No one can be wrong to call the Violet Evergarden series as a story about love. Of course, I think it is about love not in the narrow sense of romantic love, but in the broader sense of love between two persons spanning a variety of relationships. The entire series (one TV series and two movies) portray a wider range of human emotions than the romantic love between two persons.
But the theme of guilt is also very prominently featured in Violet Evergarden the Movie. Gilbert's guilt for using Violet as a tool of war was part of the story in the original light novel, but because Gilbert was not featured heavily in the TV series, the theme of guilt only came to be prominently featured this time in the movie, when Gilbert becomes one of the key characters. (There is also Diethard's guilt about pushing everything, like carrying on the family traditional, to Gilbert.)
We have all done things which makes us feel guilty. It is how we deal with guilt that differs from person to person. Some are able to put it aside, some continue to dwell over it. And sometimes, it helps to have someone else, something else, to be an impetus for accepting guilt. To accept that the past cannot be changed, but our own choices and actions can make a difference in the future.
This was touched on in the TV series, when Violet eventually realizes that her actions during the war had resulted in so many deaths which cannot be undone. But her colleagues at C.H. Postal Company helped her overcome that guilt, helping her to realize that the people she had killed will no longer return to life, but her actions today and tomorrow will help change the lives of others.
I think this experience was what helped Violet understand Gilbert's guilt. She understood that Gilbert feels guilt for using her as a tool of war, for being the cause of her guilt. In turn, she is the cause of his guilt. And because she understood that they are the cause of each other's guilt, she convinced herself that Gilbert was right, and they should not be together. Both Gilbert, who is very good at being rational and controlling his emotions from his life in the army, and Violet allowed their rational minds to suppress their emotional hearts.
Which makes their reunion all the more dramatic. Since it is the emotional hearts who managed to break through the rational minds. It shows the depth of their love for each other, a love so strong it can overcome the guilt of being the cause of each other's guilt.
Daisy also learnt how to deal with her guilt for always being so harsh on her mother. Julis finally dealt with his guilt for treating his friend so coldly. Daisy learnt to do so through her journey in pursuit of Violet. Julis learnt to do so based on the advice from Violet.
Sometimes, all we need is someone or something to help us deal with guilt.
(I realized that I have been writing so much about Violet Evergarden, I decided to create a label for posts related to the Violet Evergarden series. But I can't really say I am a fan of the series, since I know of someone who has watched the movie 57 times as of December 4, 2020... 57 times in less than three months since the movie started showing in cinemas.)
My overall thoughts on Violet Evergarden The Movie.
Events:
Translations of short stories:
The Tailor and the Auto-Memories Doll (unofficial translation of 仕立て屋と自動手記人形) Gilbert Bougainvillea and the Fleeting Dream (unofficial translation of "ギルベルト・ブーゲンビリアと儚い夢")
Violet Evergarden short stories: "Logbook entry" and "Diary entry" (unofficial translation)
The Starry Night and the Lonely Two (unofficial translation of 星降りの夜とさみしいふたり)
Diethard Bougainvillea's If (unofficial translation of ディートフリート・ブーゲンビリアIf) Tellsis (Nunkish) translation:
Last line of Violet's final letter to GilbertInsights on the movie:
Audio commentary notes:
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