Sophie's Choice

I hadn't seen this movie with Meryl Streep and Kevin Kline since . . . I dunno when. Sometime in the 80's? So I couldn't recall anything, vague feelings that I may have seen this part before after watching a scene, but I wasn't sitting there saying every line or knowing what was going to happen next. I watched this movie once, a very long time ago, and last night it was like watching it all over again for the first time.

What is her choice? I pondered throughout. Does she choose between the two men? Choose to turn away from her father's beliefs? Choose to lie to save her own skin? Choose to use her body to make life easier in the concentration camp? Choose to help the war resistance? So many choices . . .

But none of them are THE choice. Sophie must choose between her children. One son. One daughter. One Nazi screaming in her face to choose to save one or they both get gassed. And she refuses. She refuses. She cries and screams and refuses to choose . . . until the Nazi officer calls guards to remove both children to the gas chamber . . . then she chooses her son, shoves her daughter into the officer's arms. And it hits you in the stomach. Oh my God! How? How? How does one choose? How does one not choose? What would I do? What would you do? These things are too terrible to even ponder. And yet . . . I do.

Mood: rained out
Drinking: cold coffee
Listening To: even more rain
Hair: prickly