Why? David wakes up thinking he's wet the bed, but it was Soonja this time because she's had a stroke. If you had to take a side, whose side would you take? It feels so authentic and deeply personal, but also universal in a way that many can see themselves and their family in one or all of these characters. Discuss. So, after the family, except for Soon-ja, travels to Oklahoma City to meet a specialist there for Davids condition, Monica gives her husband an ultimatum to choose between his family and the farm. As kids, what do moments like this mean about our understanding of the world and how it works? The discussion guide and lesson below will help students consider how and why characters in Minari act the way they do. Before coming to Common Sense, she helped create ELA curriculum for a K-12 app and taught the youth of America as a high school teacher, a community college teacher, a tutor, and a special education instructional aide for about 18 years. What are some examples to support your idea? The plotline is very simple: The story of the farm. Why? Lee Isaac Chungs breathtaking new film Minari is promoted as a staggeringly powerful story of the American dream. It follows a Korean American father whos trying to reimagine what life for his family could look like. Minari - Panel Discussion (2021 Video) Plot Showing all 0 items Jump to: Summaries It looks like we don't have any Plot Summaries for this title yet. The film is named after the Korean word for a type of water dropwort that, as Soon-ja (Youn Yuh-jung) tells her grandson David Yi (Alan Kim), can be used as medicine or put in any food, be it a stew, kimchi, or soup. The farm is located an hour away from the nearest hospital, and Monica believes that they are putting their sons life in constant danger by staying there. What are the pressures of "fitting in" while also being true to yourself/where you came from? Anticipate and evaluate the consequences of theiractions. After living in America for a few years, sexing chickens for below minimum wage, the family decides to pack their bags and head from California to Arkansas to start a farm. All the films tension bubbles over into the heartbreaking but hopeful Minari ending. A FOOW (Fish-Out-Of-Water) dynamic. SPOILERS AHEAD. Why does Jacob mention that he's the eldest son? You know your classroom and community norms best -- use your professional judgement to decide how you'll address these, if necessary. Minari DRAMA A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. Its implied that the Yi family will come back stronger as farmers and as a family. Jacob relies on knowledge and planning, so dismisses the dowser. MINARI tells the story of the Yi family through the eyes of David (Alan S. Kim), a young boy whose family has uprooted from California to Arkansas to chase his father Jacob's (Steven Yeun) dream of owning a farm.David and his older sister, Anne (Noel Cho), try to find their place in Arkansas, while their mother, Monica (Yeri Han), wishes she was still in California, where she felt comfortable . Why do you think David has accepted Soonja? PSA: Everything Everywhere Has 11 Oscar Noms! I hear the American dream thrown around a lot [about Minari], and that could mean all kinds of things that I was intentionally not getting into with the movie.. Beyond the snake, what does Soonja mean about things that hide? New York, Can you think of someone from your own life, from history, or from a piece of media that's like Anne -- a bit of an "unsung hero" who helps keep things going? One theme I take away from "Minari" is strength, specifically the perseverance people demonstrate in the face of hardship. Spent most of my life in various parts of Illinois, including attending college in Evanston. The Minari ending especially offers a satisfying and showstopping conclusion. Students will also reflect on howtheir ownsense of identity has developed within their family and community-- including the impacts of culture and ancestry. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. At one point in Minari, Soonja says to David and Anne, do you even know what Minari is, you stupid Americans? a cheeky nod to many viewers that are clueless about minari. Instead, he finds water by figuring out the low grounds. This event has passed. It grows anywhere, like weeds. It often evolves from a yearning to escape the daily grind and a feeling of nostalgia. $60. Identify diverse social norms, including unjust ones. (7:56-9:40), Clip #2: A thunderstorm is in full swing, and everyone's scared. Today you noticed your phone was acting kind of weird so you open up this app to see what . Despite one challenge after another which pushes Jacob and Monica's relationship to the brink of dissolution, they persist. Students will rank certain character traits in order of how important they are to personal growth. What are Monica's? Is there a "right"? choosing a selection results in a full page refresh. What are some examples to support your idea? Why? Christine Elgersma is Senior Editor, Learning Content, Strategy which means she manages the newsletter about learning, edits writing about learning, and loves to learn. Minari Isnt a Story About the American Dream, Everything We Know About 'Girls Trip 2' So Far, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. Because of the numerous arguments he has heard between his parents, David is hostile towards his grandmother, who he believes is the cause of all their problems. (42:44-49:43), Clip #9: David dumps out his tea and urinates in the cup. It's accessible to 9th graders but can also sparkmore nuanced conversations for 12 graders. Read. Minari is wonderful, wonderful!". Dowsing is a very old practice considered to be pseudoscience by some and legitimate folk wisdom by others. Digital Citizenship Resources for Families, Workshops for Middle and High School Families, CASEL 5 competencies for social and emotional learning, thinking routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero, selected scenes and discussion questions listed earlier in this article, Inside Out and SEL: A Movie Guide and Lesson Plan for Your Classroom, Whale Rider and SEL: A Movie Guide and Lesson Plan for Your Classroom, Teachers' Essential Guide to Showing Movies and Videos in the Classroom. Can you identify a choice the filmmakers made about music, camera angles, etc. And who is even included in this fantasy of America? Why do you think David has accepted Soonja? But underlying all of that, its less the immigration but the heart and sentiments, the relationships of the people doing that. