Introduction
Friendship is an important part of human life that makes it complete and fulfilled. Building connections is vital for people as social beings, which is why even infrequent meetups with friends can brighten one’s day. It is well-known that social interactions play an essential role in supporting a person’s mental and emotional well-being. In turn, loneliness and prolonged periods of staying on one’s own can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Talking to someone in a genuine and friendly manner, sharing problems and ideas, or belonging to a community can be truly therapeutic, which is why psychological support groups and group therapy exist. Furthermore, friendship is pivotal to one’s self-identity as people in a relationship influence each other’s values, behavior, and self-image. The theme of friendship is often portrayed in films as directors explore different aspects of human interaction. In particular, the movie Arranged (2007) by Diane Crespo and Stefan Schaefer shows how two women from different religious backgrounds become friends as they face similar challenges in life. Arranged illustrates how friendship can shape people’s self-identity and become the main source of support despite their cultural and religious differences.
Discussion
The movie Arranged focuses on different themes, such as religion, traditions, family, arranged marriage, love, stereotypes, and ethnic prejudice. The main characters, Rochel and Nasira, belong to two different faiths, Orthodox Judaism and Islam. In general, these two groups are thought to be hostile, and a friendly relationship between their representatives seems impossible. However, similar challenges and values in life bring Rochel and Nasira together and eventually make them feel connected. For example, both women face social pressure and stereotypes from others. Principal Jacoby, their supervisor, disapproves of their modest clothes and criticizes the lack of freedom of choice in both religions (Arranged, 00:08:01-00:08:07). Similarly, both Rochel and Nasira are involved in the process of arranged marriage, even though their experiences differ. The women find comfort in each other as they talk about the same issues and challenges. Finally, Rochel and Nasira share common values, such as commitment to family, traditions, and religion. They choose not to betray their standards despite living in a judgemental secular world. This stoicism and dedication to themselves provide a foundation for a warm, friendly relationship between the two women.
Another important point that the film Arranged makes is that friendship can be beneficial to one’s well-being. Rochel and Nasira become each other’s support as they go through life challenges. Their emotional and mental well-being benefits from such friendship on many levels. For instance, even by spending time together during lunch breaks, both women feel better compared to how alienated they were before discovering each other. Usually, Rochel and Nasira avoided other teachers’ company at this time because they did not share the same interests or engaged in similar activities. However, as the two women grew closer, they began to enjoy each other’s presence and support. Another meaningful moment in the film is when the principal violates the freedom of religion of Rochel and Nasira by making demeaning comments in her attempt to empower the two women. In this regard, both ladies feel more comfortable knowing that they are not alone in their fight for personal choice and supporting traditions. As can be seen, friendship becomes the source of improved emotional and mental well-being, encouraging Rochel and Nasira to remain loyal to their values and beliefs.
Self-identity is an important aspect of the movie as it portrays how the main characters are continuously challenged to remain true to themselves in an intolerant and biased world. Rochel and Nasira come from two different religious and cultural backgrounds, which might make it difficult for some people to find common ground for a friendly relationship. However, I think that their friendship does not threaten their identity because it is based on mutual respect, support, and acceptance. Therefore, there are only positive impacts of such an interaction. For instance, if more people were capable of accepting each other’s choices and respecting different religions and viewpoints, the world would be a better place for everyone. Rochel and Nasira’s friendship can become an example for their children and other individuals, emphasizing that people can remain true to themselves without diminishing others. Self-identity develops over time, and being among people with similar values and approaches to life is crucial to feeling supported and accepted. Therefore, Rochel and Nasira’s self-identities can benefit from their nurturing relationships despite their different cultural and religious backgrounds.
Conclusion
To conclude, the film Arranged provides insight into various aspects of friendship and human interactions. The example of Rochel and Nasira demonstrates that cultural and religious differences cannot prevent people from being supportive and tolerant toward others. In this regard, it is evident that the main characters’ friendship positively shapes their self-identity and becomes the main source of support despite all challenges and ethnic prejudice. Overall, the film supports the idea that life is incomplete without friendship and genuine connections with people who share the same interests and values.
Work Cited
Arranged. Directed by Diane Crespo and Stefan Schaefer, performance by Zoe Lister-Jones and Francis Benhamou, Cicala Filmworks, 2007.