As an example of Magical Realism, Pan's Labyrinth happens to be the best movie produced in this literary genre in recent years.
In class we will be discussing the symbolism found in the movie, but in particular, that represented by each one of the twelve characters: Ofelia, Ofelia's Mother, Capitán Vidal, Mercedes, The Doctor, Pedro (Mercedes' brother), The Faun, The Monster in the dining hall, The Sick Tree, The Fairies, The Labyrinth...
I invite each one of my students to share their thoughts on this movie, its characters and their symbolism and what the teaches us about Magical Realism as a whole...
I really enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth. While I was watching the movie I wasn't sure if the faun was good or bad. That was the part that confused me. In the begginning when Ofelia was walking toward the room with the food and the scary white monster, there were pictures on the walls of the faun killing a baby. At the end it seemed like he was going to help her when he asked for her brother's blood, then I remembered those pictures; but when Ofelia dies her blood turnes her into a princess and makes the tree start growing flowers. So it seemed like he was good and it really threw me off, but that is what magical realism is.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Pan's Labyrinth because I love how we got to watched it in another launguage and see the difference in Magical Realism. Thias was my third time watching the movie and this time I discovered the symbolism of each character. I focus a lot on the Capital Vidal because as I discover new ways of viewing him. I notice that he symbolizes a person who never had love. Someone who needs to be hard on people to notice love around him.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you think that the Faun plays should a confusing role?
ReplyDeleteI think the Faun plays a confusing role because he seems to be real and not real in many points throughout the movie. In the end, you realize that he is not real and only a part of Ofelia's imagination. Overall, I thought that the movie was great and expressed a great deal of imagination through Ofelia. It was also very real because of what Spain was going through at this time during war. It also sends a message to us that there is a time that we realize that our imagination isn't real anymore, and I think that Ofelia dying was like an ending to her own fairytale story.
ReplyDeleteI think the Faun plays a confusing role because we are not sure whether or not the Faun is real or not. The fantasy elements of the story do not show up until Ofelia tells her brother the story of the rose. The rose offers eternal life but in order to get the rose you must face hardships of pain and loss and a journey before the rose wilts. Also no one has been able to get it because one prick will kill you. After she tells the story then she meets the fairy who takes her to the Faun and is given the three tasks to do before the full moon. The Faun has questionable motives to which Ofelia does not fully understand without a promise of her returning to her "kingdom". Throughout the film the only person who seems interested in believing her is Mercedes who seems to be the only person who "understands" the labyrinth. I think in the end when Captain Vidal confronts them we realize that the Faun is not real and that all the tasks that happen in the movie were the elements of pain and loss in the real world much like the story Ofelia told her brother. But instead she used her imagination and made up the story around the things she saw on her way to the house and seeing the labyrinth to live happily ever after in her own kingdom without pain and suffering and dealing with the real world.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the faun plays a very confusing role throughout the story, not only because we cannot be certain whether he really existed or not, but also because we could not ascertain whether he was really helping Ofelia or leading her to destruction. This is particularly evident during his angry outburts and his demand of innocent blood. This, in conjunction with Mercedes's warning never to trust a faun causes the viewer to be wary of his character. Yet there are certain times, for example, when he embraces Ofelia and helps her cure her mother, when the viewer is almost assured that he is a good character. Thus, it is mainly this struggle to understand whether the faun was really good or bad throughout the movie that provided him with such a confusing role.
ReplyDeleteI was also confused in the faun's role and it was my second time I watched this movie. When I first saw the faun I thought he was a person that wanted to hurt her just because of the way he looked.Then i believed he had good intentions in helping Ofelia escape the real world and join him. Then once again i was confused when Ofelia took her brother to him to kill. Instead she sacrificed her life and joined her parents. I believe the faun was like a motivator to her because he believed in her and she got what she wanted which was to be with her parents.
