in many ways through the use of techniques such as symbolism. Doors in Billy Elliot are used to symbolically represent transitions into new stages of life and life experiences. These doors also portray the resistance some of the characters experience entering the new worlds that these transitions signify. An example of this is the scene where Billy’s father finds Billy at a lesson for ballet, he aggressively pushes Billy through the door of the ballet school into the old familiar world. In the medium shot, Billy turns around to look back at the new world he is discovering, which is ballet, while Jackie looks forward. This represents the changing nature of Billy’s wishes that are completely different to his dad’s. Billy is expected to be a normal boy, however, he knows that he is not and needs to come to terms with his identity.

On the other hand, this idea contradicts in ‘Love Simon’. When Simon describes himself at the start of the film, the word he repeats is “normal.” He describes how his family is normal, his friends are normal and that everything about his life is normal. Although, one thing about Simon is not normal. Simon is gay. Because of the unfair intolerance at his school (as the only gay student that has come out is constantly mocked), Simon feels like he must keep this secret to himself, and fears that someone will find out about his sexuality. However, after a classmate leaves an anonymous post on the school blog about the hardships of being gay and links his email, Simon decided to anonomously reach out, and is glad to finally have someone who understands him. Through his correspondence with the other student, who goes by the name of “Blue”, Simon begins to come to terms with who he is and realizes with some help from his friends and family that being gay does make him slightly different, but he is still normal.

The majority of films are lack of any LGBTQ-identifying characters, and on the rare occasion that there is, the gay male is assigned to be sassy and confidant, and usually is there for the sole purpose of adding diversity to the movie. However, in “Love, Simon”, the gay character is not only the protagonist but possesses an identity that goes far beyond his sexual orientation.

Simon has more physically assertive moments in the movie as he stands up for himself to both Martin and the classmates that make fun of him in the cafeteria. These seemingly 'masculine' actions are not typical while depicting stereotypical characters and help Simon build upon his originality. Simon's character breaks almost every expectation that one may have about homosexuality. His appearance, mannerisms and clothing are not stereotypical, and they reinforce the fact that identity is on the inside, not necessarily the outside. This is an example of how Simon experiences overcoming adversity, although he has come to terms with him being gay, he does not let it make him feel the need to conform to the stereotype of a homosexual male.

This same concept of not conforming to expectations and overcoming them is shown in Billy Elliot. The long shot of the judges whilsts Billy is auditioning for The Royal Ballet School represents how intimidating this new world is for both Billy and his father. The panel is lined up in an ordered row and the desk separates them from Billy and Jackie who sit in solitary chairs in the middle of the large and otherwise-empty room. This juxtaposition of the shots enhances their isolation. However, the love Jackie feels for his son does not diminish as he continues for the sake of Billy’s future. Therefore, the audience gains sympathy for Jackie as his son’s love for dancing forces him to confront his own beliefs, values and prejudices that are at the heart of the community’s culture he is part of. In order for his son to succeed, Jackie recognises that he must let go of limiting values and beliefs about masculinity and social class, thereby enabling him to transition into thinking in a new way. This scene exceptionally displays the act of not only Billy, but Jackie as well overcoming adversity. Billy is overcoming the challenge of taking a large leap into the world of ballet, and committing to this hobby that is usually frowned upon when males do it. During this, Jackie is also overcoming the masculine values and beliefs that he has about men doing ballet, and understands that ballet is a part of Billy’s identity and decides to accept that.

Therefore, overcoming adversity is the most significant aspect of human experience in my studied texts, Billy Elliot by Stephen Daldry and Love Simon by Greg Berlanti and Becky Albertalli. This aspect of human experience is displays in the journey that both protagonists undergo, through the use of techniques such as paradoxes, juxtaposition and symbolism.