Collective consciousness, individuality, epiphany, and Chocolat.

"To be, or not to be." These words are no longer just exclusive to the tormented Hamlet's madness. This actually became a question which everyone asks him\herself daily in the mirror. Somehow, being the ultimate original version of yourself requires more extra courage and is represented as a daily challenge against the society.

This same scenario happened to be articulated by the movie, Chocolat, when the passionate chocolate maker, Vianne Rocher, who has the trait of moving from a place to another, decides to move to a tranquil country among its really conservative people. Vianne's conflict with the society starts when she opens her shop during their fasting, this conflict catches more fire when Rocher starts expressing her open-minded and fervent mentality: She wears colourful clothes, in contradict to other women in the town. Vienne also is a single mother who does not go to church. All these traits were considered "too much" by the collective norms.

Living her extra life, Vienne invites others to do the same: She tries to encourage and articulate love, passion, happiness, moving on, free speech, also supporting and accepting others with different backgrounds and mentalities. Still, in spite of her uprising popularity and increasing familiarity, her values keeps irritating the higher powers represented by politics and the Church. The clash intensifies throughout the climax of the movie, till it reaches a breakdown point where both parties learn to accept each other.

However, the themes of the movie are not uncommon to the heads and ears of any of the millennials nowadays. There's always a dilemma between seeking individuality and playing by the rules of the society. But by the end, most youth pursue the utility of fullfilling their own inspiration and identity, good for them! Away from the sociology talk, let's go cultural.

What shapes the mentality of a society? Well, there must be something off beam if almost everyone is struggling with the demands of the surrounding general rulebooks. The collective unconsciousness is constructed by the hidden beliefs that a society embraces; therefore, they shape its norms and culture. It is mainly a product of many archetypes and experiences that a certain community has faced. Consequently, it has started developing certain reactions to certain actions: either by approval or by denial. Religion and customs also play a major rule in the process of creating and modifying this image.

Then why are people bothered by it? Why its tyranny leaves most individuals no freedom to express and practice their uniqueness? Norms and customs are characterized of habit and obscurantism, heritage and conservatism. Therefore, such beliefs are rarely updated to match the modern life that is more fluid, abstract and free. Conservative societies often treat individualism and originality as an inferior and foreign behavior that works as a threat to their identity. And in the process of perceiving traditional originality, the new and modified originality is attacked, lost, and demoralized.

Throughout the film, the events keep exposing the hidden deficient flaws, that some of the town's folks, cover with the foil of traditions, religion, and intense orthodox behavior. The foil that covers insecurities, sadness, loss, and fragility. However, both parties- people and Vianne- reach the epiphany of acceptance: People starts to accept different mentalities and let them contribute in the evolution of their own mindset. On the other hand, Vianne learns the meaning of home: It is a place where you're loved, accepted, supported, and even challenged.

Still, "to be, or not to be?" well, if you still need an answer, yes, be. Be till the last atom of your being. We were made to move forward, to create and elevate who we are. And if Vianne was able to turn the whole town upside down with few cups of hot chocolate, you can do the same!