Every time I watch it, I appreciate it more. Every time I teach with it, my students see things that I ve missed. It is art. Unfortunately, that doesn t necessarily mean you should use it. There s a plot line that involves the protagonist having an affair with an older married woman, and this involves two suggestive sex scenes (no nudity, but clearly implied). There s a lot of talk about death, especially suicide. One of the main characters is the most obese person I ve seen in a movie. Another is mentally disabled. Most of the characters are somewhere on the continuum from discouraged to despairing. In other words, like with all art, it could cause offense to some. Use it with care. But I recommend using it if you can. The language is simple enough to allow it to be used with pre-intermediate students, but profound enough that advanced students will ask what each line really means. The symbols are layered so deeply, with enough ambiguity to provoke discussions on many levels. The themes affect everyone I ve shown it to. Ambiguity is big in this film. Don t use it if you re looking for answers; use it if you re looking for great questions. Genre: Drama Rating: PG13, sexuality, suicide, themes English: standard American, intermediate Major Themes Broken Homes Coming of Age Death of a Family Member Disabilities Disease - mental Disease - physical Falling in Love Family Man vs. Himself Outsiders Search for Happiness Search for Truth Sexuality Suicide Urban vs. Rural Minor Themes Betrayal Dating Farming Freedom vs. Safety Gender Roles Ideal Man/Woman Individual Heroism Man vs. Society Man vs. System Money Social Change Part One Time: 6:20 (For this film, the times indicate the running time of the movie.) Gilbert and Arne are sitting by the side of a highway watching a caravan of RVs pass by. Gilbert introduces his family and town, setting a tone of detachment bordering on cynicism (denying www.awaytoc.com 1
the sincerity of people s motives and actions). The section ends after Arne has climbed the tree and Gilbert has pretended to be surprised by him. 1. he could go at any time : he could die at any time 2. just a phase: it s a hard time in someone s life that will hopefully change soon 3. here we go again: doing the same thing again 1. Make a list of Gilbert s family members and tell a little about the main characteristics of each one. 2. Describe the town. Tell about its businesses, people, and general atmosphere. 3. What is Foodland? Why does Gilbert mention it at the beginning of the film? 4. Describe the country around Gilbert s home. How does it make you feel? 5. What did you see around the town? List as many things as you can remember. 6. How does the town make you feel? Why? 7. What happened to Gilbert s older brother? What word does Gilbert use to describe this? Why did he use this word? 8. What happened to Gilbert s father? How does Gilbert describe this? 9. Who is the leader of Gilbert s family? 10. Who are the characters that have been introduced so far? 11. Although the dialog in this film is fairly simple, it deals with very personal issues that may elicit strong emotional responses from the students. The best way to prepare for these is to discuss them openly from the beginning in a non-confrontational way. The dominant themes are death and resurrection, the treatment of social outcasts (particularly those with disabilities), dysfunctional family relationships, social changes disrupting traditional lifestyles, male/female relationships (sexual and non-sexual), being good vs. doing good, and the relationship between truth and love. 12. Describe a typical family in your country. 13. What people does a typical family include? 14. What are the roles for different members of a typical family? (mother, father, oldest child, etc.) 15. Are small towns changing in your country? 16. What stereotypes do people from big cities have about people from small towns? 17. What stereotypes do people from small towns have about people from big cities? 18. Where is Iowa? What is Iowa known for? 19. What do you know about insurance and insurance salespeople? 20. What are euphemisms for death and fat in English? (mark these on a scale from formal to vulgar) 21. How are people with physical disabilities treated in your country? 22. How are people with mental disabilities treated in your country? 23. How would you describe a normal American family? 24. It would probably be good to replay the opening part of this section (the part of introductions to the family) so that students could identify the characters clearly. 25. This film makes heavy use of visual symbols. Prepare the students to watch for the following: sunrises/sunsets, images of life and death, images associated with travel (roads, vehicles, etc.), anything clean and new, water, cages or dead ends, one family member physically stopping another from doing something, maps or plans. Also, listen www.awaytoc.com 2
