Balance Between Structure And Freedom In The Film 'Stranger Than Fiction'

In the film "Stranger Than Fiction" directed by Marc Forster and written by Zach Helm, the theme of living life to its fullest is shown through the journey of Harold Crick's tedious life, as he thrives to find a balance between structure and freedom, and change his own fate. This is shown by Harold's bland and predictable lifestyle, his ignorance to his surroundings, and the steps Harold took to break out of his generic life. Overall, the film educates viewers that having a balance between structure and freedom is the key to happily living your life to its fullest.

Harold Crick lives a boring and predictable life with unchanging patterns, this is the exact opposite of living life to its fullest. Every day he would time his life and make sure everything is perfect and consistent. As Kay narrates Harold’s life she said, "Every weekday for twelve years, Harold would brush each of his thirty-two teeth 76 times. Thirty-eight times back and forth, thirty-eight times up and down" (Stranger). This shows that Harold calculates every second of his life and he revolves around numbers and math, this makes his life very plain. The film hints that Harold’s past is bland and passionless. When Ana Pascal asks Harold if his mother ever bakes him cookies, he simply answers, “No, my mother didn’t bake. The only cookies I’ve had they were store bought” (Stranger). This quotation reveals that Harold didn’t receive nurturance or a great amount of happiness in his childhood. He might’ve never received the proper love and
Harold’s boring and predictable life is the exact opposite, he is more social and spontaneous, and his steps to break out of his generic life are a success. He no longer follows his brain, instead he begins to follow his heart. The true meaning of living life to its fullest is to have fun, do the things you love, but also have