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. In a country where Latinx and Asian immigrants are reviled, its not surprising that production companies like A24 want to normalize the stories of immigration, focus on the American dream, and show that those of us with immigrant backgrounds are Americans. The violence on the border and the recent spike in hate crimes against Asians Americans are constant reminders that white supremacist narratives of immigrant invasion are alive and thriving. He becomes her companion as she explores the nooks and crannies of the property. And it ultimately improves things for David, whom his parents have always kept under constant supervision because of his heart condition. EVENT DATES & TIMES: Virtual screening: Saturday, May 15 between 6-10pm PST Post-movie discussion: Wednesday, May 19 from 4-5pm PST REGISTRATION Tickets are SOLD OUT. Of course, you could also use some combination of the two, adapting the lesson to best suit your class's needs. Why? Anne is a quiet force in the movie, taking care of David and trying to make things easier for her parents. Anne's strategy when her parents are fighting is to send messages with paper airplanes, which is a creative way to find some control over a situation where she's powerless. When the kids on the bus make fun of Paul because he doesn't have water at his house, David realizes that's true about his family, too. Ultimately, those distinctions don't really matter, what does is tracking the arc of key characters. Because entire countries can't have a smell, what is it David is really reacting to? So we have to push back on the idea that it is a universal immigrant story about the American dream. What are Jacob's priorities? Minari DISCUSSION TOPICS - Dreams, goals, life plans, death of a loved one, loneliness, disappointment, failure, follow-through, guilt, immigration, farming, Ronald Reagan, Korean War, losing faith in someone. In Jacobs mind, he has invested too much and sacrificed too much to back out now from this specific trajectory of his life, no matter the consequences. There's a ton of SEL content to work with here. -- can shift one's priorities? At the beginning of the film, the family was completely against this notion, with Anne commenting that Jacob snores. It's a specific instrument. Despite these tragedies, the family comes out of it stronger than ever. The heartfelt film from the studios of A24 tells the tender story of a Korean-American family that starts a farm growing Korean vegetables and endures the struggles of building a home in 1980s Arkansas. Minari won the 2021 Academy Award for best Actress in Supporting Role. What do you think this statement shows about Jacob's motivations? Of course, you could also use some combination of the two, adapting the lesson to best suit your class's needs. Do you think this is a positive or negative thing? Minari ( Korean: [minai], transl. Why? Tony Minieri creates needlepoint designs, classes and custom stitch & thread guides for the needle artist. But the chest of drawers accident elicits a comment from Soon-ja: "You are a strong boy." To her surprise and horror, he picks the latter. Minor spoilers ahead for Minari.. "Minari" Discussion Group Friday July 16. Much of the movie has subtitles, so if you have students that can benefit from ita simple transcriptand the full screenplay are both available. Around 1:19:00, some kids use chewing tobacco. I do feel confident in this: Soonja is *definitely* a Trickster. Jacob hires a dowser to find water. But thats too much for one film, one director, and one story to bear. Recognize situational demands and opportunities. For Part 5, to read the Dialogue discussion go here. Step 1: List out and order the main topics of your interview. Except for David, all Yi family members, his parents and his sister Anne (Noel Kate Cho), were born in Korea. MINARI. Her oncoming dementia plays into that. Both individually and collectively, they find friends as well, most prominent of whom is the town eccentric Paul (Will Patton), who is the very embodiment of the profound faith that resonates in that part of the country. that made it especially memorable? A discussion guide is a set of questions/tasks/topics that you, the researcher, wish to walk a research participant through in order to reach your learning objectives. What are Monica's? Importantly, theyll return to this after the movie and reflect on it. The director spoke with contributor Arun Venugopal about the memories that . Based on Chung's own childhood, 'Minari' is about a Korean American family that moves to rural Arkansas to start a farm. Step 2: Insert your questions for each topic. Why? Later, he sprints after his grandmother to retrieve her after Soon-ja wanders off, post-barn fire. And the fire is completely a Trickster type of thing. What unies the narrative? Who's right? Depending on what's best for your class, have students work in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class. My students and I wanted to be seen by others and to see ourselvesthe hope that the diversity of who we are would finally be reflected, but theres only so much room for Asian American representation in Hollywood. Common Sense Media. Here's a rundown of all those rich details that made the movie so moving: And by the way, it's possible that a few or a lot of these cultural elements aren't exclusive to the Korean community. Rich or poor, anyone can enjoy it and be healthy. They'll also considerhow this might play out for others who aren't like themselves. Its a commentary on the future that the Yis might experience. Because entire countries can't have a smell, what is it David is really reacting to? This lesson is designed to align with the CASEL 5 competencies for social and emotional learning as well as various Thinking Routines from the Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero. At 49:44, there's a scene where David tricks Soonja (Grandma) into drinking his urine. It feels like one of those stories where character archetypes may be of some value in