On the surface, it is the world from the perspective of the iconic protagonist 14 year old boy, projected as how any boy will be - naughty, curious, rebelious and also being pressed by the society into being something for the sake of France. Hence similar to Pink Floyd critics of the education system for producing just another ‘brick on the wall). Film similar to Ozu’s Tokyo Story of tight walls shot of being at home and at school, yet open shot showing the horizon and the skies which means freedom.
Yet, below the surface, in the film opening Truffaut dedicated this to Andre Bazin, and the boy is eventually taken to be Truffaut’s alter ego. Having accepted the challenge to make his own film by those he wrote in his critiques, the last scene where the boy arrived and the beach and break the fourth wall, looking back at the audience means not only that the character has found freedom from the modern social system, but also it is Truffaut looking back at his critics saying that he has walked the talk. The film still stand as one of the greatest film of all time.