ReplyDeleteThe Faun plays a confusing role mainly because he symbolized temptation. He tempted Ofelia with the promise of royalty. Typically, those who are tempted have a hard time depicting the honesty of the tempter/temptress. The Faun looked evil but promised Ofelia an escape from an hostile world. However, as the movie progressed, the tasks required from the Faun unraveled his true plea. Ofelia's strength was tested to confront the Frog in the dying tree. It showed how far she would go to save one element that effects other creatures. He tested Ofelia's obedience and how easily she gave in to temptation with the monster at the banquet. He also tested her ethics when she was asked to sacrifice the blood of her newborn brother. By the end of the movie, the mystery of the Faun completely vanished with the humanity of Ofelia.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with people here when they say that the faun's role was a bit confusing. At times he seemed like he was helping Ofelia, setting her on the path to saving herself toward her "kingdom". But then, at the end of the movie, when he wanted to take the blood of her brother, he seemed more demanding of her, questioning whether the faun is actually who he says he is.
ReplyDeleteI definitely questioned the Faun’s intentions during the movie, especially during the scene when he avoided answering her question as to who the baby was in the sculpture. Logic would say that if the Faun was helping her, then he would have warned her of any future danger. However, if he had done so, then her third task would not have been such a challenge. Then the viewer could’ve possibly seen it as if the faun merely gave her the title of princess, rather than have her earn it. While watching this movie, I had come to think that one message the director wanted to convey was that imagination can be just as important as reality. Although some may claim that imagination can deter one from living in the real world, it also needs to be considered that many of the ideas and inventions in the world today are basically the children of imagination. After all, if people did not imagine a better life in America, then would they have come? If Walt Disney hadn’t imagined a park, would Disneyland have emerged? And if there weren’t people who imagined that the sun could provide substantial power, where would the concept of solar power be? So in my opinion, although one should not stay in the world of imagination and face reality, often times the imagination can offer solutions as well (just as Ophelia’s courage in her “imaginary” challenges helped bring forth Mercedes’s courageous actions in reality).
ReplyDeleteI hope it's okay to comment on the initial questions because I think there is enough contributions in regards to the fuan. I have nothing more to add. Thus:
ReplyDeleteWhen I first went to see this movie in theatres, my friends and I chose it on a whim. To our utter surprise and initial disappointment, it was subtitled. However, my attention and interest were both quickly engrossed by the characters, story line and juxtaposition of the real world and Ofelia's fantasy world. At that time I did not look at the symbolism of each element of the movie, but watching it again I looked for emblematic representations, connections and any other elements I figured we'd be discussing in class. I perceived an entirely different movie.
One element I became particularly interested in was the toad and the fig tree. The toad, keeping the tree from health, could signify the parasitic effect of corruption that hindered Spain's revitalization and growth. The toad selfishly gorged itself by eating the many bugs, living in the comfort of the tree's trunk without concern for its well-being. Ironically, the scene with the greedy, fat amphibian is interlaced with the scene of a table of fascist leaders in a similar situation. The leaders too are stuffing themselves as they callously converse the minimal food that is going to be allotted to their people. They have no remorse or sympathy for the sacrifices of others as long as they are allowed to maintain their comfortable lifestyles. Furthermore, as Ofelia searches for the toad so she can rid it from the tree, she becomes covered in mud and her new dress gets thoroughly soiled. In the same way, to stop the evil reign of fascism, innocence and new ideals become tainted and destroyed by the world around them. Lastly, the flower that blossomed on the tree in the closing shot of the movie may represent hope for Spain to once again thrive.
After watching Pan's Labyrinth, I enjoyed the excitement and suspense of the movie. In the beginnings of the movie I was unsure how this movie was portraying itself, but ever since Ofelia had encountered the monster it made the movie all the more better. The faun's role however was a bit confusing because I wasn't sure who side was he on. His voice sounded as if he was evil but some of his acts were good. I liked how the movie made the audience think what the faun's next move was.
ReplyDeleteThis movie was very interesting to me. This was the first time i watched this movie and i thought it would be boring because it was in a different language. After watching the movie I found that it was very entertaining and magical. The characters that I thought had the most meaning were the fairies. The fairies act like a guardian angel who try to guide Ofiela through her life. They try to guide her when she is lost and needs help. They also act like her conscience and tell her what is right and wrong. They always remind her to do the right thing.
