What were some of the similarities and differences between the 2 boys in Garuda di Dadaku? Why do you think they were still friends? Compare this to a situation you have seen like this in real life. We have all had our fair share of friends, some real, some fake, some strong and some weak. Friendship is something that’s felt by everyone and anyone can feel. During Garuda di Dadaku we see a journey which tests the strong friendship of Bayu and Heri, two boys you wouldn’t expect to be friends.
They show us that it doesn’t matter if you’re different, there is always someone out there to be your friend and stick by your side. Even when everything seems to be going wrong. Bayu and Heri are a type of friendship which you wouldn’t expect, mostly because they are 2 quite different people. Bayu comes from a tough home, with not much money and a grandfather who doesn’t approve of his goals and aspirations. Bayu’s dream is to become a player on the National Indonesian U13 soccer team, however this is not what his grandfather wants for him.
Bayu’s grandfather tries to find anything for him to do besides soccer including extra school lessons e. g. Math and English. He is also steering him towards the path of Art. Bayu doesn’t have the freedom to pursue his goals because he is worried of his grandfather’s disapproval. Bayu is a skilled young boy at both soccer and school. Heri has some different, but yet important qualities which make him distant to Bayu. One of these qualities being that Heri is disabled and doesn’t have the ability to walk, meaning he spends his days in a wheelchair.
This is different because Heri can’t run around and play soccer like Bayu. Heri is from a very positive, supportive home. He lives in a large house, with a large blue minivan with chauffeur (Bang Dulloh) to transport him where ever he wants. Heri is allowed to support whatever he wants and is encouraged by his dad to be passionate about soccer. He isn’t forced to do anything, he gets to make decisions for himself instead of having them made by someone else. Even though there is some large differences between these 2 boys there is one significant similarity which they both share, not having a father.
A father or dad as most people say it is someone we all need, someone to look up to and always inspire us to be the best we can. In Garuda di Dadaku both boys don’t have that person in their lives. Bayu’s father past away in a car accident when Bayu was younger. He and his dad used to play soccer together, his dad would always be there to help Bayu improve in his skills and help him reach his goals. Heri’s father is in a job which he is away from home for days, weeks even months. Heri’s father is constantly suppling him with gifts and souvenirs from his favourite soccer team Arsenal.
Bayu and Heri are both mournful because of their father lose, both fathers had the same love and passion for soccer exactly like their sons. Both boys became closer to their dads because of this sport. This is a common similarity which is displayed throughout this film. This concept of ‘rich kid befriends a poor kid’ is something which is show in the critically acclaimed book/movie ‘The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas’. In this story young Bruno has moved to a countryside in Germany with his family. Their house is located near a prison camp for Jewish people waiting to be exterminated.
One day Bruno is exploring the area around his house when he finds himself on the fence line of the camp, here he finds Shmuel a young poor boy who is stuck behind these bars. Bruno and Shumel form a friendship which breaks through the boundaries of differences. The reason I have chosen this film/book as something I have seen in real life is because, in both of these film there is something holding one of them back. In ‘The Boy with the Striped Pyjamas’ the bars of Shmuel’s camp hold him back from his dreams of being free and happy, In Garuda di Dadaku the Grandfather is acting like the bars.
He is holding back Bayu from his dreams of playing soccer and being happy. Bayu and Shmuel are both discriminated on something about them that they can’t change, Shmuel is Jewish and is put in the camp for being who he is. Bayu is poor and teased by wealthy children of the fact that he hasn’t seen things of such value e. g. soccer balls. Both Bruno and Heri are the influences in helping their friends break the boundaries and help them to reach their dreams.
Even though these stories are very different with plot and set in different times they have the same concept of friendship being the influence to help people to reach their goals and find happiness. Bayu, Heri, Bruno and Shmuel teach us that friendship has no limits, there is someone there to bring you back from the hard struggle of life. Bayu and Heri may have had their ups and downs through arguments and fights but in the end they sorted it out, because everyone needs someone by their side. Heri and Bayu need each other, for a laugh or even just some support but they both need each other.
Bayu has Heri to help him in his goals for soccer and to support him on his journey, whereas Heri has Bayu for support through the times without his dad. In the end friendship is a very strong emotion, friends come and go. But what I’ve learned from Bayu and Heri is that no matter what, friend’s need each other not just to talk about things but for love and support. When times get tough friends will stick by your side and that’s something that doesn’t come around that often. A true friend accepts who you are, but also helps you to become who you should be.
