4.1 Introduction
4.2 Guidelines
literature
4.3 Tasks
for literature
4.4 Three
poems
4.5 The
Little Prince
4.6 Malamud's
Black
4.7 Guidelines
for films
4.8 Tasks
for films
4.9 Guidelines
songs
4.10 Stranger
than you
4.11 Bibliography
4.8 Tasks and activities for films: Real Women Have Curves
Christiane Peck
Intercultural learning and the film Real Women Have Curves (Las mujeres de verdad tienen curvas) by Patricia Cardoso (2002)
About the film
In 2002 Real Women Have Curves received several international awards, such as a reward at the Sundance Festival and at the film festival of San Sebastián. The film lasts 83 minutes and has been approved for general audience. English is spoken in the film, with occasional scenes in Spanish. The film is available on a DVD, either with English subtitles when the protagonists speak Spanish, or with Spanish subtitles for the English text.
Useful Internet addresses if you want some more information on the film:
http://www.hbo.com/films/realwomen/
http://www.golem.es/lasmujeresdeverdadtienencurvas
http://www.zinema.com/pelicula/2003/lasmujer.htm
Introductory Didactic Notes
Real Women Have Curves (Las mujeres de verdad tienen curvas) can be used in English or Spanish lessons for students at the secondary or university level, particularly when discussing the topic of Hispanics in the USA (Hispanos en EEUU) or acculturation in general. The film is especially useful for these target-groups as the main character Ana is in the same situation as the students, and is thus easy to identify with: having finished high school she is faced with decisions about her future. The film deals with very personal questions about studying and choosing a profession, about family relationships and the necessity to sometimes break with them, with constructing one's personal identity, cultural identity, love and friendship.
At the same time the film explores questions of social integration, and shows how Mexican immigrants live in Los Angeles and how they feel in the country of their choice. Another issue closely linked to the previous topic is the exploitation of Hispanic immigrants at an American company.
Suggestions for activities with the film with particular focus on intercultural learning
The suggestions mentioned below have to be seen as a list of possibilities. Teachers should choose the ones that are particularly suitable for their teaching context. The length of the pre-viewing, while-viewing and post-viewing activities cannot be estimated because it depends on the number and level of the students and their knowledge and experience. Before each activity, there are notes on suggested modes of working, interaction patterns, teaching materials and aids.
Where necessary, there are additional notes or further suggestions for
the teacher.
=> indicates notes on the content of the film (suggessted and/or possible
answers)
I. Pre-viewing activities
The students shouldn't know the title of the film yet.
I.1 Associations: The main character (Ana)
Interaction: pairwork or groupwork
Activity: writing and reading
Material: black board or overhead projector and transparencies
Tasks (instructions for the students):
Ana is a first generation Mexican-American teenager. She lives in Los
Angeles and has just graduated from high school.
a) Make a list containing possible positive and negative aspects of her
life in the American society (her dreams, fears, every day life, future,
family...).
b) Compare your list with that of another group.
I.2 Associations: Photos of the main characters, and the plot
Interaction: individual work or pairwork
Activity: writing and reading
Material: tasksheet with 3 photos (you can find the pictures under:
http://www.golem.es/lasmujeresdeverdadtienencurvas
)
photo 1: Ana and her father (both avoiding eyecontact)
photo 2: Carmen, Ana's mother (sitting in front of a sewing machine in
the factory)
photo 3: Jimmy, Ana's classmate (sitting on a bed with Ana)
Task:
In these pictures you can see four characters from the film we are going
to see. Imagine what the film will be about and write a brief summary
of the plot.
I.3 Associations: The title
I.3.1
Interaction: individual work, discussion
Activity: writing, speaking
Material: coloured paper strips, felt marker, board or pinboard.
Tasks:
The title of the film starts with Real women have... / Las mujeres
de verdad tienen...
a) Finish this sentence on the white paper strip.
b) Take a paper strip of a different colour and finish the sentence starting
with Real men have... / Los hombres de verdad tienen...
