El Viaje de Carol

Carol is an amazingly confident, headstrong young Americanized girl who travels to Spain (where her mother is from) to get hit by culture shock when she realizes how conservative the population is. She refuses to wear dresses. She gets into fights with a boy. She begs her grandpa to let her live with him and then asks him to stand up against the prejudices they receive. Carol is not afraid to speak her mind. The American culture she was raised in taught her to be independent and open-minded. When she comes to Spain who is dealing with the "Franco years," she refuses to sit back and accept the oppression.

VOLVER

The film can be considered a tribute to women because the women in this film face terrible things that no one should have to endure. Raimunda is raped and impregnated by her own father. If this was awful and scarring enough,  this occurrence also drives a wedge between her and her other because she thought her mother knew what was happening. So, at a young age she is abused and feels neglected by the two most important people in her life, the two people that should love and her protect her above all, her parents. I think the fact that she also carried the child and raised the child which is her daughter Paula despite the fact that the child was a product of incest and rape, shows that Raimunda has overcome incredibly tormenting events in her life and some how she pulls through and carries on as though things are ok. If I were in her shoes, I would have some serious psychological issues. Then Raimunda's husband, Paco tries to rape her daughter. Again, a person who should love and protect them tries to take advantage of them. Raimunda also has to deal with hiding the death of Paco after her daughter kills him in self defense. Raimunda has overcome so much grief and continued on to lead what appears to be a fairly normal life. She is a good, hardworking woman. She is incredibly strong and I think the tragedies she faces alone really make the resilience of women despite life's obstacles very evident.

In the movie, one superstition they mention how the east wind can make people "mad" or crazy. When Augustina mentions Raimunda's dead mother's spirit that appears to people, Raimunda makes a comment about the east wind making Augustina "mad."  Aldo people of the las enfantes village believe that Irene's spirit has stayed behind to look after her senile sister Paula. In general, they believe in a superstitious/supernatural world.

ENTRE NOS

What a strong family they are especially when their husband/dad/protector leaves them with nothing. Gabi steps up as man of the house. He takes on responsibility like collecting cans early in the morning to help make money. He watches after his sister. He translates English for his mother. He does all this despite being let down and abandoned by his father.

Andrea is a happy little girl who likes human interaction. She likes to play games and tries to make friends. She is immature still because her age but overall a happy spirited child who is attatched to her mother and her brother.

Mariana is so strong. I don't know how she made it through and still tried to keep her kids happy by letting them go to the movies and buy snacks and she plays games with them to make them laugh, despite all the stress Mariana is dealing with. She stays strong for her kids because she has to provide for them. She is constatnly looking for ways to make money so they could have food, shelter. She is trying to give her kids the best opportunity with minimal resources.

Overall, looking at what hard times they were facing and how poor they were, it's amazing how they kept it together and stayed strong for their small family

the official SAD story

How sad for all those innocent people taken from their homes, tortured, raped, killed, babies taken from their mothers while being held captive. What a tragedy. Alicia while ignorant for a long time to the real issues, finally began to question the truth when she heard about her own friend's story of when she was taken and tortured. Then her students in class put local postings with the news of the protests on her chalk board. She learns that her own sweet Gaby was a child who was taken from her unwilling mother. While Gaby has been given a good life, Alicia realizes that she wants the grandmother of Gaby to have the opportunity to know the child that was stolen from their family. When her own husband became abusive and violent when questioned about the truth, Alicia knew life was going to change drastically from the happy little family she had.

like water...

I think the movie protrays the tradition of hot culture climates in the sense that the children are obedient to their parents. Although Tita is sad that she is not allowed to marry, the fact that she chooses to obey her mother represents the traditional way children honored their parents. Another example of tradition is how Tita was not allowed to marry becuase it was tradition that since she was the youngest daughter, she  was expected to take care of her mother until the day her mother died. I also think tradition was evident the way Pedro came to speak to Tita's mother to ask for her hand in marriage. I think this tradition, while it still exists today, reveals the respectable way a gentlement was to ask permission of the woman's parents to marry their daughter. I also think tradition is evident in the way that food is a big part of the movie. Warm cultures celebrate and entertain with lots of food as a means of hospitality. Tita was an excellent cook and cooked many great meals for various events in the movie. Another tradition evident in the movie was when Pedro produced children with Rosaura even thought he didn't love her. This is clear in the scene when he is praying to God and says "This is not out of love or lust but to produce a son to serve to you Lord." Back then, it was common for a married couple to start a family shortly after marriage.

Magical Realism was evident in the movie especially how the food Tita cooked would have emotional effects on those who ate the food. For example, when Tita makes the rose petal sauce with passion for Pedro, everyone at the table especially Gertrudis has a very sensual/sexual response after eating the food.
Another example of Magical Realism was when the ghosts of Tita's mother and grand-mother would visit Tita. The grand-mother's spirit guided Tita, while Elena's spirit haunted Tita.