People seek companionship everyday. I have chosen to explore the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us”. This theme is shown in the films Boy by Taika Waititi and Dark Horse by James Napier Robertson. The book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump and the short story Ka Kite, Bro by Willie Davis also show this theme.

The film Boy by Taika Waititi shows the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us” by having the character Boy who has not seen his father since the day his brother was born. He takes his frustration out on his brother as he sees him as the reason their father left. Then one day a man turns up and asks “Who are you?” and boy replies “Boy Alamein” and then the man reveals his identity “I am your father”. Boy then believes that his father could show him through life. He wants his father’s respect and goes to the all ends to do this. He does so even if it means undercutting his friends. This means that his friends start to get hurt by his actions.   An example of this is when Boy shows his father where the marijuana is grown. One of his best friends showed him where it was and when they were running away with the marijuana he saw his friend. She looked saddened and let down by him. This shows us that even if we feel we need to chase a role model, we mustn’t lose those who are already around us like Boy did.

The film Dark Horse by James Napier Robertson shows the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us”. This is shown by the character Mana. He wants to be accepted by his dad and be part of his gang but he is not sure that this is what he wants though. When his uncle Genesis is released from a mental institute, he becomes friends with him. When Genesis joins chess club he encourages Mana to join as well. Mana is now stuck between choosing his dad and gang or Genesis and a more enjoyable life. This is because Mana feels he needs to be loyal to his dad and his gang as they have looked after him but at the same time Genesis is becoming his mentor and he trusts Genesis more than his dad. The quote “Oh come on bro, have one with the boys” shows that Mana is unsure of where he is and is being pressured into joining the gang. Mana ends up turning to Genesis because he is more trustworthy and Mana feels more close to him because he doesn’t pressure him to do anything out of his comfort zone. This shows the viewer that Mana doesn’t really trust his father and that if we feel like we need to change our family we can.

The book Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump shows the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us”. This is shown in the character Ricky Baker. Ricky Baker is a delinquent young boy who has grown up in a number of foster homes. He is moved to a foster home in the middle of nowhere and it is his last chance. He says in the book “They don’t know what to do with fat brown boys like me” showing that Ricky is looking for companionship and also someone who cares about him and looks out for him. When he is moved to his last chance foster home he is introduced to Bella and Hec. Bella says that he must call her Aunt Bella. Aunt Bella becomes a roll model and someone his looking out for him. The reader sees that Ricky is grow as a person and this is what he needs. Then Aunt Bella has a heart attack and she dies. Hec then receives a letter saying that the child welfare people will be coming round to collect Ricky. Ricky not wanting to go back to child welfare convinces Hec to take him into the bush. As they travel around the bush Hec and Ricky become good friends and Ricky looks up to Hec as a mentor. This shows the reader that we need someone who can support us and lead us through tough times otherwise we lose our way.

The short story Ka Kite, Bro by Willie Davis shows the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us”. This is shown by the character Tama, he is a Maori boy who goes to a “white”, posh school. His only friend Darryl has died and his family and school don’t understand his traditions so don’t allow him to grieve for him. This is shown in the quote “Not here, Tama.” During the funeral he goes up to say good bye. This is shocking to the Pākehā present but for Tama this is is way of saying good bye to a friend and someone who looked out for him in the world of white people. This shows the reader that we can still find the companionship of a friend even when they are dead and it also shows the reader the divided little understanding of other cultures by the white people.

I think that the theme “we seek companionship and someone who can lead us” is shown well in the texts Boy by Taika Waititi, Dark Horse by James Napier Robertson, Wild Pork and Watercress by Barry Crump and Ka Kite, Bro by Willie Davis. They show us that while we may not have a companion around all the time or a person to lead us, we can persist and we will find someone who can be a companion and a leader.