Jizzel Pichay 5th year English Ladybird; Greta Gerwig ___ Notes Ladybird notes (set in 2000s) Money and wealth. radio father college big houses Thrift town discount magazine bathroom socks Grapes of Wrath, got emotional over. Shares Fathers situation, he can't support the family, intention to lose her hope, gives a reality-check that they can't afford, even hard to afford(Immaculate Heart - Private HS), mom tells her to go to city college. already we know the plot we already know their situation, money, poverty is their problem, going to be significant Marked class in terms of wealth division. Friends in awe of big houses in the rich neighbourhood and wealth. Don't have the luxury of owning your own bathroom, friends over, back garden. Goes to thrift store, “Thrift town” mom is concerned that the discount has already been added The scene where Ladybird asks mom to buy a $3 Magazine. Ladybird’s family is not wealthy. They struggle to survive and pay the bills. Her parents have no privacy and end up having to talk privately in the bathroom, which is obviously shared by everyone in the house. Christmas scene different, much more opulent in A Doll's House, socks as presents, laughing and happy get scholarships/refinance the house (class/wealth/money) Religion important. iconography, statues, pictures, altar, prayers, ritual. Ladybird thinks about it flippantly. Go against pro-life but close relationship with the Nun, sense of kind and benevolent. --car Characters Ladybird is a spontaneous, ambitious, rebellious, feisty, strong, confident woman, argues mom, flings herself out the car, not afraid to share her thoughts. wants to go to East Coast in New York. Argues straight after radio is finished; Ladybird upset about the year 2002 “Palindrome” wants to be noticed, throws herself, heightened performance, over-exaggerated. adds to the comic element. cuts straight to “Fuck you Mom”. She wears a pink cast Ladybird takes no responsibility , blames mom for being bad at math Ladybird matured, realises she really does value her family, home and religion Jizzel Pichay 5th year Mom- psychiatric nurse, Mise en Scene Scrubs. At home, chaos around table, contrast, on-going tension, cramped kitchen likes everything to be clean, appearances matter the more dominant figure, strongest influence, tackles ladybirds behaviour and orders her husband to stop playing solitaire. Main earner- double shifts. However she is restricted in this role of a caring position. Limited to what she can do. Mother is framed within a frame, car, bathroom, opening. stereotype mom. and poverty Despite that, the mom can still be dismissed by her family and be overlooked, they sign papers against her wishes. eastcoast college, refinance house. undermined. Different perspective(Shelly) after thanksgiving. “She has a big heart, your mom” Dad- unemployed, age, depression but papers Dad and ladybird have a more calm, friendly relationship Appearances matter Mentioned Sacramental High, brother saw someone get stabbed. Brother went to Birkley (High-end UNI) but works in a Grocery store. in awe of neighbourhood have to be as good as everyone. Mother constantly worry of tidiness. Mom cares if she’s dragging her feet Education, contrast with Persuasion and A Dolls House, the time in Ladybird, things have advanced. Women are treated more fairly and are given more opportunities then domestic duties contrast as to a more liberal but elements of traditional society Traditional society Jenna nun women gay sex liberal Jenna’s plan is to stay in Sacramento. Get married and have kids and still have them do the same. Traditional woman Principal is a nun, woman in power Ladybird can get a job, education, opportunities, can speak up about abortion but still suspended women can speak up, progressive to a point. more liberal - exploration of sexuality - Danny catholic family open discussion about sex, indicative of a more liberal, progressive society world than other texts. Migels girlfriend, shelly got kicked out for having sex before marriage but still is accepted in Ladybirds house. Jizzel Pichay 5th year Quotes opening “Anybody who talks about california hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento” - Joan Didion “The Grapes of Wrath” - John Steinberk “We don't have to constantly be entertaining ourselves, do we?” “The only exciting thing about 2002 is that it's a Palindrome” “So you have the worst life, you win” “No ones asking you to be perfect, just considerate” “Fuck you Mom” poverty “Your fathers company is laying off people right and left. Did you even know that? You don't think about anyone else except for yourself” “You should go to state college, then jail and back to state college” “That's something rich people do. We’re not rich people” . “Thrift town” “Parking is too expensive here” characters “She has a big heart, your mom” “It’s only half an hour away” “shelly too, kind of” “what you did was very dolour” (dark) “I’d fucking kill your family” “are you and mom going to get a divorce over this?” “no, we can't afford it” “I fucking hate this song” - “I love it” appearances “It's nice to make things neat and clean” “If we wear rags, that makes us look like rags” “He won't get a job if it looks like his family is trash” “Please dont tell your daughter” Traditional “She took me in when my parents freaked out about pre-marital sex” “I admire her” Jizzel Pichay 5th year Closing “I love you” “You are amazing. You are unique” “You are a miracle” “I'm sorry we fight so much” letters function. “Don't tell her I salvaged them? Okay?” “Its me Christine, it's the name you gave me” “Dad, this is more to mom” “I wanted to tell you, I love you” “Did you feel emotional the first time you drove in Sacramento?” “All those bends I’ve known my whole life and stores and the whole thing” “I love you” “Thank you” Literary genre Genre: comedy, coming of age Structure: linear, starting point,straight forward. No flashbacks or jumpshots opening “Anybody who talks about california hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento” - Joan Didion - funny, comedic element, first way of narration in the movie, comparable to stage directions in A Doll's house. comic element about city college “The Grapes of Wrath” - John Steinberk - poverty about a Mother in America Ladybird and mom facing each other lying on bed - close bond establishment relationship shots of ladybird and mom - by frame window, shows they’re separate people with conflict