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Lecture 3: Arcing Characters

Lecture 3: Arcing Characters. Professor Daniel Cutrara. Joy Luck Club ( 1993) Amy Tan (novel) Amy Tan & Ron Bass (screenplay). Previous Lesson. Structure Structure in Memento. This Lesson. Arcing Characters Joy Luck Club and Character Assignments. Character.

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Lecture 3: Arcing Characters

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  1. Lecture 3:Arcing Characters Professor Daniel Cutrara Joy Luck Club (1993) Amy Tan (novel) Amy Tan & Ron Bass (screenplay)

  2. Previous Lesson Structure Structure in Memento

  3. This Lesson Arcing Characters Joy Luck Club and Character Assignments

  4. Character Lesson 2: Part I Finding Nemo (2003) Andrew Stanton (Story) Andrew Stanton & Bob Peterson & David Reynolds (screenplay)

  5. Character • Character Arc • Wants vs Needs • Character and Structure • The Mindworm

  6. Character (Cont’d) • Character Arc • Growth • Reveal (Memento) • Character Development • Dimension- hopes, dreams, beliefs, fears, etc. • Complexity- contradictions, flaws • Stakes 6

  7. Protagonist • Protagonist/Hero • Sympathetic, likable • Common emotional core • Anti-hero • Fascinate and intrigue • The power of the shadow side

  8. Ensemble • Multiple Protagonists • Buddy movies • Multiple Heroes- Lord of the Rings • Multiple Stories- Magnolia, Love Actually • Multiple Storylines • They should intersect and support 8

  9. Archetypes • The Hero’s Journey • Joseph Campbell • The Writer’s Journey • Chris Vogler • The Archetypes • Characters serve different functions • One character can serve more than one archetypal function

  10. Archetypes (cont’d) • Hero- • Frodo • Mentor- • Gandalf • Shadow/Trickster- • Gollum • Shapeshifter- • Boromir • Wise Woman- • Galadriel 10

  11. Cardboard and Stereotypes • Flat Characters • Serve function only, lifeless. • Stereotypes • Frat boy/party girl • Mafia thug • Lone serial killer with abusive past

  12. Character or Plot • Plot Driven • Genres –action, adventure, thriller, romantic comedy • Character Driven • Drama or comedy • Midnight Cowboy, The Ice Storm, Lost in Translation, Napoleon Dynamite

  13. Joy Luck Club and Character Lesson 3: Part II Joy Luck Club 13

  14. The Story • Joy Luck Club • Directed by Wayne Wang • Screenplay by Amy Tan and Ron Bass • Adapted from Tan’s bestselling novel

  15. Structure and Plot • Ensemble • Multi-generational • Mother/daughter • Three Acts • Mother/daughter storylines • June’s journey

  16. The Beginning • Introductions • The story of the feather • Establishing theme • The Bon Voyage Party • Introducing Characters • June’s Story • She must go to China • The Talent Show introduces the problem with her mother

  17. Middle- Rising Action • Lindo/Waverly’s story • Lindo’s story, arranged marriage • Waverly’s story, chess champion • Ying-Ying/Lena • midpoint • Ying-Ying’s story, killed her baby • Lena’s story, life with 50/50. • An Mei/Rose • An Mei’s story, concubine, raped, suicide • Rose’s story, married to rich white man

  18. Frame Story • Plot Point 2/Second Turning Point/Second Act Break • The return to the party after Rose’s story • The daughters in China don’t know their mother is dead. • June must face her conflicted feelings about her mother

  19. End- Climax, Resolution • June/Suyuan • June’s story- heart best quality • Suyuan’s story- sick when she gave up her babies. • The reunion

  20. Analysis of the End • Is the film anti-climactic? • Structural demands placed by multiple stories and frame story. • Exposition in the “Third Act” • Suyuan and the babies • What does June confront for the climax? • Forgiveness • Understanding

  21. Character and Structure • Pause the lecture and watch the first clip from The Joy Luck Club. • How does this scene address June’s conflict with her mother? • What is left for June to reconcile?

  22. June and her Mother • June has felt like a failure as a daughter. • Her mother shows her approval. • Heart best quality • What is left for June to reconcile? • Her feelings toward her mother regarding the babies.

  23. Theme • What does the movie say about life? • Do you have to be from an immigrant family to relate? • Do you have to be a woman to relate?

  24. Character Arc • Multiple Arcs • Needs and wants in each storyline • The cost of survival in China • The cost of relationships in USA • Needs and wants between mother and daughter • Reconciliations

  25. Character Arc Example • Pause the lecture, and view the second clip from the Joy Luck Club. • What is Lena’s want and need? • What is Lena’s arc? • What is her mother’s arc? • How does the relationship between mother and daughter change?

  26. Lena and her mother • Lena needs to value herself • Finally standing up for herself • Mother giving strength to her daughter in spite of her past failures. • Lena feeling valued by her mother.

  27. Representation • Concerns raised about the film • Chinese Men and patriarchy • Women swallowing their sorrows

  28. The Wrap Up • Character complexity • Conflict and Dimension • Representation

  29. Assignments Joy Luck Club Lesson 9: Part III

  30. E-Board Post #1 Approximately 200 words. Do a character arc critique of one of your favorite films. Comment on two of your peers. 30

  31. End of Lecture 3 Next Lecture: Integrating the Elements

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