How "Moonlight" Shines a Light on Parenthood

The film Moonlight, co-written, with Tarell Alvin McCraney, and directed by Barry Jenkins, portrays the life of Chiron, a poor black boy living in Miami. Throughout the movie, the viewer sees Chiron’s development as he grows from being a young adult understanding his sexuality into a man who falls into the pit of drug dealing. The film sheds light on a multitude of topics, such as race, class, and self-identity. However, these major concepts surrounding the movie shadow one important aspect to the film that viewers might overlook—parenthood. Chiron’s life is guided by his parental figures, including Paula, Juan, and Teresa. They play major roles in his development and impact how he evolves from being a timid young boy to a rugged drug dealer. The influence that Paula, Juan, and Teresa have on Chiron raises the question: What does Moonlight say about what it means to be a good parent?

Chiron’s relationship with his mother, Paula, is filled with toxicity and heartlessness. She looks at Chiron as someone who gets in her way, and uses him as a target to project her own self misery. This is portrayed in the scene showing Chiron looking at Paula standing in the hallway, while she looks directly at him with an aggressive look on her face. At the end of the scene, Paula yells an inaudible phrase at him, and then walks into her room. The scene is powerful in the moment, as the colors used in it are reflected by the consistent theme of blue, purple, and green. The colors are shown as linear, each holding a particular section of the frame. The outside borders of the image are green, with pink on the outside of Paula and a dark purplish-blue directly behind her. This order of color portrays a tense feeling, one that is characterized by Paula’s distressed facial expression. To add to the intricacy of this scene, the audio of what Paula yells at Chiron is muted. This directive decision can imply that Chiron is so overwhelmed by the pain in his life that he instinctively cancels out the surrounding noise. His head is so overrun with anguish that he is unable to comprehend any sort of sound. His mind is in a fog, which the viewer is able to experience with him.

This scene is played again when Chiron is an adult, but with subtle nuances that add to its importance. The scene is played in reverse, which adds to the sense that this moment is continually replayed in Chiron’s head throughout his life. Its impact left a permanent mark in Chiron’s memory. This flashback is also different from the previous time it was shown because now there is audio of Paula yelling at him. She screams, “Don’t look at me!” These words were extremely damaging to Chiron. It not only reflects the fact that she projects her own self shame onto him, but the words themselves deny the most basic form of connection she could possibly have with Chiron. She is not saying “Don’t hug me” or “Don’t touch me.” Instead, she is yelling “Don’t look at me!”, which is the ultimate form of disconnection, and what makes this moment particularly traumatizing for Chiron. 

The film encourages values that parents should foster in their children, such as trust and courage. This is especially evident with Chiron’s dynamic with Juan, a local drug dealer. Chiron did not have a father figure in his life until he met Juan. Juan instilled in him lessons that he would keep throughout his life. This was evident in the scene of Juan teaching Chiron how to swim. The scene is shot in a unique way. The camera moves with the current, even periodically being submerged in the water. This has the effect of making the viewer feel as though they are in the scene with Chiron and Juan, treading the water with them. The scene is also accompanied by orchestra music, specifically a cello as the dominant instrument. This music gives the scene a dramatic feel. Gradually the music begins to quicken as Chiron becomes more comfortable swimming on his own, which adds a climactic tone to the scene. This scene is a testament to Chiron’s reluctance towards vulnerability, and how in this moment Juan is instilling in Chiron the values of confidence and courage. Based on his unwillingness to talk to others about his emotions, Chiron’s heart is closed off, not opening it to just anyone. By having him let go and feel comfortable in an environment he is unfamiliar with, Juan is instilling in Chiron the values that a good parent instills in their child– to have trust and faith in the people they love. 