One after the other, students come to the front of the class, and read both sentences. Then they put them up in two columns on the board or pinboard.
After that, the statements can be clustered according to number or similarity of content. Finally, there may be a discussion in small groups or as a whole class activity about male and female stereotypes.
I.3.2
Interaction: discussion at first in small groups and then
as a whole class activity
Activity: speaking
Material: DVD jacket, black board
Task:
The title of the film is Real Women Have Curves / Las mujeres
de verdad tienen curvas.
Discuss in groups of four what the film might be about.
I.3.3
Interaction: discussion in small groups or as a whole class
activity
Activity: speaking
Material: -
Task:
What might be the connection between Ana (and her life) and the title
of the film?
II. While-viewing-activities: analysing several sequences
A choice of sequences will be shown chronologically.
II.1 Exposition: Ana and her family (Scene 1) (0'25 - 2'24)
Ana is cleaning windows. Her sister Estela calls her because their mother wants to talk to her. Not really willingly, Ana follows Estela into the mother's room where all the family is gathering. She speaks to her mother and leaves the room angrily.
II.1.1
Interaction: individual work, whole class activity
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking
Task:
Give a brief summary of the context of this scene.
=> Exposition: the conflict between mother and daughter, living in two different cultures.
II.1.2
Interaction: individual work, whole class activity
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension
(viewing and listening to the same scene several times), speaking
Task:
When do individual characters switch to another language?
=> Ana's grandfather and father are speaking Spanish most of the time.
=> The female central figures are speaking mostly English.
=> Ana's mother switches from English to Spanish when it comes to expressions
of emotions (for example expressions of anger or pain).
II.2 Ana's way to school in Beverly Hills, Part I (Scene 2) (2'24-4'00)
II.2.1 Chicano-culture: culture in the street, part I
Interaction: pairwork: observer/reporter
(One person (A) is sitting with his/her back to the TV screen. The other
person (B) can see the film.)
Activity: viewing-comprehension, speaking
Tasks:
a) B describes to A Ana's way to school
b) Afterwards, both (A and B) view the scene once again, paying attention
to as many details as possible. They should focus especially on the pecularities
of the chicano-culture (culture in the street).
c) After that, students can find differences between this culture and
the conditions in their own country in pairwork or in the plenary.
d) Finally, students could give reasons why they would prefer to live
in one or the other culture.
II.2.2 "Soy una chica difícil, pero yo valgo la pena" (Scene 2)
Part I:
Interaction: individual work und pairwork
Activity: speaking
Tasks:
During the scene, you can hear a song by the Columbian group Aterciopelados
with the title chica difícil from the CD la pipa de
la paz (1996).
The text starts with "Soy una chica difícil, pero yo valgo
la pena...".(I am a difficult girl but I 'm worth it...)
a) Think whether this sentence is true for you and how. Make notes.
b) If you want to, you can exchange your thoughts with a classmate you
trust.
c) Afterwards, think about the good things you appreciate about that person
and tell them to him or her.
Part II:
Interaction: individual work, pairwork, eventually discussion
Activity: writing, speaking
Tasks:
From the lyrics of the song we learn that she is looking for a boyfriend
("un santo" - a saint), "un gran Romeo"
(a big Romeo), "un príncipe azul" (a Prince
Charming of her dreams).
a) Describe your ideal boy- or girlfriend.
b) Exchange your ideas in pairs or in groups.
c) Discuss how these ideals may vary in the cultures you are familiar
with.
If there's a positive atmosphere, the students will find it easier to confide to each other, and exchange their ideas about their respective ideals. It would be interesting to see if there are differences between the genders.
II.3 Plans for the future (Scenes 3 a - 3 d) (4'00 - 10'10)
The following sequences contrast Ana's professional and private plans for her life after she graduates from high-school with the plans her parents have for her.