ReplyDeleteI really liked watching Pan's Labyrinth, and I thought it was a good representation of magical realism. It combined the real world with fantasy very well. The fusion of Ofelia's two lives - one being miserable, and the other an amazing fantasy world - told a really compelling story that showed what magical realism really is. One of the main themes of the movie was childhood imagination and that it is easily cast aside once a person reaches maturity. Ofelia represented the child that is in all of us, full of imagination and hope. I really liked this message and the way that anyone can relate to it.
ReplyDeleteI believe that Pan's Labyrinth was a great film that displayed magical realism. Ofelia's imagination captured the true aspects of fantasy, fiction, and magic. From the encounters with the faun, the fairies, and other mythical creatures, a connection of reality can be seen. Every little thing Ofelia does, affects the events occurring in the outside world. For example, the remedy to heal her mother was by the use of magic. There is a link from Ofelia's imagination with reality. It was a great film to watch in class, even though I was not there to finish it.
ReplyDeletePan's labyrinth was a pretty good overall movie. comparing the movie to magical realism, i believe that Ofelia's imagination was just that. I believe that Ofelia was suffering from a pyschological disorder and that she was really seeing and imagining things.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the movie Pan's Labyrinth because it had a lot of magical realism in it. Before this movie i didnt really understand what magical realism was, but now i have a better understanding of it. the best part of the movie was the monster and his eye balls in his hands. It took a lot of imagination to really understand the concept of the movie.
ReplyDeleteThe movie was a lot better than I thought it would be. My favorite character in this movie is Mercedes, she takes care of Ofelia and keeps her safe. I think that Ofelia represents hope in the film. She is the hope that they all have that there is something better out there, some better place where they can be happy. Through her imagination and the magic Ofelia never stops believing and is able to reach that better place. On her way she leads others 9Mercedes, her brother, etc.) to a a better place as well. It was a great movie that I would recommend to anyone and I think that it helped me to better understand the concept of Magical Realism.
ReplyDeleteSome of the reasons that I thought the faun's role was so confusing were his appearance, they way he spoke, and the final scene. My first impression of his overall appearance was that I thought he looked frightening and ugly. When I heard him talk, the faun sounded evil and mischievious. Primarily, he gave me a mysterious vibe and I felt that I could not trust him. Later on, however, the faun was showing that he really was trying to help her. Finally, in the last scene, I questioned his role once again when he asked Ofelia to hand over her brother. Other reasons I thought the faun played a confusing role was to intrigue the audience with constant questions and also to test Ofelia by the end of the movie. I really enjoyed the faun's role because it kept me wondering if my judgement was right or wrong.
ReplyDeleteThis was my third time seeing this moving and each time I see something different. The roles of each character change through out the story. Mercedes the strong women who helps others swtiches place with Ofelia at the end of the movie. Ofelia who represents innocence and a dreamer becomes the role of a of strength when her brother needed her most. Characters each played a role of Magical Realism which made the film so strong
ReplyDeleteMagical Realism, defined by the combination of the real and the fantastic, is certainly evident in the movie Pan's Labyrinth. With the utilization of accurate historical references and extraordinary effects for the magical creatures, the movie was able to serve the purpose of conveying various standpoints and pieces of symbolism. Each magical object and creature provides a representation of lessons in the real world. Therefore, I bring forth the question; how does each enchanted being reflect portions of the real world?
ReplyDeletePan’s Labyrinth is an extravagant film which fuses horror as well as fantasy to get the point across. I feel as if this movie is more suitable for grown-ups rather than younger kids because not only is it gruesome but you must be able to understand the characters to be able to fully understand the movie. I feel that Ofelia is one of the bravest characters in the film- she copes with her mother’s death and interacts with the faun without being frightened. The director made a good choice making Ofelia , an 11 year old girl, the only character able to see these magical creatures because we can relate to her situation. At one point or anything we use our imagination to look for a way out or to solve our problems. Also, her having to deal with evil leader, Captain Vidal proves that there is always evil in the world and it is unavoidable. I feel as if many of the scenes are plausible until Ofelia steps into her own world.
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