Forever young

“Chico Pico would forever even if he grew up to be a very old man and decrepit man, be the boyish young angel of everyone’s dream pilgrimage”( Yamashita 163).  My favorite character in the book is Chico Pico because he is the one I identify with the most. Not necessarily in terms of his journey to Matacao but rather the way in which a majority of Brazilian see and worship him. Chico Pico’s, symbolic significance to the people of Brazil, reminds me of my attitude towards my favorite child stars from the TV. shows I used  to watch when I was younger.  

Childhood, for most people myself included, is a period in life where everything imaginable is possible and every moment of the day was full of adventure. To coincide with that, most tv shows targeting an audience of a younger age group, always have characters who have an endless zeal for life and are very adventurous. Sooner or later, adulthood hits and one is plagued with responsibilities which does not always make way daily adventures and forces one to be more realistic about goals and dreams. Chico Pico, is a symbol of hope for a people living in a country in whose government is run-down and limited resources makes attaining even the simple goals very difficult. For a moment, their lives are improved with the introduction of plastic and feathers but that it is only short-lived. They are now plagued with incurable diseases and death. In response to the going in their lives, they cling on to hope by hero worshipping Chico Pico.  Similarly, the allure adulthood with its promise of freedom and control over one’s own life usually overshadows the annoying aspect living a routine based life and having to do task that are “not fun”.

 To combat this, there are actors or characters from childhood tv show or books, that I to me will always their cute/awesome childish selves. My refusal to believe that most of these actors or characters  are growing up or evolving just as I am to simply a way for me to hold on to bliss of my childhood. By forever keeping them, in the 5-12 years version of themselves in my mind, I can always re-live my childhood at any given time. But more importantly, that mental frame of them continues to fuel my sense of adventure and belief in endless possibilities in life. Even in moments of life when it is difficult to believe in anything or worse adventures barely possible.