Brave ~ Family

The film Brave explores family relationships, specifically a mother and daughter relationship. In this relationship the film also explores the process of a child coming to understand their parent/s as a real and complex person and not just as someone who should fulfill their needs and wants. A child generally grows up with the parent providing all the necessities of life in early life and always being their for their child. However, eventually a child comes to realize and develop a more balanced relationship with their parents. This is what happens between Merida and Fergus in that Merida comes to understand her mother better and in turn decides to help her mother much like how her mother only tries to help her. Also, here the film has a coming of age moment as well since Merida grows to become caring much like her mother is caring. So, the film shows the coming of age process of learning to understand others perspectives, particularly, parents' perspectives. The film is about 'understanding' others and then making one's own decisions. Merida doesn't completely agree with her mother, nor her mother with her, but they both come to understand one another and make a compromise.

The film also explores the reality of undergoing hardships, conflicts, and rifts within family relationships. The film recognizes that families aren't happy 100% of the time but that they have to work to keep their family together. Merida learns about working to keep a relationship and the need to sometimes repair relationships in that she must repair the relationship with her mother in order to reverse the spell on her mother.

Another concept we discussed in class was that some media is close to us because we share it with others and that experience of sharing with others is what makes it important or good to us. For example, Fergus wasn't necessarily fisher or hunter but spending time with her daughter was important to her so she has and will have fond memories of catching fish with her daughters. Also, Merida and Fergus bonded together when breaking into the castle. Overall, quality time together with family is important and is what brings people together. So, watching Merida and Fergus bond together with family could also be a bonding experience, which is what the film is hoping for.

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'

George Orwell's 'Animal Farm' 

George Orwell's novel 'Animal Farm' is very specific in its critique of Joseph Stalin and Stalinism. Through the arch of the story and through the characters, Orwell is specifically shaping a satire to critique Stalin. He isn't subtle in the book or when talking about the book. He openly admits that the book's purpose is to be a critique on Stalin.

When reading this novel I could very easily see how Orwell was playing on things from history and politics and how he was using this to make statements which illustrated the problems in these ideas and systems. However, when considering it as a piece of children's media, it may not be so obvious to a child that the novel is a critique on Stalin. A child may not really know the history of Stalin or of Stalinism. However, a child can pick up on the discussion of principles and ideas which are presented within the book. The main value change which highlights a 'flawed' principle is the shift from one of the original commandments that "All animals are equal" to the change to a maxim of "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others". Orwell clearly is demonstrating the wrong in this last maxim through the story and by appealing to the reader's since of moral justice. I child will easily pick up on this critique of the maxim. And though the reader may be a child who doesn't understand that this maxim is specifically critiquing Stalin's system, the child does recognize the principles and values being discussed.

Orwell's structure of the book is also smart in its construction. Because the characters are animals the story tends to have a more child like feel to it since it is like a fairy tale (Orwell even had the subtitle 'A Fairy Tale' on some publications). Because of this the story appeals to children. However, it is the adults and older children who will pick up on the historical analogies of the book while younger children will only pick up on the over-arching themes of the book. Through this the novel is like a parable. One can read into the story to different degrees depending on one's knowledge and intellect. So, this book is a children's book but it is also a book that can be understood as a more advanced or adult discussion of political ideology.

Overall, 'Animal Farm' is a satire critiquing Stalin's rule in Russia and even though a child may not know this, a child will still pick up on the critique of the moral and political ideas.