How Does Eli Know?

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dongregg
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Re: How Does Eli Know?

Post by dongregg » Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:40 pm

This the best I could come with. From "When I Am with You."

Eli has every reason to believe that her life will go on as it always has. Things happen and she has to move, right?
Not this time. Eli realizes she is no longer willing to go back to her old life of mere survival. Being with Oskar has awakened feelings that Eli had forgotten she ever had, and the best of those feelings is joy. Without Oskar, there is no joy.
Eli makes up her mind – It's Oskar and Eli, or it's nothing. If Oskar doesn't want to be with her, this will be her last night on earth.
She goes looking for Oskar. She finds him doing water aerobics at the pool. Oscar's teacher is leading him in the exercises. A boy approaches the teacher and says something to him. It is the same boy Eli saw speaking to Oskar at the pool before. The teacher hurries away. Maybe the boy is Oskar's friend after all. Or maybe just the teacher's helper. He takes over for the teacher and they continue the exercise. But something about how the boy smiles and looks toward the pool entrance puts Eli on guard.
“For drama to deepen, we must see the loneliness of the monster and the cunning of the innocent.”

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NigelNinja
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Re: How Does Eli Know?

Post by NigelNinja » Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:04 pm

dongregg wrote:
Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:40 pm
This the best I could come with. From "When I Am with You."

Eli has every reason to believe that her life will go on as it always has. Things happen and she has to move, right?
Not this time. Eli realizes she is no longer willing to go back to her old life of mere survival. Being with Oskar has awakened feelings that Eli had forgotten she ever had, and the best of those feelings is joy. Without Oskar, there is no joy.
Eli makes up her mind – It's Oskar and Eli, or it's nothing. If Oskar doesn't want to be with her, this will be her last night on earth.
She goes looking for Oskar. She finds him doing water aerobics at the pool. Oscar's teacher is leading him in the exercises. A boy approaches the teacher and says something to him. It is the same boy Eli saw speaking to Oskar at the pool before. The teacher hurries away. Maybe the boy is Oskar's friend after all. Or maybe just the teacher's helper. He takes over for the teacher and they continue the exercise. But something about how the boy smiles and looks toward the pool entrance puts Eli on guard.
EXACTLY! She knew that life (such as it was) without Oskar was unbearable. She had let the right one in, and there wouldn't be any existence other her and Oskar!

I know its an overused cliche, but Oskar and Eli are two halves of the same whole. Not in the cheesy greeting card sense, but in a more visceral way. They were two sad and lonely kids who weren't capable of finding happiness outside of each other, and even though her centuries old animalistic survival instincts led to her to flee hastily, the humanity and joy that Oskar awoke in her brought her back to her only true love. It was just a serendipitous turn of events that she arrived when she Oskar needed her most.

When people who aren't familiar with LTROI ask me what its about I say its a modern dark fairy tale, and as it goes with fairy tales, love brings together what the world means to tear apart, and with this amazing story that rings truer than ever. Like it says in Set Me As a Seal, Oskar's home is with Eli, and no person nor circumstance can undo that. :wub:
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manananmaclir
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Re: How Does Eli Know?

Post by manananmaclir » Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:53 pm

NigelNinja wrote:
Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:04 pm
dongregg wrote:
Tue Dec 15, 2020 8:40 pm
This the best I could come with. From "When I Am with You."

Eli has every reason to believe that her life will go on as it always has. Things happen and she has to move, right?
Not this time. Eli realizes she is no longer willing to go back to her old life of mere survival. Being with Oskar has awakened feelings that Eli had forgotten she ever had, and the best of those feelings is joy. Without Oskar, there is no joy.
Eli makes up her mind – It's Oskar and Eli, or it's nothing. If Oskar doesn't want to be with her, this will be her last night on earth.
She goes looking for Oskar. She finds him doing water aerobics at the pool. Oscar's teacher is leading him in the exercises. A boy approaches the teacher and says something to him. It is the same boy Eli saw speaking to Oskar at the pool before. The teacher hurries away. Maybe the boy is Oskar's friend after all. Or maybe just the teacher's helper. He takes over for the teacher and they continue the exercise. But something about how the boy smiles and looks toward the pool entrance puts Eli on guard.
EXACTLY! She knew that life (such as it was) without Oskar was unbearable. She had let the right one in, and there wouldn't be any existence other her and Oskar!

I know its an overused cliche, but Oskar and Eli are two halves of the same whole. Not in the cheesy greeting card sense, but in a more visceral way. They were two sad and lonely kids who weren't capable of finding happiness outside of each other, and even though her centuries old animalistic survival instincts led to her to flee hastily, the humanity and joy that Oskar awoke in her brought her back to her only true love. It was just a serendipitous turn of events that she arrived when she Oskar needed her most.

When people who aren't familiar with LTROI ask me what its about I say its a modern dark fairy tale, and as it goes with fairy tales, love brings together what the world means to tear apart, and with this amazing story that rings truer than ever. Like it says in Set Me As a Seal, Oskar's home is with Eli, and no person nor circumstance can undo that. :wub:
I can remember when I was about 12, the idea of leaving a cherished friend and playmate behind was unbearable (military family). But when one of us moved, that was that. Couldn't do anything about it. I don't think it's too far fetched to think that Eli missed Oskar, and knowing he had swim, went to watch him do his exercise with the hope to meet up afterwards. It's not like Eli's parents were there to say no. In that instance, it was both serendipity and simple childish single-mindedness that lead to Eli being present when Oskar needed help. It's not like Eli had a bunch of other friends (or new friends) to cover Oskar's absence with.

"I'm lonely. Let's go see Oskar. I bet he'll play with me after swim." Perfectly simple explanation. And since Eli can fly, popping over for a visit becomes far more feasible.

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dongregg
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Re: How Does Eli Know?

Post by dongregg » Wed Feb 10, 2021 9:21 pm

Such a simple explanation is satisfying. Posts suggesting a telepathic connection--less so.
“For drama to deepen, we must see the loneliness of the monster and the cunning of the innocent.”

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NigelNinja
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Re: How Does Eli Know?

Post by NigelNinja » Fri Feb 12, 2021 12:23 pm

manananmaclir wrote:
Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:53 pm
NigelNinja wrote:
Tue Dec 15, 2020 9:04 pm
I can remember when I was about 12, the idea of leaving a cherished friend and playmate behind was unbearable (military family). But when one of us moved, that was that. Couldn't do anything about it. I don't think it's too far fetched to think that Eli missed Oskar, and knowing he had swim, went to watch him do his exercise with the hope to meet up afterwards. It's not like Eli's parents were there to say no. In that instance, it was both serendipity and simple childish single-mindedness that lead to Eli being present when Oskar needed help. It's not like Eli had a bunch of other friends (or new friends) to cover Oskar's absence with.

"I'm lonely. Let's go see Oskar. I bet he'll play with me after swim." Perfectly simple explanation. And since Eli can fly, popping over for a visit becomes far more feasible.
I like this explanation/theory. It's very heartwarming to think that she just missed her friend ❤
Hit back. Hard.

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