Me And Earl And The Dying Girl Analysis

The philosophy of Taoism insists that it is completely pointless and a waste of effort to fight against nature’s course. In the film “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015),” Greg would benefit the most from Taoism. Greg, who is in high school, has spent the majority of his life trying to fight against life’s waves.

Taoism was developed by Lao Tzu. Lao Tzu describes the Tao—translated as “Way”—as “one, natural, and eternal” (Lao Tzu pg.474). The Tao is life’s and nature’s course. The Tao consist of bonding energies, known as yin, and expanding energies, known as yang. Yin and yang are opposite forces, but each need one another to exist or make sense. For example, life needs death, the moon needs the sun, and compassion needs suffering. The

Tao is like a bowl that holds these forces together. Lao Tzu insisted that the Tao could not be managed or changed. There is no way to stop the forces of nature, so it is best for people to simply accept it.
Additionally, Lao Tzu believed that only a wise person is able to realize that they have no control over nature’s forces. One who reaches this enlightenment is referred to as “the sage” (Lao Tzu pg.474). The sage is selfless. They have no desire to gain power over nature’s forces or others. They do not strive to become or obtain more than what they already have. If the sage sets any goals, they are modest goals. Also, the sage avoids violence by anticipating it. They know who is a potential threat and they resolve their differences before a dispute can happen. Even when the sage is faced with conflict, they remain calm. They do not attack when threatened. Furthermore, the sage does not seek revenge if someone hurts or betrays them. The wise can see that by reacting to things that they cannot control contributes to a vicious cycle. When one becomes distressed by something done unto them, they intend to cause harm to someone else. The targeted person is likely to fight back or harm another, and so on and so forth. Though, the wise do believe that “wars are to be fought only when necessary and then only with regret” (Lao Tzu)
Chuang Tzu also contributed to Taoism.

Since Chuang Tzu agreed with many of Lao Tzu teachings, so Chuang Tzu’s philosophy is quite similar to philosophy of Lao Tzu. Chuang Tzu realized that if people are always attempting to gain more power or possessions, they will be at odds with the ways of the world. They will be constantly distressed and become bitter when things do not work out for them. Chuang Tzu sees these people as “blind to what is happening and why it is happening” (Chuang Tzu pg.479). Both Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu believed that “the world has its own wisdom” (Chuang Tzu pg.479). Events will happen to a person when they are meant to happen. There is a time for everything ad people should not attempt to stop or rush a process. Chuang Tzu believed that a wise person, or the sage, truly know how to accept and “follow the way of things” (Chuang Tzu pg.480). In order to become a sage ruler, one must have knowledge of themselves first. Then the sage deeply understands nature and reality. Chuang Tzu did not preach much about political laws as much as Lao Tzu did. Though, he also agreed with Lao Tzu that the sage should anticipate violence and know how to stop it before conflict manifests. (Chuang

Tzu)
Chuang Tzu did add his philosophy of the “danger of usefulness” (Chuang Tzu pg.481) to Taoism. In this philosophy, Chuang Tzu uses the analogy to fruit and nut trees. These trees are always being stripped of their produce. This hinders their growth, so they stay small and do not live very long. But trees that do not grow fruits and nuts are hardly bothered. They grow tall, and “provide shade and beauty” (Chuang Tzu pg. 482). This is meant to symbolize the potential harming effects if a person continuously promises or offers to do things for others. Everyone will always want or need something from them, and the person will eventually become worn out, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Therefore, the sage does not strive to be useful. By being peaceful and modest, the sage is benefitting the world and others. (Chuang Tzu)
Greg could learn from Taoism’s philosophy of the pointless efforts in trying to stop life’s natural course of events.

Greg thinks of high school as “a world onto itself” and he is extremely resistant to accept the way that this world works. He is resistant in making actual friends and belonging to any type of clique which he refers to as “various sovereign states” or “nations” (Gomez-Rejon). Greg does not even label Earl as a friend. Instead, Greg refers to Earl as a coworker because they make films together. When Greg’s mother first tells him about Rachel’s cancer diagnosis and demands him to befriend Rachel, Greg refuses to do so. After caving in, Greg experiences an awkward lunch with Rachel and her friends. Greg blames Rachel for it since he usually tries to control his social interactions. Then Rachel starts to convince Greg that he should apply for college. Again, he is reluctant because he is insecure and does not want to come in contact with new people. Though, Greg does follow some of Taoism’s philosophy—by staying neutral and trying to stay on good terms with every clique. But it becomes a task to avoid getting close with anyone. In high school and college, it is inevitable to come in contact with different types of

people.
Also, Greg could benefit from Taoism by preparing for the worst-case scenario. He does not know how to interact with others in serious situations. Throughout his friendship with Rachel, Greg does not know how to comfort her. In their first meeting, Greg makes inappropriate jokes about dying. When Rachel opens up about how she feels and starts chemotherapy, Greg does not know what to say to her. As he is typing his admissions letter, Greg often reassures the audience that Rachel survives because he believed that she was going to get better. But when Rachel tells Greg that she is going to stop treatment, Greg has an outburst. He is angry and thinks that she is giving up. Greg never prepared for the fact that he may actually lose Rachel to cancer. Since he does not know how to deal with his emotions, he blows up on Earl for telling Rachel about the film that they are making for her. In turn, Greg angers Earl and damages their friendship. Later on, Greg has another outburst on his mother and claims that he has regret about the way he has spent his life so far. If Greg was wise, he would have anticipated Rachel getting sicker and dying, and he would not have wasted so much time trying to avoid the real world.
In the film, there are people who share Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu’s wisdom. Greg’s teacher, Mr. McCarthy, does not get angry when he hears the rumor that there were drugs in his soup and he is patient with Greg when he begins to fall behind on his school work. But most importantly, Mr. McCarthy tells Greg that life “can keep unfolding itself to [him] just as long as [he] pays attention to it” (Gomez-Rejon). Chuang Tzu believed that life or nature “unfolds according to the Tao” (Chuang Tzu pg.480). Greg is so focused on the negative aspects of life, so he does not see that nature takes away, but then it gives back. Mr. McCarthy is trying to tell Greg that even when Rachel passes, she will not be completely gone. Also, Rachel has Taoism wisdom. As Earl points out in a video clip, Rachel is extremely patient through her battle with cancer. When Greg first comes into her life, she does not get offended by his jokes. Even when she is having a bad day, she does not take it out on anyone. As Rachel is telling Greg that she is stopping treatment, she tries to lighten the mood with a joke. She realizes that she is only becoming sicker through treatment, so she decides to stop fighting against her cancer and let it run its course.
On prom night, Greg finally starts to accept the way that life is. He visits Rachel at the hospital, after having a fight with his mom about it. While he is showing Rachel the film that he made for her, Rachel goes into a coma and passes away. After her funeral, Greg realizes how he is still learning about her, like when she tried to become a squirrel when she was younger. Then while roaming through her room, he finds that she liked to cut up the insides of books. In the end, Greg goes through with his admission into college and submits the film that he made for Rachel. He has finally stops letting his fears get the best of him. Greg stops avoiding the inevitable.