Wild Strawberries and the Philosophical Issues With Self-Examination

Wild Strawberries is Isac Borg's recollection of a particular day. The reality that is presented, however, is as concrete as the dreams he experiences. Consider the sequence when Isak and his daughter in law, Marianna, set out on the highway. Marianna asks Isak if he remembers his response to her request to stay with him. He says, “I said I would be delighted.” She smirks with a mixture of bitterness and astonishment. She says,“ Perhaps you've forgotten but you said,'...I have no respect for mental suffering...if you need therapy, you'd better see a shrink. Or why not see a minister? It's in fashion now.' ” Whether or not he actually forgot what he said is not important. What is important is his inclination to color his memory with a rose tint, particularly if we consider Bergman's relationship to the Isak Borg. Bergman says, “I had created a character who, on the outside, looked like my father, but was me, through and through.”¹ In this way, Isak's interactions with his dreams may serve as a metaphor to describe how Bergman interacts with his films. In his film, Wild Strawberries, Bergman uses dreams to reflect on his identify and family's issues while exploring the philosophical implications of self-reflection

Bergman creates cinematic fantasies to address his own psychology issues, chiefly, his relationship with his father. He also addresses the possibility that Isak's dreams are simply wishful thoughts rather than actual examinations, and by doing so, illustrates how his films (particularly Wild Strawberries) are themselves self-examinations.

As Paisley Livingston discusses, Eino Kaila's treatise on philosophical psychology plays a major role in the Bergman's films (Livingston, 161)². Kaila's existential perspective is present throughout the film but most importantly in the use of dreams. Livingston notes that, “Kaila at times makes sweeping pronouncements about the pervasiveness and faulty self-awareness...” (Livingston,167). By this, Isak Borg's dreams may come under question and, therefore, require examination.

The film is split between three dreams. Although, it is more two dreams and a “vision of past events” though it is easier to just label them dream 1, dream 2, and dream 3. There is a distinct progression in thought between these dreams. Dream 1 is a vision. Dream 2 is a romanticized remembrance of the past. Dream 3 is a free-association directly influenced by Borg's doubts and sources of stress.

Isak's first dream becomes something of a vision by hinting at future events. The watch with no hands, as it is revealed once belonged to his father, for example. Similarly, the noise reminiscent of a child whimpering as the coffin falls out of the carriage hints at the turmoil in his son's marriage. His daughter-in-law is pregnant and his son doesn't want a child. The cinematography is very basic. The tracking shot with follows Borg up and down the street gives the scene an artificial feel which follows because the situation is a creation of Borg's subconscious. It is interesting to note that real blood was used in the bloated man though it appears lighter and more watery than blood. Normally, something like chocolate is used as a substitute which contrasts in the picture and has a blood-like texture. The mixture of reality and fantasy is the first indication of the complexity of Borg's (and Bergman's) exploration.

The cinematography in the second dream plays heavily with light/dark contrasts. The room where the family eats is very white, from the clothing to the table settings to the porridge they eat. Isak, wearing a dark jacket, watches this scene from the shadow filled adjoining room. When Sara runs away from the family and confesses that she cares for Isak's brother, she kneels down by the stairs in that room. The dark wooden stairs bar her like a prison cell. She is the only source of light. She confesses by saying that she is wretched and undeserving of Isak, who, upon hearing this, smirks slightly with pride. This dream is wish fulfillment. Isak wasn't present for these events so even though he prefaced the dream as a memory, it is fantasy based on a supposed reality. Although he witnesses his first love leaving him, he is able to maintain a level of moral superiority. Additionally, the detail that he was fishing with his father, presents their otherwise abusive relationship in a positive fashion.

The final dream is a free-association of Isak's doubts. The lighting is harsh and the mis-en-scene is relatively bare though it is froth with symbolic significance. The closing shot of the film is of Isak falling peacefully asleep. He smiles and drifts off. His journey has given him a much needed new perspective on which we assume he will act.

Given that Bergman alludes to the philosopher throughout the film, Borg's journey must be considered with respect to Kaila. Borg's narration might suggest that he has fallen into a state of false self-awareness. As Mariana pointed out in the beginning, that Borg listens to no one but himself and, indeed, this journey is Borg talking to himself. In his words, his recent dreams have been “as if I must tell myself something I won't listen to when I'm awake.” With this line, either he is finally able to self-reflect or it might illustrate that Borg has not changed. After all, Marianna and his family have already said what he is trying to tell himself. He is only able to hear them, indirectly, through himself.

Kaila continues to explain the possibility of self-awareness by saying, “Objective, rational thought is possible, but such moments of lucidity only emerge in the relatively few cases...” (Livingston, 167-168). An example of one of those few cases would be “...falling so short of social norms and ideals that they are forced to engage in painful reflection” (Livingston, 168). With this in mind, we can more clearly document Borg's existential journey. The initial dream is merely playing off his fears of the inevitability of death. His second dream, triggered by his learning of his son's hatred, is an escapist fantasy which shields him from the pain of self-reflection. Ultimately, his realization of his shortcomings as a father and as a person result in actual self-reflection in the form of the final dream where he looks at himself in a mirror and smiles (be it a smile contorted in pain).

As Amir Cohen-Shalev notes, Bergman's family and religious themes develop over the course of his career (86). Through the final dream sequence in Wild Strawberries, it becomes clear that Bergman acknowledges the difficulty of self-reflection. It is unclear, however, whether or not Bergman is able to replicate the self-awareness of Isak Borg.

1 "Ingmar Bergman Foundation." Ingmar Bergman. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Feb. 2014.

2 Livingston, Paisley. Cinema, Philosophy, Bergman: On Film as Philosophy. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2009. Print.