for key repeated phrases: euphemisms for death and obesity, various expressions of doing good and being good, variations of the phrase going places. Part Two Time: 19:50 Gilbert goes to work in the general store. He makes a delivery to Mrs. Carver, and it s obvious they re having an affair. Mr. Carver returns, completely oblivious, and Gilbert leaves. Arne climbs the water tower, and Gilbert talks him down. The family discusses plans for Arne s 18 th birthday and Gilbert puts Arne to bed. 1. Why doesn t Gilbert shop at Foodland? 2. Describe the relationship between Glbert and Mrs. Carver. How do they feel about each other? How do you know? 3. What big event is approaching in Arne s life? Why is this event important? 4. What problems do they have in the store where Gilbert works? 5. Is it more important to keep traditional jobs in towns or to build toward a modernized future? 6. Does Mr. Carver know about Gilbert and Mrs. Carver? 7. How do the townspeople act toward Arne? 8. How does Gilbert act toward Arne? 9. Why is Arne s 18 th birthday so important? 10. There is a strongly-implied sex scene in this section. The best way to deal with scenes like this in teaching is to play the film straight through only once without comment, and focus the discussion on other issues. Trying to edit it out through fast-forwarding, and trying to discuss the negative aspects of scenes like this tends to increase the discomfort of all involved and distract from the deeper issues being presented in the film. Part Three Time: 37:18 Gilbert meets with friends in a café twice, where they discuss the new fast-food chain that is opening in town and one friend s job as an undertaker. One of Gilbert s friends helps him work on the house, which is falling apart. Arne tries to climb the tower again, and Ellen pulls him down. The section ends when Gilbert drives the truck into Ellen s chair and then drives away. 1. prefabricated: something that is made in advance 2. canola oil: a substance that is used in cooking 3. salad bar: an area of salad toppings at a restaurant where you can pick whatever you want to make a salad 4. bacon: slabs of pork that is used as a breakfast food 5. casket: a box that a dead body is buried in www.awaytoc.com 3
1. What is Burger Barn? How do Gilbert s friends feel about it? 2. Describe Gilbert s friends. What are their personalities? What jobs do Gilbert s friends have? 3. What is wrong with Gilbert s house? Why does it have these problems? 4. Summarize the conversation Gilbert and his friends have about jokes. 5. What is Burger Barn? Why is Gilbert s friend so excited about it? 6. Are places like Burger Barn and Foodland good for small towns? Are they symbols of life, or symbols of death? 7. Compare Gilbert s and Arne s actions toward Becky. How do they feel about her? How do they show their feelings? 8. Gilbert s short-haired friend says that it s OK to make jokes about dead bodies. How does he justify this? Do you agree? 9. Is it acceptable to make jokes about serious topics? Is it acceptable to make jokes about people? 10. What happened to Gilbert s father? 11. How does Ellen act toward Arne? How does she feel toward Arne? 12. Do you think that Gilbert wants to hurt Ellen? 13. The issue of Gilbert s father s suicide will become clearer in this section. Draw the students attention to hints of the issue, but don t give away the mystery. Part Four Time: 47:38 Gilbert and Becky have a long talk. At the end of the section, several people tell Gilbert he has to do better. 1. praying mantis: a long stick-like green bug 2. attached to something (emotionally and literally): very fond of (emotionally), actually have something on stuck to you (literally) 3. wedge in: stuck between two things 4. girth: the distance around something 5. beached whale: a whale that got washed up on shore and died 1. Compare Gilbert and Becky in their personalities and view of life. 2. How does Gilbert feel about his mother? Is he right to feel this way? 3. How does Gilbert feel about his life? Is he right to feel this way? 4. At the end of the scene, several people tell Gilbert, You gotta do better. What advice would you give Gilbert for how to do better? What is he doing wrong? 5. There s not too much to watch in this section, but some of the issues would make nice discussion topics or debate topics for a class activity. Part Five www.awaytoc.com 4
Time: 1:02:05 Gilbert is with Mrs. Carver again, with another uncomfortable (non-graphic) scene in which she forces him to talk to her husband while performing a sex act. Gilbert runs away from her and sees Mr. Carver, who tries to sell him insurance. Mr. Carver then goes home and drowns in the children s wading pool. Gilbert meets Becky, who asks him what he wants from life. 1. panicky: overwhelmed 2. cardiac arrest: heart attack Comprehension 1. Does Mr. Carver know about Gilbert and Mrs. Carver s relationship? How do you know? 2. What happens to Mr. Carver? 3. Who is responsible for what happened to Mr. Carver? 4. What does Gilbert say he wants most from life? Do you think he is telling the truth? 5. Why does Mrs. Carver make Gilbert talk to her husband? 6. Why does Gilbert leave her? Is he ending the relationship permanently? 7. Why didn t he leave her earlier? 8. Why did Mrs. Carver have an affair with Gilbert? 9. Why did Gilbert have an affair with Mrs. Carver? 10. Compare Becky and Mrs. Carver in their personalities and their relationships to Gilbert. 11. Compare Gilbert and Mrs. Carver in their personalities and worldview. 12. Is Gilbert being sincere when he says he wants to be a good person? 