Three part posting for two separate questions:
1) Your well-argued opinion about the characters in Give Us This Day: most likely they are not what you expected. Did it make the film more interesting or a disappointment? Or something else?
2) Choose one scene or a character from the movie that you think would be appropriate for the book Christ.
3) Reply to the comment immediately before yours: did you notice the scene/character your classmate mentioned? Do you interpret it the same way?
QUIZ: I will test GIVE US THIS DAY and CHRIST IN CONCRETE. If you did not take or did not pass the previous quizzes on Christ this is your last chance to show you did the reading and you did it the right way.
1. The characters in Give Us This Day were a lot more interesting to me than in the book. I liked how the movie turned the book around by showing how Geremio's back story and actions led to his death rather than how the book started out with Geremio dying and focusing on Paul and the family. The movie was not what I expected due to the characters being so different than how they were written to be. This made the movie more interesting for me. I noticed I liked Geremio's character more than what I heard of him in the book. He was more personable in the movie.
ReplyDelete2. The scene where Murdin and Geremio talk about the new job is a scene that should have been in the book. It was a crucial moment for Geremio's character. Geremio becoming foreman and starting to act like the authority was a big step and change for his character from what we saw of him before. All he cared about was getting money and if it meant putting his life and others lives at risk for higher pay he was going for it. He was in no position to worry about the safety regulations, he just cared about the more money he was going to bring home for his family.
1. I think the characters that were in the movie were a bit more Americanized than the way the characters were depicted in the books. I feel like in the movie, the only person who seemed to be an immigrant was Annunziata. Also, I did not feel the poverty was as extreme in the movie as depicted as it was in the book. I understand that Geremio was always scraping for money to afford the house but in the book, simply eating was a struggle.
ReplyDelete2. I think a scene from the movie that should be in the book was when Jaroslav comes to the house for money to pay debts. Annunziata's willingness to throw down nearly all of the family's savings in order to keep the house captures the importance of having shelter and a home encompasses what these immigrant people valued in their lives.
3. After looking at Gabriella's comment, thinking back on that scene, I do agree with that opinion. Similarly to my comment, the value of money and paying your bills weighed extremely heavy on these immigrant people. They would do anything to ensure their income and to make sure that there is food on the table and roof over their head.
1, The movie was not at all what I expected and I was simply disappointed. While there was a few similarities between the book and and film, such as the radio, and characters. The major difference was that the plot was almost completely different. The film shows the stressful life of Geremio and not Paul. Like in the book Geremio assumes the role of Paul and must do what he can for his family all the while facing adversary at almost every corner. The one aspect of the film that didn't make sense to me was Geremio's relationship with Kathleen, it just seemed out of place. The casting of Annuzaita also seemed wrong in the book she seemed like a much physically stronger woman. In the book Geremio seemed like a family man, not one to be adulterous and be away from his children at night. The relationship was the main reason why I was disappointed in the movie.
ReplyDelete2, One scene that I think would be appropriate for the book is the scene where Geremio is first introduced to his wife. Yes there might have been issues between the husband and the wife, but in the end they care for each other. Geremio’s continuous work ethic to make money so they could afford the house shows his eagerness to fulfill his wife’s dream of living in their own house. Among all the differences between the book and movie, this scene would benefit the book the most.
3, I remember this scene. It did have a great deal of importance to it. But I think he made Annunziata look vilified. Like she was crazed about the house. The willingness to spend the last of their money on house instead of food for children, represented the complete opposite of how she was described in the book.
1. The characters in The film, Give us this Day sparked my interest more than the book. Expecting Geremio to have an Italian accent and then hearing an American accent, really shocked me. However, it made it easier for me to understand. Watching the film brought the book to life for me and I think the characters in the film played their parts fairly well.
ReplyDelete2. I think the scene of Annunziata anxiously and excitedly writing down how much more money they need to have to buy their own home, Is the scene that should be put in Christ in Concrete. A home represents warmth, comfort and a sense of calmness. For Annunziata, a home of her own was extremely significant to her, where she was willing to give every last penny just to have it.