II.3.1 Pre-viewing activity, Creative Writing
Interaction: pairwork or groupwork, presentation
Activity: writing, role-play
Tasks:
Choose one of the following tasks:
a) Write a dialogue about Ana's plans
- between Ana and her parents
- between Ana and her father
- between Ana and her mother
b) Be prepared to act out the scene in front of the class.
II.3.2 Post-viewing activities
II.3.2.1 Ana's plans for her future
The students are divided into 4 groups, each group getting different viewing-listening tasks for the following sequences. After having seen the sequences twice, they write a brief summary of one of the four scenes. Afterwards they present their version to the others.
Interaction: individual work, pairwork or groupwork, discussion
Activity: writing, speaking
Task:
Give a summary of the context of the scene focusing especially on Ana's
own plans for her future, and those of her parents.
a) Scene in the classroom with Ana, Jimmy and their English teacher (Scene
3a) (4'00-5'00)
=> Travelling and studies
b) Scene in the fastfood-restaurant (Scene 3 b) (5'00-5'22)
=> Ana quits her job
c) Ana comes home and is surprised by her family with a party. (Scene
3 c) (5'22-9'00)
=> Ana's teacher wants to convince her parents to let her go to university.
=> Ana's mother wants her to work in the factory with her sister, to
get married and have
children.
d) The conversation between Ana's parents in their bedroom (Scene 3 d) (9'00-10'10)
=> Ana's father tries to make his wife understand Ana's wish to get
a scholarship at the
college.
=> His wife explains to him her reasons for not wanting Ana to study.
II.3.2.2 The future plans of the students
Interaction: discussion in small groups
Activity: speaking
Tasks:
a) Discuss your personal plans and wishes for the future.
b) How do you think your parents would react to these plans?
Compare these reactions with those of Ana's parents.
II.3.3 The question of language choice (Scene 3c) (5'22-9'00)
Interaction: individual work, discussion
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking
Task:
Who speaks which language in which context in this scene?
=> Ana's grandfather, her cousins and her father speak mostly Spanish.
=> Even Ana's English teacher, hispanic himself, tries at first to
speak Spanish with her parents. But her parents prefer to speak English
to him because they want to be "good Americans".
The students whose parents are immigrants afterwards can tell the others if and when they tend to switch into their mother tongue.
Questions that may help to start the conversation:
- Can you write in your mothertongue or do you master
only the spoken form?
- In which language do you count?
- In which language do you dream?
II.4 Ana's essay for the scholarship at
the college
(Scene 4) (23'17 - 24'15) Creative Writing
Ana meets her English teacher at school. He wants to help her to get a scholarship at a college. Ana has to write an essay in order to apply for the scholarship.
Interaction: individual work, groupwork or pairwork
Activity: writing, reading
Tasks:
a) Choose one of the following tasks:
- Write Ana's essay that would qualify her for the scholarship.
- Write your own personal letter of application
(e. g. to get admission to a university or a language course in another
country,).
b) Peer correction: Read your essays to each other, and suggest improvements.
II.5 Ana's first date, Part I (Scene
5) (24'15-25'20)
Creative Writing
When Ana is leaving the schoolbuilding, her classmate Jimmy stops her and starts a conversation. He finally gives her his telephone number.
Interaction: pairwork, presentation, discussion
Activity: writing, reading, acting
Tasks:
Having talked on the phone several times, Ana and Jimmy decide to meet.
Choose one of the following tasks:
a) Group A: Write down some pieces of advice to Ana preparing her for
her first date.
b) Group B: Write down advice to Jimmy preparing him for his first date
with Ana.
c) Group C: Write a dialogue between Jimmy and Ana during their first
date.
Be prepared to act the scene in front of the class.
Note for Spanish speaking groups:
The tasks for groups A and B can additionally be used as a language exercise.
The students shall start their sentences with impersonal expressions so
that they will have to use a subjuntivo in the subordinate clause.
