ABSTRACT
Three films illuminate the joys and struggles involved in young people aspiring to do what they love. In each film, a boy dedicates himself to a serious lifetime discipline because he discovers in himself a deep affinity for it. Science, dance, and chess are the respective enterprises that grip the boys in October Sky, Billy Elliot, and Searching for Bobby Fischer. Pivotal themes include passion for a particular, demanding pursuit; the role of imagination and aesthetic experience in this passion; parental relationships; and the exercise of central virtues. First, and most conspicuously, the boys must have perseverance because their pursuits demand extensive, arduous work. It will take sustained effort to soldier on in these endeavors to even become competent, let alone excellent. The films show how perseverance depends upon a tripod of companion virtues: patience, humility, and resilience. The stories follow the familiar arc of overcoming daunting challenges en route to eventual success. In each film-story, a boy is captivated by an activity that presents itself to him as an existential imperative: his very nature demands that he engage in it. The stories then are tales of self-discovery through a pursuit that the hero cannot resist and that naturally fosters the cultivation of his innate talents.
