Personally, there was little about this movie that I could relate to. Yet there was one interesting message that stood out to me amidst all the partying and rule-breaking that dominated the plot of the movie. That message was that art in all of its forms is largely inspired by oppression. The entire introduction, if not more, of this movie was based on part of a novel that Reinaldo Arenas was in “in the process of writing” later in the movie for a literary contest. It was about leaving his family and the oppression he felt at their home because of his poetic inclinations and sexual orientation. Subsequently, he was able to publish other books through his struggles and troubles in Cuba, but all under oppressive circumstances (such as being imprisoned). The second he was able to get away to America, however, he was unable to publish any books of his own writing. I think this was the reason he stole his roommate’s book and decided to edit and publish under his own name. Whether that actually happened or not, and if his lack of publishing in this stage of his life was due to some onset illness, was very unclear to me. Yet it seemed extremely possible given my experiences with famous or relatable works. Many of the classic novels that we read in school are a direct result of some political movement from the time it was published. Even the paintings on the walls of the art district I visited recently in Miami were primarily devoted to depictions of artistic interpretations about the current political climate of this nation. Maybe art, whether poetry or paintings, is a way of coping with what we believe is wrongdoing in society that we cannot directly oppose or maybe it’s just a coincidence.