Prof. Myrna Monllor Jiménez English 124

1. Prof. Myrna MonllorJiménez English 124

2. Sapphire (Ramona Lofton) Push (1996) Meditations on the Rainbow: Poetry (1987) American Dreams (1994) Black Wings & Blind Angels: Poems (1999)

3. Influences AudreLorde

4. The Director: Lee Daniels Producer Monster’s Ball (2001) The Woodsman (2004) Director Shadowboxer (2006) Precious (2009)

5. Precious 2009 Made for $10,000,000 Critically acclaimed at the Sundance Film Festival and Cannes Nominated for 6 Oscars Won Best Supporting Actress for Mónique, Won Best screenwriting for Geoffrey S. Fletcher 91% in the Tomato Meter The African American community criticized its portrayal of the mother

6. The Beginning Everything is a gift from the universe. Ken Keyes Jr.

7. The Beginning Why does the film begin with a fairy godmother giving Precious a scarf? Will this scarf be meaningful in other film scenes?

8. Harlem 1987 The director stated that the film was called Precious because there was another film called Push? Which do you think is a better title? Does changing the title change alter the message?

9. Who calls her Claireece? Claireece Precious Jones in the film What effect does Precious’ narration have upon the audience? Where do we first see Precious? Why is this important to the telling of the story? What is she telling us?

10. The Novel’s Beginning William Wordsworth If thou be one whose heart the holy forms Of younger imagination have kept pure, Stranger! henceforth be warned; and know, that pride, Howe'er disguised in its own majesty, Is littleness; that he, who feels contempt For any living thing, hath faculties Which he has never used; that thought with him Is in its infancy. The man, whose eye Is ever on himself, doth look on one, The least of nature's works, one who might move The wise man to that scorn which wisdom holds Unlawful, ever. O, be wiser thou! Instructed that true knowledge leads to love, Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, “Grow, grow.” The Talmud

11. The Novel’s Beginning I was left back when I was twelve because I had a baby for my fahver. That was in 1983. I was out of school for a year. This gonna be my second baby. My daughter got Down Sinder. She’s retarded. I had got left back in the second grade too, when I was seven, cause I couldn’t read (and I still peed on myself). I should be in the eleventh grade, getting ready to go into twelf’ grade so I can gone n’ graduate. But I’m not. I’m in the ninfe grade.

12. How is Precious different in the novel? Think of the incident with Mr. Wicherat the beginning of the novel. How old was Precious when she had her first child?

13. School I feels sorry for Mr. Wicher. He do his best but he ain't got no voice. Everyday I tell myself something gonnahappen, like I'm gonna break through or somebody gonna break through to me -I'm gonna learn, catch up, be normal, sit in the front ...someday.

14. School What does the math teacher say about requests and requirements? How is this important to the story?

15. Mrs. Lichenstein Are you pregnant? You're sixteen, still in junior high school and pregnant with your second child. Correct Claireece? Claireece are you pregnant again?

16. The other day I cried, felt stupid. Guess what...F… that other day. Thas why God or whoever make new days.

17. ...The tesses paint a picture of me wifno brain. The tesses paint a picture of me 'an my muver -my whole family as less than dumb just ugly black grease to be wiped away…

18. In the novel, all of the girls have a story. What is it? Rhonda Jermaine Consuelo Jo Ann Rita Romero

19. In the novel, how does Precious demonstrate her fear of school?

20. In the novel Miz Rain say we is a nation of raped children, that the black man in America today is the product of rape.

21. Before, I got A minus in English and never say nuffin', never do nuffin'. But Miz Rain say we gonna read and write in our notebooks every day. Thassumthin' seeing how we can't really do none of those things and then I think maybe this ain' tha class for me.

22. You're going to have to push yourself.

23. Miz Rain say the longest journey begin wif a single step.

24. What purpose do Ms. Rain’s comments on Precious journal have? Do the comments serve the same purpose in the novel? Some folks got a light around them that shine for other peoples. I think maybe some of them was in a long tunnel before. And in that tunnel, maybe the only light they had was one that was inside of them and then -even long after they escaped that tunnel, they still be shining for everybody else. ThasMiz Rain to me.

26. …you can't stop now. You gotta fight through this. You still have to live your life and do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt. If not for yourself then for the people who love you.

27. Her Dreams

28. Her Dreams

29. Her Dreams “I ain’t never had a boyfriend.

30. Her Dreams

31. Precious’Pictures Pictures appear throughout the film. What meaning do they have?

32. Symbolically, what do the food images represent?

33. One day Miz Rain ask us to write about our ideal self...I wrote that I would be light skinned and small wif wavy swing-job hair.

34. In the Novel Since I ain’no white bitch. I understand that now…I am not Janet Jackson or Madonna on the inside. I always thought I was someone different on the inside. That I was just fat and black and ugly to people on the OUTSIDE. And if they could see inside me they would see something lovely and not keep laughing at me…But I’m not different on the inside. Inside I thought was so beautiful is a black girl too. (Push p. 125)

35. Precious and Mary How does Precious feel about her mother in the novel? How does she say she smells and looks?

36. Precious and Mary Why does Precious have to cook for her mother in the novel?

37. Mary Jones Why do we constantly see images of TV shows? Who do we see in these Shows? ... My muver is a like a whaleperson for the couch. She says I eat alla time, but then she always makin’ me eat... and then call me a fat mess.... She says apartment is little because of me.

38. Don’t nobody need you. Don’t nobody want you.

39. Reference to Two Women (1960) with Sophia Loren http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lebmy2cl8U&feature=related

40. How is Mongo different in the novel? What happens to Mongo at the end of the novel? My grandmuverToosie, brangsLittle Mongo over on days social worker come so it look like Mongo live wif us. Then my mama get the check 'n food stamps for me 'n Little Mongo. But it's my baby. Little Mongo is money for me, not her!

41. Precious Leaves Home

48. Your daddy dead. Carl ...Carl had that AIDS virus.

49. When? I don't know when it start. When I remember it? She still little. Yeah, around three maybe. She made him leave. Who else is going to love me?

50. Miss Weiss You know, I didn't realize what you was until this day -even after all those thangs you did. Maybe I didn't know no better or maybe I just didn't want to but I finally see you crystal clear for the first time. I forgive you too. ...but I'll never see you again.