World literature

This week you are each to watch del Toro’s incredible film, Pan’s Labyrinth. This film is a great amalgam of folklore, which includes fairy tales, mythology, and cultural customs.

As you watch the film, try looking for all the references to what we  have studied as folklore, which incorporates fairy tales, folk medicine, games, mythology, and cultural histories. Pay attention to how all of these elements show themselves as this story is told in the film.

 Then, thinking of common themes we have been finding and discussing in the stories we have been reading, discuss their importance in this film, for at least two characters.  Remember that the word theme has two levels of definition–one is simply that of a plot element that is found in multiple stories, such as someone going on a quest, or a child having to face danger; the other definition of theme is the lesson or moral that can be found in a story, such as “There is goodness in everyone,” or “Evil exists at all levels of society,” or “Faith of some kind is necessary in any life.” Please discuss both types of theme you find in this film.  

Length : 350 words