Examples:
Para la primera cita es necesario que no te arregles
demasiado.
hace falta que
es
conveniente que
es mejor que
Having finished the creative writing, pairs of group A and B compare
their results.
Eventually, they can write down the gender differences.
Finally, the results will be discussed in the plenary.
The preliminary question could be: Are there different rules for boys
and girls when they go on their first date?
II.6 Ana's first date, Part II (Scene 6) (42'00-45'52)
Interaction: classroom discussion
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking, (writing)
After the activities mentioned in II.5, the students are shown Ana's and Jimmy's first date (Scene 6). They will first give a brief summary of the scene and then comment on it comparing Ana's and Jimmy's behaviour with the advice the students had worked out for them. Finally, the students might make speculations about the following love story in the film.
II.7 Ana's appearance at Estela's factory
II.7.1 The way to the factory: culture in the street, Part II (Scene 7) (10'20-12'00)
On Ana's first working day, the father is taking Ana and her mother to Estela's sewing-factory.
Interaction: pairwork: observer/reporter
(Person A is sitting with his/her back turned to the TV screen, person
B can see the film.)
Activity: viewing-comprehension, speaking
Tasks:
a) A describes to B the family's way to the factory.
b) Afterwards, both (A and B) watch the excerpt once again adding more
details to the information mentioned by B. They should focus especially
on the pecularities of the chicano culture (culture in the street).
II.7.2 Ana, her mother and the working women (Scene 8) (12'00-20'10)
Ana doesn't really want to work in her sister's factory. The Latina working women soon disapprove of her behaviour. Finally, there develops a conflict between Ana and her mother, so that Ana leaves the factory angrily. Her mother runs after her bursting into tears on the street, telling her why she is so worried about Ana's life. A black policeman comes and tries to calm them down. Feeling sorry, Ana returns to the factory with her mother.
Interaction: teacher-student-discussion
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking
Tasks:
Possible impulses to secure the correct understanding of this scene:
- Describe Ana's behaviour towards the working women.
- Describe the relationships among the working women.
- Explain what causes the conflict between Ana and her mother.
- Explain the point of view of Ana's mother.
- What part does the policeman play in this situation?
- Why do you think the film director decided to give the role of the policeman
to a black actor in this scene?
=> The background information to the last question dealing with the
hierarchy in US American society might not be clear for the students.
The teacher might want to tell them that in many predominantly white regions
the Latinos are considered to be at the bottom of the social ladder.
II.7.3 The exploitation of Latina working women (Scene 9) (29'20
- 34'33)
Ana has calmed down; she still works at Estela's factory. She knows that her sister gets only a very small part of the money the intricately sewn dresses are sold for at the department store. In addition to that, Estela is being pressurized by the middle woman, so that she cannot meet her deadline and cannot pay her employees on time. Ana is very upset about that.
Interaction: teacher-student discussion
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking
Task:
What difficulties does Estela have in her factory?
II.7.4 Ana plucks up the courage (Scene 10) (38'30 - 39'12 - 40'45)
Ana convinces Estela to talk to her employer Mrs. Glass in order to get
a postponement. Together they go to the office, but both, the secretary
and the employer, treat them very rudely. Finally it becomes obvious that
Mrs. Glass has Latin roots herself.
Interaction: Teacher-student-discussion
Activity: viewing-listening-comprehension, speaking
Tasks:
a) Give a brief summary of the context of the scene.
b) Compare Estela's and Ana's reactions.
c) Describe how the film director shows the contrast between white American
and Hispanic women.
d) Do you think the form of representation is well done? Justify your
opinion.
II.8 The end of the film: Creative Writing
Interaction: individual work, pairwork, groupwork, presentation
Activity: writing, reading, presenting, acting
Tasks:
Choose one of the tasks:
a) Write a text telling what happens after the film ends.
Present your text to the class.
b) Predict the end of the film, and write a film script for the last scene.
Prepare to act out your scene in front of the class.
Afterwards the students are shown the end of the film.
