“Enola Holmes” empowers young woman to fight for themselves
You’ve probably seen that new recommendation on Netflix, the last film starring Millie Bobby Brown inspired by the universe of Sherlock Holmes, Enola Holmes. It’s about Enola, youngest of the Holmes sibling, going on adventures. I wouldn’t say more about the story, just trying to avoid being a spoiler.
My interest started because the main character is held by Millie Bobby Brown, and I really like her acting, but also the energy she has out of her movies. I feel a lot of good, radiant energy coming from her, in a very communicative way. I first thought I was not the target, and I probably am not, but as a writer, I must say it inspired me to take a look at the message in it. Wouldn’t be a Holmes movie without something to decipher right ?
Enola spelled backward means alone
That’s one of the starting point of the movie : Enola is the reversed writing of alone. There is a lot of reflexion about being alone in this movie. Whether it be Enola being left by the people she cares about, or her pushing away some of the people she meets, there’s a struggle in finding balance between being on her own or being helped.
What’s to be understood is that, you being alone doesn’t mean you’re lonely. You can choose to be alone, to have time for yourself, by yourself, in order to understand who you are, what you like, what you want for yourself. It is even mandatory. If you don’t take time with yourself you’ll spend a lifetime hearing others telling you who you are and what you want.
But just because you want to be alone at some point doesn’t mean you can’t have people around you, or nearby, on whom you can rely on. Life can be hard and you don’t have to make this journey entirely on your own. Sure, most of the time you’ll have the feeling that no one understand what you’re going through and that you’re on your own. And it can be true. That’s not a bad thing. We cannot expect people to entirely comprehend what we live, because they don’t have our past, our experiences, our knowledge, they have no clue how we feel and what we think. That’s fine. The only thing we need is empathy, vulnerability and for them to listen to us. And we can only expect them to empathize, to share their view, to offer a different perspective on what’s happening to us. So make sure you have people that can be here for you whenever you need, in the way you need.
No one has the right to decide for you
You and only you have power and control over your life. There will always be people who try to make you do or live by their rules, but you’ll always have your own way. Make sure to choose your path consciously. If you follow what others impose, then do so willingly. But if it’s not the path you want, the life you want, if it doesn’t resonate with you, then build your own path.
It will be difficult. You will meet opponents and feel as the black sheep. But you’ll also feel free as you never did. Because you’d follow your heart, you would build your own path. And it is necessary in a world that needs change.
We can’t change the world if we keep acting the same way, accepting the same behaviours and patterns. We must break them, even if no one did before, to build a different world, that suits us, that has room for how exceptional we are.
You are not defined by your name or your relation to a man
What’s interesting with the main character being Enola Holmes, is that she’s the youngest sister of Sherlock. We all know Holmes & Watson, and so do they in the movie. That’s why Enola is often identified by the men as “Sherlock’s sister”. But women, identify her as Enola, or by another, feminine name. Clever move.
In the society we live in, it is not rare to identify a woman, or a girl for the deeds of their husband or father. Obliterating their entire identity and shortcutting it to the male figure of their family. Men, if you happen to talk about a woman and introduce her as “girlfriend of” or “woman of”, please think about what that does and consider introducing her for who she is, not who she’s related to.
Woman, never be afraid to stand for yourself. You’re not your relationship, nor your father, or partner and you have the right to be introduced without being related to a man.
Your life is in your own hands, fight for it
The main message of this movie, is that you are the creator of your own life. Doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, what people told you to be or to want, it’s only up to you. And you have all the rights, and you’re legitimate to claim it.
It is a changing world, in which we’re still building and fighting for equity. But it would never be possible without a fight. You were born to be who you are, fearlessly, fiercely, entirely. You were born to shine your light and to empower yourself. Be brave, fight your fights, and make your place into this world. If you don’t, no one will do it for you. And you’re here for a reason, even if you don’t know it yet. But you don’t have the reason to just be. You’re already here, make the most of it and fight for what you want. The present is here, but the future is yours to build.