There was a hole in Chiron’s heart that was left from Paula’s lack of care, void of love and compassion. It was not until he met Teresa, Juan’s girlfriend, that he felt the warmth missing from his life. Teresa showed Chiron what it meant to be loved. She made sure he was never hungry, he always had a place to sleep, and he had someone to talk to when he felt alone. Even after Juan dies, Teresa puts Chiron’s health first. She does not let her own mourning for Juan prevent her from keeping Chiron safe physically and mentally, and this is evident in the scene when Teresa is having dinner with Chiron after Juan’s death. The surrounding image of the scene is dark, with most of the light shining on the dining table. This evokes a feeling that the conversation between Chiron and Teresa at hand is what is most important at that moment, not any outside distractions. The first dialogue of the scene is Teresa making a joke to Chiron, saying “Water for me and a little gin for you.” By joking with him, Teresa is encouraging Chiron to let go of his inner tension, and feel free to express even the simplest type of joy—a laugh. She builds on this message by asking Chiron the mundane yet meaningful question, “What’s wrong?” It might not seem powerful, but this type of question is what made Teresa so special to Chiron; she wants him to express his emotions. Similar to Juan, Teresa wants Chiron to break down the emotional walls he built for himself in order to protect him from the pain that was fighting to control him. Teresa urges Chiron to let down that barrier since it is not only preventing pain from entering, but love as well. 

Both Juan and Teresa work to give Chiron the kindness and compassion he deserves. They do this individually in a variety of scenes, but they also do it together as a couple. This is portrayed in the scene when the three of them are at the dining room table after Chiron first meets Teresa and Juan. The image of the scene is one of a nuclear family—a couple sitting with their one child at the dinner table, talking about their lives. The colors are warm and inviting, giving off a feeling of comfort and stability, two concepts that Chiron was unfamiliar with up until this point in his life. The camera’s slow and intricate motion conveys a relaxed tone, dissimilar to the chaotic world that Chiron is used to living in. Being with Teresa and Juan offers Chiron a life unlike his own, a way of living outside of the torment his mother brought onto him. Their house is an oasis for Chiron, a place where he can express his true self. However, Chiron’s appreciation for this comfort comes from his painful life living with Paula’s addiction to crack, and Chiron is fully aware of this fact. Chiron asks Juan one day at the dining table, “ Do you sell drugs?” When Juan reluctantly confirms, he then asks, “And my mama, she do drugs right?” Juan says “Yeah,” as he looks down at the dinner table, full of regret and shame. The power in this moment of realization for Chiron is damaging towards his perception of Juan. He looks at him as a father figure, someone who he can trust and admire. And yet, he is the one perpetuating Chiron’s misery with Paula.

This scene exemplifies the idea that parents are complicated people themselves. This is the case for Juan, as well as for Paula. Despite her incapacity to give Chiron the attention and care he deserves, Paula still finds it in her heart to apologize for her actions when she is clean of drugs, telling him, “So you ain’t gotta love me, but you gonna know that I love you.” This moment is a testament to the fact that parents’ complex lives can interfere with their ability to give their children the love they deserve. For Paula, her addiction to crack caused her to be blind towards the disconnect between her and Chiron. For Juan, his devotion to the world of drugs was the source of Chiron’s pain in life, the same pain he worked so hard to fight against.

 It is in this nature that I realize the complexity of parenthood, and the impact parents have in shaping their child’s life. However, as shown in Chiron’s relationship with Juan and Teresa, parents are not just biological. Instead, they are the people in our lives who instill in us the values of trust and courage, as well as give us the love and compassion we deserve. These lessons on parenthood matter to not only adults, but children as well. Recognizing what true parenting looks like gives children an appreciation for the many actions their own parents take for them. Whether it be instilling in them the ideas of kindness and compassion, or simply asking “What’s wrong?”, there are a multitude of ways in which parents show love and care for their children, and by being aware of these moments, children can appreciate their parents all the more.

Julian Memmo

Julian is a junior studying Media, Culture, and Communication. He has worked a broad range of jobs, including interning at Sequitur Energy Inc. in Houston, Texas, and working as an Admissions Ambassador for NYU. Born and raised in New York City, Julian is an avid sports fan– he has been watching Knicks and Giants games since he was a kid. He is also a member of the NYU Varsity Track and Field Team.

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