III. Post viewing activities
III.1 Personal opinion about the film
Interaction: "Four-corners-discussion":
The four corners of the classroom are marked with papers with the following
symbols
+ + stands for I really liked the film a lot
+
I liked the film
-
I didn't like the film
- -
I didn't like the film at all
Activity: speaking
Tasks:
a) Go to the corner of the room that represents your opinion about the
film.
b) Discuss in your group what you liked and disliked.
c) One representative of the group reports your statements to the class
in the final discussion.
III.2 Summary of the film
Interaction: individual work
Activity: writing
Material: summaries of the film in different languages (see
below)
Tasks:
a) Write a summary of the film.
b) Read the English summary and compare it to your own version.
c) Try to read the summaries in the other languages and compare them.
- What different aspects of the film are underlined in which language?
- What do you think is missing from them?
"This is the story of Ana, a first generation Mexican-American teenager on the verge of becoming a woman. She lives in the predominantely Latino community of East Los Angeles. Freshly graduated from high school, Ana receives a full scholarship to Columbia University. Her very traditional, old-world parents feel that now is the time for Ana to help provide for the family, not the time for college. Torn between her mainstream ambitions and her cultural heritage she agrees to work with her mother at her sister's downtown LA sewing factory.
Over the summer she learns to admire the hardworking team of women
who teach her solidarity and teamwork. Still at odds with what her mother
expects of her, Ana realizes that leaving home to continue her education
is essential to finding her place proudly in the world as an American
and Chicana.
Real Women Have Curves features a group rarely portrayed in mass media:
complex, deeply human, hard-working Latina women shown with love, humor
and pride that defies stereotypes and common misrepresentations. The film
is based on the play by Josefina López which is based on her own
experience."
( Text from http://www.realwomenhavecurves.com/story.html - site no longer operational)
"Ana a 18 ans. Un avenir brillant l'attend, elle va être
reçue dans une grande école et c'est la première
fois dans l'histoire familiale que quelqu'un envisage de faire de hautes
études. Hélas, l'argent nécessaire est impossible
à trouver. Alors Ana accepte de travailler dans l'atelier de couture
de sa soeur, là, avec sa mère et les femmes du quartier,
elle va travailler de longues heures pour faire des robes comme elle ne
pourra jamais en porter.
Dans cet atelier, Ana va réussir à faire sourire toutes
ces femmes, leur faire aimer leurs corps et leurs courbes. Elle va aussi
se battre pour recevoir une bourse d'études, la recevoir et découvrir
que sa mère extrèmement conservatrice ne désire pas
voir partir sa fille pour une vie meilleure..
Profondément humain, une leçon de courage, on sort de cette
comédie non seulement d'excellente humeur, mais aussi réconcilié
avec ses éventuels kilos en trop."
(Text on the backside of the Swiss Version of the DVD, Warner 2003)
"Ana tiene 18 años y un futuro brillante. Está a punto de acabar los estudios de secundaria y ha conocido a un chico al que le gusta tal como es. Ana es la primera de su familia que puede atreverse a soñar con ir a la Universidad, pero su educación modesta en un barrio del Este de Los Angeles, y la lealtad que siente por su familia la retienen. Carmen, su madre, trabaja en un taller de costura. Ha tenido una vida muy dura y pone todas sus eperanzas en Ana para que ésta le dé los nietos que ella cree merecer. Carmen tiene buenas intenciones, pero subestima el carácter de Ana y sus ganas de cambiar de vida."
