Vecka 12

Friday
Feeling the pressure (träna hör- läsförståelse + prata)


Tuesday
Film - Essay structure - do you remember?
Listening exercise (old NT)

Example essay structure:

Muriel's Wedding - not really a comedy

Introduction

Tuesday night I went to my local video store to find the movie "Muriel's Wedding." I had heard from a few friends that this was a really good film, but I never got the opportunity to see it. I tried to look for it under the drama section of the video store. After looking for a few minutes I asked one of the store employees where exactly I could find the movie. The man very kindly directed me to the comedy section. I was puzzled that this was a comedy. My friend had described the movie to me and it sounded kind of sad. Today, I am one of those who have seen the film Muriel's Wedding and to me, this is not a comedy, 

Arguments

First of all Muriel's self-concept is not very positive. She seems to dislike her father, as she should. Muriel's father is mean to her and her siblings. He is on a power trip, probably because he is a not so successful at work. He is also pushy and puts Muriel down by telling her to get a job and at the same time tells her that she has not had a job in two years and that the one she did have he got for her. In other words Muriel is used to the experience of being humiliated and put down by her father.

Secondly, she does not seem to fit in with any of her friends. They also do their best to put her down and the worst thing is that Muriel lets herself be humiliated. At least in the beginning. Only when she changes her name to Mariel and gets married to a succesful swimmer is she accepted by her "friends" from back home. That is also what Muriel desperately wants, to be accepted and adored by her fake-friends.  

Finally, Muriel is obsessed with becoming a bride. She believes that if she becomes a bride and a wife, that is all she needs to be. Then she will be someone and people will like her. In the film she does everything she can to get what she wants. She lies, steals and forget the people who like her for who she really is. 

Conclusion

So, to call Muriel's wedding a comedy is not really correct. Muriel's father and friends constantly puts her down and she becomes a person with low self-sesteem, who lets herself be humiliated by people. This makes the film more of a tragedy than a comedy to me. However, it has it's fun moments and in the end she finds her true self. Muriel.

Glosor i läxa till fredag 23/3

razor blade       rakblad

progress           framsteg

terrible              hemsk, fruktansvärd

swallow           svälja (klunk/sväljning, svala)

unfortunate      coincidence

entire               hela

laundry room  tvättstuga

civil war          inbördeskrig

divorce            skilsmässa

bride               brud

vote                 rösta

you reap what you sow      man får skörda det man sår

ridiculous        löjligt

sorrow            sorg

citizenship      medborgarskap

stick to            hålla sig till

convince         övertala

mate               "kompis" (i England/Australien)

useless             hopplös

self-confidence   självförtroende

puzzled           förbryllad

pushy              påträngande

          


HAKA
Haka är en maorisk dans. Den används ofta av män, som en uppvisning inför en strid eller idrottsutövning. Den utförs regelmässigt av Nya Zeelands herrlandslag i rugby union inför landskamper.