THE MENTOR
THIS IS AN OLD PAGE BUT WE CAN USE IT FOR THE TIME BEING. It's crucial to realize that Reno adjusted the movie from Besson's original, because Besson obviously "has some issues", as the saying goes, in this department, (his ex-wife has her own story to tell about this situation.)
WHAT IS A MENTOR AND WHY WOULD A COMPANY HAVE A MENTOR?
MENTOR (MIRRIAM WEBSTER)
1 capitalized : a friend of Odysseus entrusted with the education of Odysseus' son Telemachus
2 a : a trusted counselor or guide
a mentor who, because he is detached and disinterested, can hold up a mirror to us —P. W. Keve
b : tutor, coach The student sought a mentor in chemistry.JOB THREE: NAME AND EMBRACE THE MENTOR
The menace is what threatens life, and we mobilize for an offensive against it.
However, we have to do more than gather data and go.
you can't just go crazy like Matiilda firing shots out the window to avenge her little brother.
We know that the goal is to restore love and cheer the sadness, and clean the streets.
The next step is, the company needs someone to emulate, someone to show the way to answer the menace.
The company needs a mentor.
A mentor is more than a teacher or a coach. A mentor is a life guide, someone to follow and imitate.
The tradition of mentoring is very old, and it is not always an easy job to have.
The Greek philosopher Socrates mentored Plato, and Plato wrote down the teachings of Socrates.
Significantly, and famously, Socrates died for the city of Athens rather than run away from conflict.
This pagan act of self sacrifice was performed by an aristocratic politician who was not part of the tradition of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob
and probably thought tent dwelling nomads were rather smelly and messy.
Below is a link to an article about mentors in Greek mythology.
THE MYTHIC TEACHER
LEON, THE PROFESSIONAL: GODFATHER OF HOPE, MENTOR OF MERCY.
The best mentor for this mission is someone whose love for other people is visceral and rock solid, so solid he would die to save someone.
Such people are not always found in the most predictable places.
Again, we turn to the Professional to illustrate our point.
The person pictured above looking out at the street from his balcony is Leon Montana, the childlike assassin interpreted so well by Jean Reno in The Professional.
Leon Montana is obviously not Socrates.
He is neither wealthy nor educated, and has no social standing outside the neighborhood where he lives,
Even in his neighborhood, he passes almost unnoticed outside the quiet bakery of Tony.
Yet, Leon distinguishes himself in The Professional by what Jesus Christ called the highest form of love.
"No greater love than this a man hath, than to give his life for his friend." (Bible quote.)
However, despite this heroism, jaded eyes might see Leon as an improbable mentor.
He might be dismissed as a common thug, someone with nothing to offer, someone to fear and to avoid and not to admire or imitate.
He is backward, and ignorant and he makes his living by violence.
We should not be fooled by his out of character sacrifice, they would say.
He is certainly no role model for a charitable organization to choose.
However, upon closer examination, the opposite appears to be true. Leon's sacrifice was quite in character after all.
LEON'S ANCIENT NOBILITY
First of all it is important to remember that just as Matilda did not look for trouble, but trouble entered into her life from the prevailing culture.
Leon also did not go around stirring up problems. The opposite was true.
He was quiet and peaceful, only killing in defense of the streets.
With few avenues open to him to earn a living, Leon followed in his father's footsteps, working for Tony as a hitman.
But even in this ugly job, he has a code: no women, no kids.
The strength of Leon's character comes from ancient, prehistoric places that we only remember in fairy tales.
While fascinated by it, we also feel ashamed that we are not like that, so we often call noble people dreamers or idiots.
This ancient wisdom, of Leon, the wisdom we are so unfamiliar with,
coming from prehistoric agrarian societies, enables Leon to mentor Matilda in a very solid way.
His compassion, encouraged by a Mediterranean religion that featured a self-sacrificial God, enables him to give Matilda a home..
It is quite true that he was hesitant--"get off my case" he said to the suicidal Matilda."I'm tired of your games".
Leon is no saint who runs to embrace sacrifice. He is a regular human being who has to be pushed.
Far from being sappy or sentimental, or falsely holy, he is simple and frank, which makes him trustworthy.
LEON'S CHASTITY
Leon's chastity deserves a lot of attention.
It is absolutely essential to his heroism, and had he failed in this, he would have betrayed the child's fragile but very real hope and trust.
His chastity, something almost unheard of in post-war society, enables him to make that home safe for her.
And how important is it in an age when people routinely force themselves on each other in all kinds of ways
for Matilda to know she is absolutely safe in the house of Leon? That kind of security is priceless.
(click here for a perceptive comment on how chaste Leon is
LEON'S HOPE
And his hope enables him to give up his life.
The only way a person can give his life from the heart as Leon did
is if his spirit is grounded in a hope that is stronger than death.
Leon is the perfect example of a mentor. He can teach, he can love, he can die, because he has hope.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LEON TO THE MISSION OF THE VALANGA DI VITA
Every human being needs a place where they know they are absolutely safe, and Leon provided such a place to Matilda.
To anyone who is suffering from not having a safe place, we strive to remedy that suffering.