[The Second Take]How to Escape the Prison You Built Yourself...

Animated Film "Snail's Memoir"
A Recluse with Hikikomori Tendencies
Facing Despair, Finding Comfort and Hope

"My life became miserable, and things got out of control. I hid deep inside the safe fortress of my snail, hands clasped, waiting for Gilbert to come and save me. I was trapped, unloved." This is the lament of Grace, the main character in the animated film "Snail's Memoir." She is a pessimist who despises life. Since childhood, she has suffered from a congenital cleft palate, frequent illnesses, and bullying from friends. After her father passed away and even her twin brother Gilbert was adopted to another region, she concluded that change in her life was impossible. Her mental balance and inner dynamics collapse to a severe degree.

Movie still cut from "Snail's Memoir"

Director Adam Elliot uses stop-motion clay animation to portray a sorrowful life in a rough and weighty manner. He highlights the natural texture and unevenness of clay to express the imperfections of life. Grace is not the only one. Her soulmate Gilbert, James who fell from being a judge to a homeless man, and her father who spends every day drunk, all appear rough and misshapen. They even look asymmetrical, as if something is either fused or missing. However, the film is not shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere. Director Elliot creates a romantic mood through a blur effect that softens and whitens the peripheral images. He also uses a vignette effect, darkening the edges of the frame compared to the center, to give a sense of warmth, suggesting that a life weighed down by hardship can change for the better.

So how does Grace change her mind? Ironically, the starting point is her awareness of despair. By confessing her broken life to her pet snail Sylvia, she gradually develops a willingness to overcome her pessimism. At first glance, it may seem like a mere complaint, but she clearly recognizes her own symptoms and asks for salvation. "Life has been cruel to me, but because of that, I have learned to live with greater gratitude."

Movie still cut from "Snail's Memoir"

If one denies or ignores despair, the current cannot change. Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard wrote in his book "The Sickness Unto Death" that "in the deepest and most secret hiding place of fortune, anxiety also resides, and that is precisely despair." Just as pain warns us of illness and allows us to seek timely treatment, misfortune and suffering are a gift and an infinite grace, a paradox. He argued that these experiences awaken us mentally and raise our consciousness.

It is rare for people to face their own despair. Instead, like a snail, they retract their antennae and hide inside their shells. As society has shifted toward nuclear families, the number of such people continues to grow. According to a 2022 survey by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, 2.4% of Koreans aged 19 to 34 are classified as reclusive loners. Pressured by a performance-driven culture, they are sensitive to criticism and even display hikikomori tendencies. Simple interactions with family or acquaintances cannot solve the problem. What is needed is a strong bond that can provide help or listen to concerns in situations the person finds difficult.

Movie still cut from "Snail's Memoir"

For Grace, that person is Pinky, an old woman she befriends at the library. Through constant conversation and compromise, Pinky offers comfort and hope. At the foundation is a deep sharing of emotions. Throughout, they radiate a bond strong enough to swallow despair. "The worst prison for me was the one I built myself. You built your own prison too, Grace. ... Now it's your turn to come out of that shell."