From opposite extremes of society, Gonzalo and Pedro form an unlikely friendship as politics rips apart marking forever the life of the whole nation of Chile. Please, respond to the following questions on your posting:
What thoughts do you have about the interaction between these two children? What kind of friendship do they develop? Do they make distinctions between social classes or skin color?
Were you able to see the differences between two social classes, the rich and the poor in Chile?
What is the main message that you can infer from this film? Your answer to this question is very important since it will display your screen analysis and critical thinking.
Add your personal thoughts about film, content, culture, social issues, etc.
Machuca
ReplyDeleteManchuca is a very powerful, yet sad movie. It really makes you appreciate living in America. I can't imagine going through anything like what the people of Chile went through. We have several social classes in America. The movie showed only two very distinct social classes in Chile. It appears you are either rich or poor. There seemed to be no middle ground. The rich stayed in their neighborhoods and the poor in theirs. There seemed to be no mixing of the two. At least not willingly. As Gonzalo's mother said "Why would you want to mix apples and pears". That seemed to be the underlying feeling of the rich in Chile. It was interesting to see that the rich had access to food and supplies that the poor didn't. It was almost as if there was "bootlegging" of the food and supplies. Yet everyone, rich or poor, had to wait in the same line for other foods such as condensed milk. Even the rich could only get there two cans each month. Money couldn't buy everything.
Pedro and Gonzalo forged an unlikely friendship despite their coming from the two different social classes. Gonzalo appeared to be a very sad, lonely child. He spent much of his time alone while his mother was with her boyfriend. His father was away on business frequently and his sister spent her time with her boyfriend. He was bullied at school and called a baby by the older kids. Manchuca was put into a school where he knew no one. He was made fun of because he was poor and wasn't warmly welcomed at all. The two boys didn't seem to care that they came from different worlds. They had the common bond of being outsiders. Gonzalo seemed to make the first move in the friendship by doing Perdo's test for him and refusing to hit him when the rich students ambushed him. They practiced what Father McEnroe was preaching. That being that they should treat each other as if they were their family or friend. They both seemed very comfortable in the others world. Pedro was awed by Gonzalo's home, all of the clothes he had, and his Adidas gym shoes. Gonzalo was awed by how close Perdo's family was. Their friendship seemed like an escape from all the turmoil brewing around them. At least until everything came to a head.
We are all born without prejudice and dislike of those different from us. These things are learned from those around us. The two boys seemed able to ignore these things dispite what they heard and saw, at least for awhile. When things heated up in Chile and the military moved in and took control those differences became to much to ignore. This occured when Gonzalo went to Pedro's neighborhood in the midst of the military take over. The military was destroying Perdo's neighborhood, all their belongings, and rounding up all the "communists". When one of the soilder's grabbed Gonzalo he told the soldier "I don't belong here". The soldier saw his Adida gym shoes and realized he was telling the truth and let him go. It is amazing that something like the brand of gym shoe you wear can set you apart from others. Sadly, that is what saved Gonzalo.
The main thing I took from the film was that the two social classes in Chile were extemely different. Each had a strong hatred of the other. Rather than try to work together to improve things, they let that hatred boil over. The rich didn't seem to be affect much by it, and the poor suffered greatly. We have seen this same scenario played out time and again throughout the world. When is the human race going to wake up and wise up?
Gonzalez and Pedro do learn to become friends despite their social differences.I agree that they used the friendship to escape their personal lives and families.They just wanted to be boys and grow up sharing the same experiences. The military taking over at the end of the movie was dramatic to me.Gonzalez having to distinguish himself by the clothes he
ReplyDeletewore stating "look at me",showing us what clothes he wore. he used his social class to protect him.The boys will always have memories of each other but I doubt ever had contact again.
I also thought the Father was one of the solid relationships that many of these boys had. He always taught the boys to respect one another.
May 25, 2011 3:17 PM
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