Film essay

Watch two movies, 1. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES (1988), directed by Isao Takahata. 2. BAREFOOT GEN (1983 film), directed by Mori Masaki. • Read two attached reading, 1. Wendy Goldberg - Transcending the Victim’s History: Takahata Isao’s Grave of the Fireflies 2. Susan J Napier - No More Words Barefoot Gen, Grave of the Fireflies, and “Victim’s History”. • Write a 6 pages paper which including the following questions. 1. The main thesis based on Repeating Wendy Goldberg’s question asked in her article, ‘Transcending the Victim’s History…’: Does GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES present a picture of victimhood, playing off the viewer’s sentimental feelings toward the slow, starving death of an innocent girl, aestheticizing her suffering without addressing larger historical questions? Or is there something deeper at work in the film? 2. (Optional) You could also write about following aspects based on the main thesis: Examine the portrayal of women in GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES and BAREFOOT GEN – which Napier points out all are represented in different states of victimhood…but why? Is this, as Napier suggests, ‘expressions of a fundamental unease on the part of the films as to any real possibility of cultural survival’? Notice: • The summary of the films is NOT necessary. This paper is more about analysis and your argument. You could “quote from the film” but don’t write the details of the entire films. • Please avoid opening paper with generalizations / sweeping grandiose statements. Instead open with a “HOOK” – that ‌‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ will grab reader & makes them want to read more.      

Sample Solution