Whoa, I am the 1st

this is the way I saw it - a story of a little boy who did not "fit in" to the strict, regimented upbringing in the kindergarden. At first, he tried very hard and he wanted more than anything to earn his little red flowers, which symbolized fitting in, or conforming as people on this board have called it.

Then, one day with one of his little girl friends, he discovers freedom as they escape from the school and explore the outside world as children should- in all its innocence and splendour.

After this experience, the little boy turns a little more rebellious at school. He starts acting out, hitting, being disruptive, finally culminating in the scene where he tells the teacher to *beep* off. Then he gets a very cruel punishment, when the teachers lock him in the dark scary room and plan to keep him "isolated" from the other kids. This moment, i think is representative also of how China deals with dissenters. People who do not conform are also shunned from society.

When the little boy is allowed to return to the class, he once again immediately acts out by pushing someone in line and then running away again, this time on his own. He goes to the hospital (also a symbolic place) and then sees in what was once his "paradise" - a march of adults all of whom are wearing - BIG RED FLOWERS on their uniforms.

Earlier, the teachers at the school told him that kindergarden is the best time of life and he will understand this when he grows. But until then, life in the kinderdargden has been pretty miserable for him. And now the boy sees that in the adult world, people still look like marching synchronized robots whos purpose in life is just earning those damned red flowers. He goes to lay down alone in an empty room on the cold hard stones, in despair. The ending of this film paints a bleak picture of society and the future of these children.

So I think in this way, the ending was not too abrupt and it was fitting. Overall, i thought the story was nice especially the way it captured childhood. Who did not want to just reach out and hug that little boy so many times? What a great actor.