3. I agree with you, Travis. I actually loved that scene and thought it was highly important. The way they looked at each other showed their “love” towards one another. Regarding Geremio continuously working to fulfill his wife’s dream of having their own home, ties into what I had mentioned. Geremio and Annunziata did greatly care for each other and you see it when Geremio did work hard to make that money, while Annunziata was anxiously hoping and marking every dollar down on that wall.
1. The characters in Give Us This Day were not at all as I imagined them to be when reading the book. In the book, I imagined them all as immigrants and very poor. In the movie, they're mostly Americanized with the exception of Annunziata. I was also shocked to find out that in the movie, Geremio is portrayed to be adulterous, when in the book he is a family man with only eyes for his family. The character I think is most closely related to the book though is Annunziata. She was very spacey at times, which in the book happens a lot.
ReplyDelete2. I think the few scene's of Geremio pushing for better safety of the building they were working on would have went well in the book. The book just made it seem like the building was old, but the movie really put emphasis on how dangerous working on the building was.
3. I agree with you that the scene of Annunziata writing on the wall and keeping track of the savings was important. However, I think that in order for that scene to be put in the book, they also would have had to add how important it was to Annunziata to have her own home, and everything that it meant for her.
1. The characters in the movie are very different from those in "Christ". Geremio didn't seem to be the same man in the movie. He loved his family, however he was led astray by Kathleen and risked losing his family. Geremio in "Christ wouldn't have jeopardized his family for anything in the world. Only Annunziata seemed to remain the same in the movie and the book. She was full blood Italian, unlike Geremio who was an Italian american in the movie. Also she was in deep thought many times like she was in "Christ".
ReplyDelete2. I think the scene where they have to leave the house after the three day honeymoon rental should be included. Annunziata made sure to include in her letters that he must have a house for her to make a home. I could see the distraught on her face when she found out the house was not yet their own. I also could see she truly did love Geremio, she barely knew him enough to forgive this lie but instead decided to go through whatever it took with him to finally get the home she dreamed of.
3. I agree, but in the book he does reflect on times that he told Murdin of the safety precautions they should take. Granted they aren't as in depth as depicted in the film, but it was mentioned.
The movie was not what I expected to be at all. I thought it was an interesting choice for it to focus on Geremio, his marriage with Annunziata and events leading to his eventual death. Geremio was far more fleshed out than he was in the book, considering his death early on in Donato's work. Annunziata was more fleshed out than she was in the book too, and I found her character to be great. She always wanted a home to call her own, and in a strange twist of fate she got it with Geremio's death.
ReplyDeleteI thought Annunziata from the film would be appropriate for the book. Geremio was her life in both versions.
I noticed the scene Hamadi pointed out and thought it would have been great in the book, though adapted to match the book's canon. If it was merely mentioned as narrative in part of Annunziata's chapters, it would have worked as further exposition for what their living conditions really meant for the family and especially her.
1. The characters in "Give Us This Day" were a bit too Americanized for my liking, which led to overall disappointment. By making Geremio a cheater (Kathleen) and an overall abuser, it took away from their relationship and him as a person. Annunizata's accent is everything but Italian and their kids seem to be blonde with blue eyes, not the typical Italian. The movie felt really long and it dragged scenes that should've been over in half the time. Poverty seemed a lot more extreme in the text than the movie: Although they were struggling, it was nothing close to the descriptions Di Donato portrays.
ReplyDelete2. When Geremio and the foreman discuss the job should've been included in the film. This explains why Geremio takes charge of the team and pushes them to finish the task.
3. Mesba mentions Annunziata being appropriate for the book, which I disagree with. I prefer the Annunziata that is portrayed in the text, much more motherly and less immature in a way. Annunziata in the movie seems to be more into Geremio than her children, vice versa in the text.
1.When I first began watching Give Us This Day I was disappointed with Geremio’s character because that wasn’t how I portrayed him while reading Christ in Concrete. As I continued to watch the movie I grew less disappointed and appreciated the backstory that was created for him. Geremio was a hard worker and he probably did take some unplanned paths in his journey and I enjoyed this new perspective. Annunziata’s character in Give Us This Day wasn’t that far off from what I originally imaged, although I did picture her swooning over Geremio more and being more in love with him. Give Us This Day was definitely “something else” for me as it didn’t really follow the same path that Christ in Concrete did, but it was refreshing.
