El Viaje de Carol
I am glad that we chose to watch this film without sub-titles because it made us truly watch it and go by feelings and emotions not just words.
Carol is a beautiful young girl from the United States going to visit her mother’s home in Spain. When Carol and her mom stepped off of the train I got the impression that it was the first time that she had ever met her mother’s family. She was hesitant at first but seemed to warm up quickly, especially to her grandfather. It was on the trip to her grandfather’s that we witnessed the first time that her American background influenced her actions. When the three boys shot the bird with their slingshot killing it, she threw something at them. She did not even hesitate in her actions, she just instinctively threw the object at them and after seeing the other young girls in the village where they lived none of them would have even considered such an act.
I think Carol’s appearance was another way her American background influenced her. She wore overalls most of the time and even when she was in a dress it did not seem to suit her. From the very beginning I thought she seemed like a tomboy. The other girls we met were always in dresses and probably never wore pants.
You asked the question about how she fights against conventionalisms found in this new culture. The biggest one that comes to mind is the unconventional deal that she made with the priest when studying for her first communion. I do not think Catholicism was something that she wanted to participate in but was being made to do so by her mother’s family. She made a deal to be able to wear what she wanted during the first communion. When the scene starts we see all the children at the altar waiting to be served. When they travel down the row of children we see the girls in their beautiful dresses and the boys in their white sailor like uniforms. When the scene stops at Carol, there she is dressed like one of the guys. I think the most ironic part is that when it came her turn to receive the wafer, sirens sounded and she never had to partake.
Carol was only 12 years old and in a short time she had to grow up very fast. She lost her mother and was left with family that she barely even knew. Her father that she adored was away fighting in the war. She had to pay someone just to get letters to him. When her dad finally does comes for her, he ends up having to run for his life to keep from being captured or even killed. And lastly she met and lost her first love, Tomi. He was killed trying to save her father from the Franco regime. No child should have to go through so much so fast!
Y Tu Mama Tambien
-
Y Tu Mama Tambien
This was a very interesting film for me because I have a 17 year old son. I
cannot even imagine him behaving in such a way or his friends ...
15 years ago
Great Post,
ReplyDeleteI think that there were many situations that Carol encountered that were different for her as an American raised girl:
1) She was independent, adventurous, stubborn, and free willed. She would not let her first encounter with the three boys go forgotten. She got even and earned their respect as an equal.
2) Carol's clothing/ of her own choosing even for the first holy communion ceremony. Her independence was obvious.
3) The way she played, climbing trees, playing rough, and taking chances.
4) Her opposition to the war and its efforts as she viewed it were not conducive to a young girl during war times. She was strong willed and loved her grandfather for his efforts to protect her father.
5) Her trying to teach the maid to read English and to write was a step out into territory that may have been frowned upon.
6) Carol's dislike of another man dancing with her mother was very apparent and she was keeping a close eye on all that to protect her fathers interests.
It was a good film, but I am going to view it again to see how much I missed as I can guess was a lot.
Mary Cremer
great post, you were so right about how the boys had killed the bird with the sling shot and carole did throw something at them. This was not the way girls/women were taught to be in this culture. She was very independant and not afraid to be herself regardless of what anyone thought of her. Her way of climbing the trees and wearing the clothes that she wore she was definitely a tomboy. Mary responded to you and also talked about how Carole was protective of her mother dancing with another man because she was watching out for her father, that was so true. I am glad we watched the movie without subtitles, but I still felt lost at times.
ReplyDelete