This sense of powerlessness comes from the double bondage of history and fate, and the self-confirmation that is tried to be completed under this bondage. The first shot of the film confirms such a theme. The camera moves slowly in the dark and narrow corridor, in front of which is a window with a tweeter. Of course, the radio exercise music with strong sense of rhythm and consistent rhythm appeared earlier than the pictures. Here, the collection of all film elements closely revolves around such keywords: history, order and road. How to find the path of personal destiny in the firm and closed historical dilemma and order has become the meaning of corridors, radio exercises and windows, and it is also a question that Wang Xiaoshuai put forward in Green Red, knowing that he can't answer but can't get rid of.
Qinghong's parents are both from Shanghai and have never agreed with their real environment. Qinghong's father is obsessed with his identity as a Shanghainese and devoted his life to returning to Shanghai. He can make up for this wish, he can be silent, he can wait, and he can also struggle with the unit in the form of rest. Returning to Shanghai means not only the change of living conditions, but also the regain of cultural identity. It is for this reason that Qinghong's father did not hesitate to take violent control measures to educate his daughter. This extreme discipline comes from his extreme anxiety, anxiety and fear. On the one hand, he announced urgently and loudly that he would return to Shanghai, on the other hand, he carefully kept the secret of his action. In the cage of history, this man is so sober but so at a loss. This paradox just represents their embarrassing situation of being exiled and bound by history.
Lao Wu's rude interference with his daughter Hong Qing is actually just a transfer of his own inner anxiety. From his conversation with educated youth friends about his return to the city, and from his showdown in the bathroom about the small needles hidden everywhere, we can see that Qinghong's father is indeed a shrewd man, but in the face of a powerful historical torrent, all his personal calculations are nothing more than throwing eggs at stones. The stricter his compulsory discipline of Qing Hong, the more he exposed his confusion and powerlessness in the face of history. He screamed almost crazily at night in a foreign land, but there was no reply in the silent mountain. His complaint is more like anger, but this anger is so weak. He's just a hostage to history. He said, "There was no way at first." In fact, he couldn't help it later. Although the film ends with the Qinghong family returning to Shanghai, the man paid a very heavy price for it-his daughter was raped and his wife filed for divorce.
As the head of the family, he has been trying to use his father's strength to forcibly rewrite the road of clearing the flood. In Qinghong's father, it is precisely the trace of his own destiny narrative being rewritten by political discourse. In the face of rapidly changing times, it has always been their destiny to be involuntarily. There is no doubt that Qinghong's father does not want his daughter to repeat his mistakes, nor does he want her to bear the consequences of her own fate. But the way he controlled Green Red was to narrow his destiny and copy it to Green Red. The only difference between the two is that it is the political baton that manipulates Qinghong's father, and the parental authority that manipulates Qinghong.
For green red, the mark left by history on her has been obviously blurred. She was noncommittal and even opposed to the ideal of returning to Shanghai. In Qing Hong's view, the concepts of shelter and home have been completely integrated. She doesn't want to find her own coordinate origin. This understanding is contrary to the attitude of almost all immigrant families, including her friend Xiaozhen. In the camp of Shanghai dialect and Shanghai Dream, Green Red is a traitor. In this sense, not only her family, but also her friends are the opposition forces of Qinghong. Obey or run, or Hong Qing has no choice. Green red lingers between obedience and escape. She tried to resist, but finally she obeyed her father. Her father's image represents the role of historical authority, leaving her nowhere to escape.
In Green Red, everyone is trying to get rid of it, but everyone is unable to get rid of it. This dilemma has become a net intertwined with history and destiny. Xiaozhen was infatuated with Shanghai, but eloped with local youth, and finally returned to the university and Shanghai. Xiaogen intends to keep Qinghong, but he dare not resist the authority of Lao Wu. After forcibly occupying Qinghong, he was shot. In the face of history and destiny, we are powerless and painfully powerless.