(Text on the backside of the DVD cameo media 2004)
"In ihrer ersten Filmrolle bringt die vielversprechende Schauspielerin America Ferrera eine Glanzleistung auf die Leinwand. Wärme, Realität, Emotionen und Selbstsicherheit vermischen sich dermassen, dass wir das Kino in bester Laune und versöhnt mit uns und unseren eventuell zu vielen Kilos verlassen. Ana, die 18jährige Tochter einer mexikanisch-amerikanischen Familie in Los Angeles, könnte ans College - wären die finanziellen Mittel und allem voran das kulturelle Verständnis ihrer Eltern vorhanden. Um Geld zu verdienen, beginnt sie im Schneideratelier ihrer Schwester zu arbeiten. Zusammen mit ihrer Mutter und den Frauen des Quartiers muss sie Kleider nähen, die sie selber nie tragen könnte. Ana gelingt es mit ihrer dynamischen und weltoffenen Art, die Arbeiterinnen dazu zu bringen, ihre Körper und Kurven zu lieben."
(Text on the backside of the Swiss version of the DVD, Warner 2003)
"Ana è una giovane di origine messicana, studentessa di un liceo di Beverly Hills e con ottime possiblità di vincere una borsa di studio per l'Università... c'è solo un problema: la madre..."
(Text on the backside of the Swiss version of the DVD, Warner 2003)
III.3 Topics of the film
Interaction: pairwork, whole class activity
Activity: writing
Material: sheets of paper, felt marker
Tasks:
a) Make a list with the central topics of the film.
b) Find a provocative statement (stereotyped formula) about each of the
topics and write it on a sheet of paper.
=> Here is an example of a provocative statement:
The working women voluntarily immigrated to the U.S.A. In their home countries
they would only receive a fraction of the money they earn in the U.S.A..
Therefore, it is understandable that the American employers exploit them.
III.4 Final discussion about the main topics of the film
Interaction: double circle
Activity: speaking
Material: paper strips with provocative statements mentioned
under III.3. or below
Room arrangement: Chairs arranged in two concentric circles
Tasks:
a) Position the chairs in the classroom into two circles, so that the
chairs of the inner circle are
facing the chairs of the outer circle.
b) Each pair will get a provocative statement about the content of the
film. Discuss the statements with your partner.
c) Every 2 minutes, there will be a signal. All the students move to the
seat on their right
leaving the paper strip with the statement on the chair. The newly formed
pairs discuss the
next statement.
If the students didn't do the task mentioned in III.3, the teacher should give them various provocative statements (stereotyped formulas), such as:
- When you come to a country as an immigrant, you have no right to protest against the social conditions there.
- Ana should have told her parents about her relationship with Jimmy.
- Immigrants should use their mother tongue as little as possible in order to facilitate their integration into the culture of their new homeland.
- The life in between two cultures is dangerous for the personality development of young people.
- Ana should have made up her mind and accepted either her parents' culture or the American one.
- Ana's parents are too lenient with their children.
- The English teacher didn't have the right to interfere in Ana's private life.
- The clear-cut but harsh style of guidance given by the middle woman is unfortunately essential for economic success.
- Ana should have been more assertive in the relationship with her parents.
- Parents shouldn't interfere with their children's eating habits when they are already adults.
- Adopting the American way of life offers great possibilities for the immigrant children.
- Immigrants present serious social and financial difficulties for the U.S.A.
- Ana should have married Jimmy immediately in order to climb the social ladder more easily.
III.5 Ana's life after one year at the
college
Creative Writing
Interaction: individual work
Activity: writing
Tasks:
Choose one of the following tasks:
After one year at the college in New York, Ana writes a letter
a) to her mother
b) to her father
c) to her grandfather
d) to Estela
e) to the working women at the factory
f) to Jimmy
IV. Bibliography
Allan, Margaret: Teaching English with Video. Longman Handbooks for Language Teachers. Bath 1985.
Geddes, Marion; Sturtridge, Gill (ed.): Practical Language Teaching no. 7. Video in the Language Classroom. Heinemann Educational Books. London 1982.
Liebelt, Wolf: Anregungen für den Umgang mit Video im Fremdsprachenunterricht. In: Praxis des neusprachlichen Unterricht 1989 (36), 250 - 261.
See more film titles in several languages in the bibliography under Further reading, viewing and singing.
next chapter: 4.9 Guidelines songs
