Themes/ Ideas in Juno

Which idea is communicated in this shot? Name the
theme, and list two visual features that support it.
Themes/ Ideas in Juno
WALT:
 Describe important ideas in the film.
 Explain how visual/ oral features are used to
support ideas.
Themes/ Ideas in Juno
1.
2.
3.
In groups of three, discuss the important ideas in
Juno.
Use the screenshots on the projector for ideas.
Your group will need to describe one important
idea to the class.
Themes/ Ideas in Juno
Themes/ Ideas in Juno
1.
2.
3.
4.
Collect a screenshot from the front.
In groups of two or three, analyse the shot –
explain the idea, and the techniques in the shot
that support it.
Link to other scenes – where else in the film is this
idea important?
Present your analysis to the class.
Themes/ Ideas in Juno
Next Week:
 Themes/ideas in Juno.
 Music in Juno
 Returning and analysing essays.
Themes/Ideas in Juno

Is Juno a typical teenager? List her characteristics
and actions that are typical and unusual:
Typical

Unusual
WALT: Explain how important ideas are
communicated in the text.
Scene Analysis: The Mall
Use the headings below to record information about
the scene.



Visual/oral features:
(camera shots/angles, lighting, costume, dialogue)
Important because:
(what do we learn about characters and themes in
this scene?)
Links to other scenes:
(how does this scene develop the narrative?)
Scene Analysis: The Mall
Visual/oral features:
HA tracking shot of Vanessa – makes the audience
feel like they are Juno and Leah, ‘spying’ on
Vanessa.
Dialogue Vanessa: “I was just shopping, with my
girlfriends…” – Juno and Leah are also just
hanging out at the mall – similarities?
HA CU of Vanessa – shows the joy on Vanessa’s face
when she feels the baby kick. Angle shows Juno
has the power (to fulfil Vanessa’s dream of
motherhood)
Scene Analysis: The Mall
Important because:
 Juno and Leah are doing what typical teenage
girls would do – hanging out at the mall.
 Vanessa and her friends are also doing what a
group of women might do – shopping together.
 This shows the differences between childhood and
adulthood, and also the similarities. Shows how
Juno exists between the two.
Scene Analysis: The Mall
Links to other scenes:
 This scene is where Juno realises Vanessa will be a
good mother – before she knows that Mark is
leaving her.
 We can assume that, when Juno is on the freeway
thinking about what to do (crisis) she thinks back to
this scene.
Themes/Ideas in Juno: Choice

We have examined how choice is expressed in each
text we have studied this year.
Juno makes difficult and mature choices in the film:
 Choosing adoption over abortion.
 Choosing to continue with the adoption, even though
her ideal family is compromised.
Themes/Ideas in Juno: Choice



Visual and oral features
are used to show the
idea of choice.
In the freeway scene, a
high angle wide shot is
used to show the weight
of Juno’s choices.
Symbolism: train and
road.
Themes/Ideas in Juno: Choice




Juno chooses adoption
over abortion.
Dialogue: “Fingernails?
Really?”
Sound effects: scratching.
MS: Juno running away
from abortion, showing
her choice.
Themes/Ideas in Juno: Choice

This ECU shows how Juno
has chosen to accept
compromise – she knows
Vanessa will be a good
mother, even though her
idea of a family is no
longer whole.
Themes/Ideas in Juno
1.
2.
3.
Read through the summary of key themes/ ideas in
Juno.
For each scene on the reverse of the handout,
name the theme it relates to, and describe the
visual/oral features that support this theme.
Identify the links to other scenes (eg. if you were to
write an essay on one of the two themes, which
groups of scenes could you use to support your
essay?)
Essay Analysis