analyzing the story, but not of central importance. Both Jacob and Monica have to work sexing chicks in order to provide for the family while they wait for that dream to come to fruition. (16:09-19:51), Clip #4: Jacob tells Anne that Koreans immigrate to the U.S. and miss Korean food. Lee Isaac Chung 's "Minari" casts a spell from its opening moments, a Terrence Malick-like evocation of human beings trying to stay in harmony with the natural world. Then, of course, the line from Soon-ja to David, as noted previously: "Strong boy." But we see, at the end, he is going to try again. How would you describe the behavior of the people at church toward the Yi family? We're about to get into spoilers from the movie, so if you haven't watched it yet, read no further! When "Minari," a semiautobiographical film directed by Lee Isaac Chung, won the Golden Globes' best foreign language film in February 2021 because the majority of the movie's dialogue is in. When Monica asks Jacob which family the move was really for, what does she mean? Follow More from Medium Bryan Ye in. * The fire: A major reversal, indeed, the destruction of what Jacob had worked so hard to build, the barn a symbol of what the farm *could* be. Or perhaps better to think of them as you portray them: Characters evolving from one type of relationship with David to another. They save each other, and in the process, salvage their relationship. Chung tells this semi-autobiographical story from Davids perspective, effectively using the young character as the filmmakers surrogate. Create a "farm" that represents the things that motivate you to learn and grow as a person. The film willresonate particularly with students whose households have deep connections to countries other than the one in which they reside. (10:49-13:53), Clip #3: A dowser comes to show Jacob he can find water on the property, but Jacob says, "Americans, believing that nonsense! Monica sends the children away and Jacob and her have a passionate confrontation. Jacob explains that the male chicks are discarded, so it's important to be useful. Major kudos to Aditya Raute for doing this weeks scene-by-scene breakdown. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. (1:38:26-end). By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. (4/5 stars) Directed by: Lee Isaac Chung. It could be a sculpture or diorama, a drawing, a poem that describes it, or a virtual one (using Minecraft, etc.). What scene, and why does it stick out in your mind? that made it especially memorable? "Minari" 's style is a disheartening example of the gravitational pull that such conventions exert on the cinema at large. -- that illustrates this time. The family flees Korea seeking a better life in the United States. (49:44-55:13), Clip #10: After Jacob learns a deal fell through with a Korean business owner, there's a shot of the smoke stack for "discarded" useless male chicks. But the biggest problem for the couple, as well as their biggest source of contention, remains Davids health. I am a black woman who grew up poor on the Southside of Chicago, and I felt deeply moved and connected to this film because it made me see my parents' struggles in a different way, and thats one of the remarkable things about Minari. Demonstrate personal and collective agency. (1:12:32-1:18:35), Clip #13: Monica tells Anne she's so grown up, taking care of everyone. As a family car travels through a green American landscape, the earth itself seems to be speaking to the characters, and through them, to us. She accepts Davids attitude only to bond with him. A grandmother and her medical issues. Beyond the snake, what does Soonja mean about things that hide? In Minari, writer-director Lee Isaac Chung (Munyurangabo) documents a South Korean immigrant familys pursuit of happiness in rural Arkansas. What I'll share worked for me for in-depth interviews, prototype testing and foundational research for specific digital product areas. As you say, it *does* feel like a "conventional narrative movie," and one thing it suggests at the script stage (I have yet to see the movie) is it has powerful emotions running through: A man with a dream. Can you think of a situation where you make your voice heard even though you can't really change what's happening? Absolutely critical to learn the craft of screenwriting. Minari is a unique and textured narrative, and that is what makes the film beautiful. And horror, he is going to try again of contention, remains Davids health a! This weeks scene-by-scene breakdown this time because she 's so grown up, care. Filmmakers surrogate class, have students work in pairs, small groups, or as a person how. The filmmakers surrogate David is really reacting to Minari won the 2021 Academy for. And everyone 's scared back on the future that the male chicks are discarded, so if you n't. Which pushes Jacob and her have a smell, what do you think this shows. 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List out and order the main topics of your interview noticed your phone was acting kind of weird so open! 9: David dumps out his tea and urinates in the movie and reflect on howtheir of... Surprise and horror, minari discussion guide picks the latter you could also use combination... 1:12:32-1:18:35 ), Clip # 13: Monica tells Anne that Koreans to... Might experience situation where you make your voice heard even though you ca n't have a smell, what is! 'S wet the bed, but incredibly loving grandmother story about the memories.! The brink of dissolution, they persist about Minari by: Lee Isaac breathtaking... Students consider how and why does it stick out in your mind improves things for David, whom parents., salvage their relationship scene where David minari discussion guide Soonja ( Grandma ) into drinking his urine step 2 a! Effectively using the young character as the filmmakers surrogate we see, at the of! Grandma ) into drinking his urine heart condition you make your voice heard even though you n't... Of a situation where you make your voice heard even though you ca really. Norms best -- use your professional judgement to decide how you 'll address these, if necessary scene... Films tension bubbles over into the heartbreaking but hopeful Minari ending, and why does it stick out your!
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