overlapping dialogue - talking over each other, convey conflict, not listening Mom always framed in a frame - office window with black border, narrow frame, restricted, trapped, car window, scrubs, bathroom Role is a nurse - caring, warm nature, even though she’s poor she can't help herself buying a gift for her co-worker Montage: series of clips/pictures, passing of time or movement - car: inner-world, inner-thoughts, contemplative section - “It's hard to think this eve of parting, turns to sand of summer gone when both are minds are warped with parting” - Ladybird is departing her childhood, changing, leaving. Both in conflict - Car tries to be at peace with her. The shutting of door, ending the song abruptly, shuts the peace she had, back to house and its problems(A Doll’s House) Jizzel Pichay 5th year Uniform: a symbol of conformity. Ladybird’s accessorising of her uniform convey her as the independent, rebellious character. - Pink cast with ‘Fuck you, Mom’ Closing Paints wall white, removing all her marking she made growing up. symbolises a new, fresh beginning, a new start or step in life. putting a cover all over her past “Parking is too expensive here” (after mom left Ladybird) Car drowns out the sounds, no external sounds, instrumental song, insight, close up to her face, no dialogue, silent, good storytelling, through facial expressions. progressively break down, becoming increasingly agitated. Hyper Fixating on her.. Face is monotonous, expressionless. Make us feel more engaged. we’re in the car with her, we feel the anxiety, tension, empathise. (taking off plane) we done see ladybird, we feel as if we are her, through her eyes (letters and character development) At NY, Ladybird reads Dad’s unfinished letters from Mother that he saved. - Ladybird strolls around the city centre, finding her way to the church, silent throughout, hyper-focusing on her state. - Church bells and singing, spiritual, emotional, uplifting, poignant. The emotional music adds to this. Ladybird deep in her thoughts until she steps out of the church and - sends a voicemail to her parents, reaching out for comfort and someone to talk to. She addresses herself as “Christine” - She expresses her gratitude and love. - Puts down the phone, stands static, looking at camera and looks to the side meaning her new life is about to begin, suggests she's resolved and can come to terms with her current situation with herself and her mom that now she can move on - The camera pans when it moves, gives an illusion of movement, the landmarks of sacramento. cutting back, and forth to the mom in the exact position shows the connection of love for eachother, how they’re similar wants to make the audience see the close connection, powerful moment, they both feel contemplative, emotional, their inner-selves are the same, similar to the way the film is edited. Music- instrumental, poignancy, it takes Ladybird this long, this distance to realise sunset-golden light, different filter, suggestive of memories. POV shot-how they see the world, how we are positioned in the car allows us to put ourselves beside them, allows to empathise, feel what they feel, understand drove into Sacramento, she had a moment of realising her love for Sacramento. Character development - Jizzel Pichay 5th year Humour - in the directions “what you did was very dolour” (dark) Kyle's character- condescending trying to be much cooler than everyone Ladybird finding it hard to fit into this persona “I’d fucking kill your family” “are you and mom going to get a divorce over this?” “no, we can't afford it” - humour - optimistic -warm open and honest with her reveals about mother through dialogue - (at the end after confrontation w/ mom) - showing the passage of time - shows ladybird doing different things montage cut quickly to show that her life is moving - supermarket, coffee shop, driver test (ladybird + dad on her birthday) “shelly too, kind of” - refers to her as his daughter -inclusive close family + connections - - (going to the prom ladybird realises that she doesn't want to pretend any more - dialogue and music - song playing in the background - sad, melancholy “I fucking hate this song” - “I love it” - stops pretending key moment in ladybirds character Ladybird, song ‘Everybody says don't’ Julie, ‘Make me a channel to your piece’, naive “Hand in my pocket” - Alanis Marisette → Dad dropping Ladybird off school “I haven't got it all figured out just yet” → Everything is a contrast-conflicting lyric. express to how conflicted and torn ladybirdpersona “Im sad but I’m laughing” → song expresses setting “Crash into me”-Dave Matthews Band → Melody-significant and emotional “Into your heart I beat again” → hearts entwined, perhaps it caused Ladybird to reflect on not only herself and this ‘persona’ but also relationship with Kyle “Cry me a river”- Justin Timberlake→ Houseparty scene: showing this ‘persona’ → reminiscent of Kyle → no emotion, lack of deep feeling, doesn't care Jizzel Pichay 5th year Quotes opening “Anybody who talks about california hedonism has never spent a Christmas in Sacramento” - Joan Didion “The Grapes of Wrath” - John Steinberk “The only exciting thing about 2002 is that it's a Palindrome” “So you have the worst life, you win” “Fuck you Mom” poverty Background info “Your fathers company is laying off people right and left. Did you even know that? You characters Mom:“That's something rich people do. We’re not rich people” . don't think about anyone else except for yourself” “Thrift town” “She has a big heart, your mom” “It's nice to make things neat and clean” “If we wear rags, that makes us look like rags” “She took me in when my parents freaked out about pre-marital sex” “I admire her” “Parking is too expensive here” Ladybird: (Fuck you Mom) “It’s only half an hour away” “I’d fucking kill your family” “I fucking hate this song” - “I love it” Comedy “You should go to state college, then jail and back to state college” “are you and mom going to get a divorce over this?” “no, we can't afford it” Closing “I love you” “You are amazing. You are unique” “You are a miracle” “I'm sorry we fight so much” letters function. “Don't tell her I salvaged them? Okay?” “Its me Christine, it's the name you gave me” “Dad, this is more to mom” “I wanted to tell you, I love you” “Did you feel emotional the first time you drove in Sacramento?” “All those bends I’ve known my whole life and stores and the whole thing” “I love you” “Thank you”
