If you haven’t watched the historical drama “The Queen’s Gambit” yet on Netflix, I highly suggest you start right now. The show is centred around the female protagonist, Beth Harmon, a young American orphan during the 1950s/1960s. Beth becomes a chess prodigy after learning to play with the orphanage’s custodian. After finally being adopted, she is met with great resistance in the chess world, which is predominantly men. She soon makes a name for herself and continues on her journey to become a chess Grandmaster. Here are some lessons and inspiration that we can all take away from The Queen’s Gambit:
Disclaimer: Spoilers Ahead!!
1 – don’t let school interfere with your education
While academia is certainly important, there is so much more to life and learning than a classroom. Beth is already very advanced among her classmates and learns more through chess tournaments and traveling than she ever would have at public school. As an accomplice to Beth’s hooky, Beth’s adoptive mother, Alma, calls Beth’s school almost weekly to inform them of her absences and excuse them. She always invents a colourful story of Beth’s terrible illness. In many cases, these absences would obviously cause children to fall behind. But since Beth is already far ahead of her class, there’s really no need for her to attend regularly, where she is bullied anyways. Although Alma seems to use Beth for travel and financial gains (from the prize money Beth earns at tournaments), the two quickly grow fond of each other and are about the only person that the other can count on. All of us can apply the personal and intellectual growth that Beth experienced in the competitive chess world to our own lives and re-evaluate how much energy we allocate for each and every part of our lives.
2 – turtlenecks and checkered coats are always in style
Beth’s increasingly fashionable outfits throughout the show are to be envied. From emerald-coloured velvet dresses to wool overcoats, Beth’s dangerous chic style earns her the respect of a fictional fashion icon. The development of Beth’s style throughout the show, starting from a grungy orphanage uniform and ending in elegant dresses fit for royalty, symbolizes Beth’s growing independence, autonomy, and individuality all at once.
3 – when there’s a will, there’s a way
Obviously this sentiment isn’t applicable to every situation life may throw at you, but in Beth’s case, she was always able to find a way to play chess, regardless of her current circumstance. Shortly after being adopted by Alma and Allston Wheatley, Beth learns of a local chess tournament. Unfortunately, it costs money, which she certainly does not have. In desperation, she writes a letter to Mr. Shaibel, the custodian who taught her everything she knows, promising to pay him back and then some with the prize money if she wins. This shows exemplary determination and is utterly inspiring.
4 – personal health should be a top priority
There are several moments throughout the show in which Beth is depicted slipping into a sort of madness and allowing her physical health to deteriorate, as well as abusing drugs and alcohol. This causes many issues in her personal life, including pushing people away. It can be hypothesized that many of Beth’s mental health issues stem from a rocky childhood with a mentally ill mother and absent father, leaving her without closure and a sudden great deal of time to ruminate on her past. Her addiction stems from a desire to feel something and an uncontrollable tendency to self-destruct. When her childhood best friend from the orphanage, Jolene, comes to visit her and finds her in a state of disarray, she helps her get herself back together and remind her of how far the two of them have come from their cruel childhood. Beth realizes it’s best to work through her past and confront it head-on, rather than hurting herself and those around her. We could all take notes on this important lesson, especially in today’s world.
5 – maybe the world would be a better place if we all paused for a round of chess
Beth realizes the value in slowing down in the final scene of the show, where she hops out of a taxi and begins playing chess with a stranger in a Russian park. She realizes that through all of her success and fast-paced life, she can finally take a moment to breathe again and the audience knows she has finally found a sense of contentment. This last moment of the show holds great significance and deeper meaning, such as the symbolism of leaving the cutthroat atmosphere of competitive chess behind when Beth exits the car to simply wander through a park and play casual, or leisurely chess. This exemplifies the importance of the little moments in life.
“Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things.”
Beth Harmon, while fictional, is an inspiration to everyone. Walk, don’t run, to your nearest streaming device and watch The Queen’s Gambit!