13. What does it mean to be a good person? Is Gilbert already good? Why or why not? 14. Many students have enjoyed a mock trial of Mrs. Carver at this point in the course. Divide the students into a prosecution and defense, allow 20 minutes for preparation, 10 minutes for presentation (for each side), and 5 minutes for cross-examination (for each side). Part Six Time: 1:09:58 The police lock Arne up for trying to climb the tower. Momma has the family take her into town, where she faces the stares and jeers of the townspeople and demands to have her son back. Gilbert goes to see Becky again. 1. Why do the police take Arne? 2. Describe how each of the different characters act when Momma goes to town: Gilbert, Ellen. Police Officers, Townspeople, Momma, Becky, Arne 3. Is Momma an admirable, or is she a joke? 4. What makes someone brave? 5. What makes someone a hero? 6. Who are your heroes? Why? 7. Be prepared for (and encourage) strong debate about whether Momma is admirable. www.awaytoc.com 5
Part Seven Time: 1:17:25 Mr. Carver s funeral is interrupted by the arrival of Burger Barn and followed by a party celebrating Burger Barn s grand opening. At the party, Becky tells Gilbert that she s leaving. 1. Describe the funeral. What are funerals like in your country? 2. Why does Mrs. Carver decide to leave town? 3. How do Becky and Mrs. Carver act toward each other? Why? 4. Is this section primarily about new beginnings or about endings? 5. Why is the town named Endora? Is the film trying to suggest ending or endurance? 6. Have the students make a chart of all of the symbols of life/beginnings and death/endings in the film so far. Discuss the ambiguity of some symbols (i.e. Is Burger Barn a new breath of life coming to Endora?) Part Eight Time: 1:24:37 Gilbert and Arne say goodbye to Becky in very dissimilar ways. They return home, Gilbert buys a cake, and Arne refuses to take a bath, so Gilbert hits him. Arne runs off into the night, and Gilbert drives away in the other direction. The section ends. 1. Compare how Gilbert and Arne act toward Becky in this section. Why do they each act this way? How does she respond to each of them? 2. How do Arne and Becky say goodbye? How do Gilbert and Becky say goodbye? Why do they respond differently? 3. Why does Gilbert hit Arne? How does this affect Gilbert? How does it affect Arne? 4. Where do you think they both go? 5. Have the students make a chart comparing Gilbert and Arne. Are they symbols of two sides of the same person? 6. Have the students work in groups writing an ending for the film that will wrap up all of the loose ends. Part Nine Time: 1:32:06 Gilbert and Arne both end up with Becky. She comforts them both, amid plentiful symbols of baptism and rebirth. Gilbert finally talks openly about his father. The section ends with Gilbert returning home. www.awaytoc.com 6
Comprehension 1. How does Becky help Arne? 2. How does Becky help Gilbert? 3. Describe Gilbert s father. Was he a good person? 4. Do you know people like Gilbert s father? Tell about one of them. 5. Is it better to express your emotion even if it will cause others pain, or is it better to be quiet? 6. Who is responsible for the problems in Gilbert s life? His father? Mother? Arne? Town? 7. What are the most important symbols in this section? 8. Tell about one time when someone helped you or you helped someone by allowing the expression of feelings. 9. Again have students write an ending for the film. Part Ten Time: 1:54:12 (end) Gilbert returns home for the birthday party and is reunited with the family. He makes up with his mother and introduces Becky to her. Becky leaves. After the party, Momma goes upstairs to bed for the first time in years, and dies there. The police don t know how to remove the body, so the family burns down the entire house. The movie ends when Becky s caravan comes back to town the following year and Gilbert and Arne join her. Consider stopping the section after Becky leaves and having students predict the end. 1. cooped up: stuck somewhere for a long time 2. knight in shining armor: a phrase that describes a hero 3. shimmer: shiny 1. Describe how Gilbert and Arne say goodbye to Becky. Compare this to the earlier scene in which they said goodbye. 2. How do the family members respond to the death? (Focus on the reasons each of them gives for their tears.) 3. What unique problems does the death create? 4. How do the characters resolve the problems? 5. Why does Gilbert go back home? 6. How have Gilbert s relationships with each of his family members changed? What caused these changes? 7. Describe the meeting between Becky and Momma. What does Becky do to make Momma like her? 8. Why is Gilbert so concerned that Momma not being the subject of a joke? (Relate this to the earlier discussion about appropriate jokes.) 9. Is the ending of the movie appropriate? Does it fit the rest of the movie? 10. Discuss the meaning of the name of the town: Endora, end, or a? 11. What does the movie say about major life themes? friendship and love? men and women? www.awaytoc.com 7
parents and children? social outsiders? individuality and community? heroes and bravery? life and death? the source of happiness? goodness? www.awaytoc.com 8