52 pages • 1-hour read
A Million Miles In A Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life
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Symbols & Motifs
Christian Spirituality
Miller positions the lens of Christian spirituality as pivotal to his book, using Christian doctrine and values to underpin his arguments. Throughout the book, Miller refers to God, Jesus Christ, and Christian faith as key sources of meaning in the story of humanity, reflecting his own spiritual lens. For instance, Miller describes God as a “master storyteller”—a positive force that guides people to create good lives (31). Miller emphasizes his belief that God “[spoke] the world into existence” making God a key figure in the human story. For Miller, God wants people is to enjoy life’s journey and endeavor to do good even during the most trying times. He describes God as a “Writer,” a “real Voice” inherent in people’s consciousness—metaphors that connect his Christian with the paradigm of storytelling that frames his memoir. Miller believes God lovingly directs people toward living better lives, but that there are also “dark forces” in the world that impede people from finding meaning. He suggests that such forces are antithetical to God because they exacerbate people’s fears and instill in them a sense that “life just isn’t worth living” (115). For Miller, bad things happen in the world when people move away from God. To counter the dark forces, Miller indicates, people must trust God’s voice and confront their fears, positioning a relationship with God as fundamental in the quest for meaning.
Miller’s Christian ideology informs his notion of Purpose as a Perpetually Evolving Concept in the Human Experience. He notes that people should “stop expecting God to end all [their] troubles” as the world was not designed to offer completion and fulfillment to people on Earth (206). Instead, Miller suggests, when thinking of life as a “good story,” pain and struggle represent conflict—intrinsic parts of the human story. He notes that while suffering feels “absurd” to people, the “plot” of history points toward “redemption.” Because Miller believes that the quest for purpose and meaning in the human experience is ongoing, he asserts that “heaven” is people’s only possibility for deliverance and fulfillment. Miller finds hope in the idea of salvation—a path to an afterlife that “will be done by Jesus” (206). At the end of the book, Miller imagines his arrival in heaven, emphasizing that a good life story will be his inheritance for an eternal life by God’s side.
Films
Films are a recurrent motif in Miller’s book as he details the transformative experience of writing a screenplay based on his memoir. Miller explains his love of films, noting that throughout his life, films helped him “escape” and “forget about real life” (9). However, as he learned more about screenwriting, Miller began to apply the structure of a good film as a metaphor for a well-lived life. In contrast to books, which Miller claims focus on characters’ thoughts and emotions, movies are premised on characters taking action. Quoting the filmmakers’ arguments about adapting a book into a film, Miller notes: “Trying to be true to the book is like asking people to read your mind. A story has to move in real life and real time. It’s all about action” (20). In contrast to literary stories, films taught Miller that “a character is what he does”—a concept he uses to highlight the importance of taking action in real life.
Miller juxtaposes films with real life to examine the human quest for meaning. He emphasizes that while some films are unsuccessful and “meaningless,” not all are, and the same applies to human lives. Miller suggests that, like a good film, a good life contains “memorable scenes.” He alludes to several films in the book, using them to illustrate his ideas about storytelling. For instance, he mentions Friday Night Lights to indicate how films can reflect real life. Miller notes that the story explores the year the high school football team lost instead of when they won the championship, because at that time, they “tried harder” and “sacrificed more” (230). For Miller, this story demonstrates Conflict and Challenge as Integral Parts of Character Growth—the central backbone of a story.
Memories
The motif of memories remains central to Miller’s goal of Finding Meaning in Life Through Storytelling. Early in the book, Miller suggests that a lack of memories signifies a meaningless life. He notes that most people do not remember their lives because “life isn’t memorable enough” (3). The anecdotal stories from Miller’s life throughout the book reinforce the importance of creating moments worthy of remembering, demonstrating Miller’s endeavor to live life intentionally through powerful and unforgettable memories. Emphasizing the connection between life and story, Miller also describes memories as “memorable scenes,” suggesting that, like in films, life’s plot must unfold in a “memorable way.” For Miller, memories give life its meaning and counter pain and suffering—an idea he reinforces with the anecdote of the young woman’s death. Miller details the illness of his friend’s wife and vividly describes the moment after her funeral, where friends and relatives watched old videos of her. Through this story, Miller represents memories as an “emotional inheritance” that alleviates the pain of loss and death. In this way, memories become a testament to a good life story. For Miller, people must work to create memorable life moments, pursuing them intentionally to provide a sense of purpose and meaning.
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