The Blue Kite Themes Motifs Characters and Essay

The Blue Kite: Themes & Motifs, Characters and Essay Skills

Finding Themes Watching the film, what key moments stand out for you? What images/ sounds/ colours do you remember? Do certain ideas/ images reappear? When? Why? Contrasting Themes: General Political Interior Suffering Male Dark Structure Perception Feast Ideals Belonging Family personal exterior hope female light chaos reality famine reality separation/ disassociation party

From CIE training (T Godber): Learners need to be able to discuss: • Childhood and family • Naturalistic style • The relationship between mother and son • Cinematography • Fatherhood • • Food and meals Audience reception and critical response • Hope and despair • Change and tradition • Neighbourhood and community • The impact of politics on ordinary lives

“Chinese filmmaking inevitably takes its starting point from the relation of the character to the social space it moves [in]. This assumes that the relationship among the self, the family, the workplace and the state that is reflected in the contemporary Chinese cinema is a continuation of the negotiation of the pre. Liberation traditions of Confucianism and the post-Liberation ideologies of socialism (Browne et al, 1994). ” …While melodramas in all its variants gives prominence to the family, the centrality of the family as the most significant socio-political entity in Chinese culture is further highlighted by bringing the effects of the changing political climate to all the Chen-Li family members. The focus is not the individual (not Tietou nor Shujuan) as it would have been to a Western melodrama but their whole extended family (by blood and affinity). The narration was left to the youngest member Tietou in order to allow him seemingly childish and naïve yet [ask] essential questions. http: //polsci 167. blogspot. co. uk/2007/10/blue-kite-dialectics-of-chronology. html

Characters and Family Life Everyday life in Beijing in winter 1956 -1957 Source: https: //everydaylifeinmaoistchina. org/category/50 s/page/13/

Everyday life in Beijing in winter 1956 -1957 Source: https: //everydaylifeinmaoistchina. org/category/50 s/page/13/

Character Analysis: Who are the central characters? What do we know about them? (facts) What do we feel about them? (our emotional reaction to them)- how much of this is influenced by the director v what we bring to the film? What are their “significant moments” (on and off screen, and before the film)? Any key themes/ motifs/ quotes linked to them? Who do they have closest links to? How does the director like to depict them (consider camera angles, shots, use of contrast/ light etc)? Does this change throughout the course of the film?

Characters Guodong (“uncle”) Shaolong (father) Lao Wu (Stepfather) Shujuan (mother) Zhuying Grandma Shusheng (uncle) Tietou Shuyan (uncle)

A ceremony for one of the PRC’s first self-made airplanes in 1956

Three Key Movements linked to three key figures Rectification Movement Father Great Leap Forward Uncle Cultural Revolution Stepdad Why did Tian choose to have each of these movements represented by the key patriarchal figure in Tietou’s life? How does the distinction of Tietou’s relationship with each figure reflect the population’s relationship with the Party/ these political movements?

Political v Personal: The interior and exterior life of the Blue Kite

Exploring a theme: Sickness and the State: How ill-health in The Blue Kite reflects the political state of the nation Q. What do you know about Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)? The three men in The Blue Kite have very specific illnesses- what are they? Why do you think the director chose those specific ailments? Read about the links between the illnesses, organs and emotions here: http: //www. tcmworld. org/what-is-tcm/five-elements/ http: //www. tcmworld. org/what-is-tcm/the-five-major-organ-systems/ Q. How could these illnesses be interpreted to represent the external state of the country and its politics?

Progression of sickness: Eyes (Shusheng) Liver (Guodong) Heart (Lao Wu) Consider the connection between these organs in TCM… And the political shifts in The Blue Kite

Exploring quotes: “When you are older, things will be better” “narrower field of vision, then distorted” “The more I think, the less I understand” “Well, think about something else then” “I can make another for you” “They’ve been carrying out revolution most of their lives, there’ll be no end to it. ” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? To what extent is Shusheng’s developing blindness a metaphor for the development of party politics during this period? How far do you agree that this attitude negatively impacts on the family’s fortunes in the film? How does the blue kite act as a motif for the political and personal situation in China in this film? Comment on the impact that the “revolutions” shown in the film have on the character’s lives. Give specific examples.

Use of objects as motifs/ symbols Use of sound Horse wedding gift Wedding scarf Blue Kite Courtyard and hutong Food Banners/ Posters Music choices Songs/ poems Tietou recites Sound of the cat Lanterns Marbles Tietou’s toys Red and blue Muted browns/ earthy tones Stark wintery/ icy landscapes White skies Use of colour & light

Use of Banners: 义诰 (right order/ righteousness) 全民动员讲卫生除四害 Quánmín dòngyuán jiǎng wèishēng chú sì hài 革面洗心 重新做人 Gémiàn xǐxīn chóngxīn zuòrén When do we see these banners? What is happening? Which characters are onscreen? What is the significance?

Teaching essay writing skills Bearing the previous points in mind: • • Get them writing critically as soon as possible Get them writing frequently (every fortnight at least) Discipline on word count from the start FOCUS! Peer marking Mini-writing tasks (300 words on…) Analyse XXX from the point of view of XXX Timed writing practice (especially as you get closer to the exam date)

Q. What constitutes a strong argumentative essay? • How far/ why questions invite a range of responses • Analyse the question and look for key words (often an adjective or adverb) • No “correct” answer- relies on student’s ability to convince the marker through clear examples and a thought-out, consistent argument • Cohesion in argument AND in essay structure • Different points of view must be expressed (but not be confused) • Three main arguments for either side is enough • A conclusion is needed (writer must answer the original question) And a weak essay? • • • Doesn’t answer the question Is a narrative Lack of cohesion and clarity Lack of knowledge No clear opinion from the writer Only one side presented

Exam style questions: How far would you agree that the film The Blue Kite is a realistic portrayal of China during this period in history? Can you create your own questions? Discuss… Analyse… Evaluate… To what extent… How far… How accurate… How successfully… Essay task: Create some essay titles Switch around, next group has to sketch out the essay structure (next group- give potential quotes, moments etc)

Essay inspiration: essay zone 1. Compare the presentation of characters as victims in The Blue Kite. 2. To what extent do you agree that - -Tietou is a victim of history? The Blue Kite is a story of failed patriarchy? The Blue Kite is an ultimately negative film? 3. ‘In The Blue Kite the main reason for everyone’s suffering is that Shaolong makes a mistake, affecting his family. ’ Discuss. 4. Explore the ways in which Tian makes use of locations in ‘The Blue Kite. ’ 5. Comment on the ways food is portrayed in ‘The Blue Kite. ’ 6. Describe and explain the significance of the relationships Tietou has with his father and two stepfathers. 7. How are the techniques of characterisation used to highlight the differences in society in ‘The Blue Kite? ’