Description
Answer the following in 2-3 sentences
* Please use simple language
We Are Okay
- Lacour makes use of a number of intertextual references in the novel, most notably Marin’s love of Jane Eyre, Turn of the Screw, and the Frida Kahlo painting “The Two Fridas.” Pick one of these and adduce as many similarities as possible.
- Discuss 1) the “tree theme” in the novel and what this symbolizes.
- What college is Marin at? (Two possible answers.)
- Why do you think Marin expresses such happiness about being able to work at the Pottery Studio?
- What would your diagnosis of Gramps be?
- What is the connection between Marin’s swimming pool routine and her mom?
- The copyright page indicates that this book is filed under “lesbian.” It seems to me, however, that Marin and Mabel had a more….idk experimental or informal sexual fling. Would a better term for this be bisexual or fluid or intersectional? Note for instance that Mabel has moved onto a guy (forget his name) so she’s by definition not a lesbian.
- How would you describe Hannah’s influence on Marin? What does Marin learn from her?
- How is Ana (Mabel’s mom) portrayed and why, do you think so?
Ladybird
- This movie was written and directed by Greta Gerwig. What makes that impactful in Hollywood?
- The nun tells Ladybird, when discussing her essay about how much she hates Sacramento, that “love is a form of attention.” I’ll be honest and say I consider this one of the wisest movie quotes in recent years. How about you? We’re now in what’s been called the “attention economy.” Thoughts?
- Discuss how economics functions in the movie. Ladybird’s mom is a nurse, her father an unemployed IT guy. Mortgage problems, house crumbling, Ladybird pretends to live somewhere else, thrift store shopping not as hipsters but because they can’t afford new clothes. Her getting the money to go to NYU is sort of a miracle.
- Note here we have the same CA→ NY movement as in We Are Okay. (And Booksmart, sort of.)
- Look up the name and credits of the actress who plays Ladybird, or Christine McPherson. She’s a remarkable actress and has the coolest Irish-Gaelic name.
- Why did things not work out romantically between Ladybird and Danny?
- What do you think causes Ladybird to call her mom and apologize at the end?
- Explain what you think the epigraph by Joan Didion means? How does it prepare us to watch this specific film set in Sacramento?
- What audiobook do they listen to? Why do you think this novel from 1939 is relevant to the theme and symbology of the film?