This is your English course, your essay, and in the
end you are responsible for your achievement.
You will self-assess your Juno essay, based on the
marking schedule I have given you.
I will read your self-assessment and make a
comment on how accurate you have been.
Activity: Use a different colour to highlight evidence
for each line in the marking schedule (six different
colours).
Essay Analysis
Develops some relevant ideas about the text
 Juno is a character who is strong and independent.
She makes her own choices (Achieved)
 Juno, isolated from the support of her friends and
family because of her pregnancy, demonstrates
resilience in the way she makes difficult choices
and copes with the consequences. For example…
(Merit)
Essay Analysis
Shows some understanding of the writer’s
purpose…using particular features

…when Juno is parked on the freeway, a high angle
shot is used to show the weight of her problems.
(Achieved)

… shot from a freeway flyover, we look down on Juno
in the Previa. The high angle and wide shot combine
to make Juno seem small, insignificant, suffering under
a great weight. The scene is heavily symbolic – the
train tracks are Juno’s ‘out of control’ situation, and the
road ahead is Juno’s future. The shot is composed of
elements stretching into the distance, showing that Juno
has some way to go. (Excellence)
Essay Analysis
Shows some understanding of an aspect of the text
 An important event in Juno is the scene where she
chooses not to go through with her abortion. This
leads on to other events in the film. (Not Achieved)
 The catalyst in Juno is the scene where Juno cannot
go through with her abortion. The challenge of
finding and arranging an adoption drives the
narrative of the film, and allows Juno’s character
to be defined by the choices she makes: choosing
to adopt out, choosing a family, and choosing love
over perfection in the resolution. (Excellence)
Essay Analysis
Uses terminology with some accuracy, and key
words in the question to structure an answer
 Have you re-worded the question in your
introduction?
 Have you returned to these key words in each
body paragraph?
 Have you used visual/oral features consistently
throughout your essay?
Essay Analysis
Writes in a mostly structured and focussed manner,
with most points addressing the question
 Do you make three clear points, which address the
question? (Achieved)
 Do your three points link to each other? (Merit)
 Does each point develop your essay further,
forming a convincing argument? (Excellence)
Essay Analysis
Provides appropriate visual/oral details from the
text
 Do you name a visual/oral feature, and describe
an example, for each of your three points?
(Achieved)
 The high angle and wide shot combine to make
Juno seem small, insignificant…(Merit)
 The scene is heavily symbolic – the train tracks are
Juno’s ‘out of control’ situation, and the road
ahead is Juno’s future… (Merit)
Essay Analysis
Comment
 Review your marking schedule.
 Choose two areas where you have succeeded, and
note these as strengths.
 Choose two areas where improvement is needed,
and describe what needs to happen.
Themes/Ideas in Juno
Next lesson: writing an essay in groups, on the character
of Mark.



Describe at least one character who played an
important role in the text.
Explain why the character was important in the text
as a whole.
Discuss visual/oral text features in your response.
Activity: Brainstorm in groups – why is the character of
Mark important? Be ready to feed back to the class.
Themes/Ideas in Juno
Using the template below, briefly describe
relationships between Mark, Juno and Vanessa.
Mark
• Have different
goals in life?
•
•
• Share a love of music
•
•
•
Juno
• J has the baby, V
wants a baby
•
•
Vanessa
Group Essay Writing
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Choose a group of three.
Collect an information slip – this gives the main
point you will make.
Choose group roles – a writer, a researcher, and
an editor. Record these names on your slip.
Construct a body paragraph, loosely following the
PEER format. You should aim for 6+ sentences.
When you are finished, attach your information
slip to your paragraph, and return to Mr Hanson.
Introduction



Re-word the question
Briefly describe the points you will make
Write a thesis statement: convince me why Mark is
so important to the film.
Conclusion



Re-word the question
Briefly describe the points you have made
Re-write your thesis statement: convince me why
Mark is so important to the film.
Scene by Scene Analysis

This is your opportunity
to review everything we
have learnt so far – and
record it in chronological
order.





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On your scene analysis
worksheet you should
record important details,
especially visual/oral
features:





camera shots/ angles
colour
lighting
costumes / props
editing
composition
music
sound effects
dialogue
narration/ voiceover