ReplyDelete2.The scene towards the ending of the movie when Annunziata when she has an inner dialogue, I felt was spot on with the book. Annunziata is disgusted and sad at the fact that they are going to determine how much money she gets based on Geremio’s worth (which is the amount of money he would’ve made in his lifetime). She questions this idea and how much really people are worth because to her Geremio was worth the world, but to them it he was worth how much he worked.
3. I agree this movie was incredibly Americanized, and they did take away Geremio’s original character of a husband who deserved the endless love of his wife. I also noticed the poverty experienced in the movie was less extreme than what I got from reading the text. Geremio mostly wore suits which I would have never expected. I wasn’t too disappointed in the movie because I felt as if it wasn’t really Christ in Concrete, this detached view allowed me to appreciate the movie even though it wasn’t fulfilling in comparison to the book.
1. While watching Give Us This Day I was completely thrown off. Geremio’s character is very different from the book and in the movie. For one he did not have an Italian accent which made the movie a bit disappointing. I did think you could see how much of a hard worker he was in the movie then in the book. I was disappointed with Paul’s character in the movie. He was only in the movie for a bit which made me disappointed because his character in the book was great.
ReplyDelete2. One scene from the movie that wasn't included in the book that would be great to be included would be the scene where Geremio and Annunziata get a house but only for three days. When Annunziata found out that Geremio lied to her about the one thing that she asked to have before they get married. I thought that part would be great to be put in the book because you saw how in love they were even if he had lied to her she still stayed with him and forgave him.
3.I agree Geremio’s character was portrayed as a hard worker in the film. I also thought that the film was very different than the movie. Overall, I believe that the book was way better then the film.
1) The characters depicted in 'Give Us This Day' were not at all what I envisioned given that they were supposed to be based on the characters from 'Christ'. Geremio was very much Americanized, having no Italian accent whatsoever and Annunziata was presented as much more gullible and weak minded. I did not feel the love between them and it seemed to me that the love Annunziata had for Geremio did not match his love for her. In the book, Geremio loved his family and did everything possible to make sure they were happy and taken care of. However, in the film, Geremio seemed much more selfish and not as caring. He seemed to care much more about his friends at work than his wife and children at home. I did enjoy the film though and how it gave us more of a background - like everything prior to where the book begins. I think independently, the film and the book are both great. But being that the movie was supposed to be an adaptation of the book, too much of the plot and the characters were changed.
ReplyDelete2) The scene where Mister Murdin and Geremio are discussing the safety of the new building would've been a good addition because the book made it seem like that was just another job for Geremio while the movie showed the risks involved and why he decided to take the job at the end. It also shows why Geremio cared so much about the completion of the project and why he forces the men to work so hard.
3) Based on Nora's comment: I noticed the same scene but I don't agree that it should have been included. That entire part of the movie showed a side of Geremio that wouldn't have made sense given the Geremio depicted in the book. He barely knew Annunziata upon getting married and already he lied to her about something she made clear before even meeting him. The Geremio in the book wouldn't have lied to her and wouldn't have gotten her hopes up just to snatch it away. While it was a nice 3 day 'honeymoon', it didn't match their relationship in the book in my opinion so, I don't think it would've been a good addition to it.
1. I think the characters in Give Us This Day, were not what I expected at first, but after finishing the film, I appreciated the way they were portrayed in the film. The characters were given life, and appeared realistic (such as Geremio's relationship with Kathleen)
ReplyDelete2. The scene that should be in the book are when Geremio is trying to get the guys to double check to make sure the building is safe and secure. This shows how dangerous conditions can be, it shows how he cares about the men, and it foreshadows.
3. I did notice that Geremio and Annunziata were kind of just put together instead of falling in love with one another. It seems like they were happy the first few weeks, then they had babies and more issues, and lacked love. The lack of love and connection really through me off. In my mind, I thought of them to be a loving family, his first love, etc. But in all reality the story line is about hard work not love. I think the book and movie both portray the struggle of Italians and how hard they have to work in dangerous condition. But, I did notice it was odd when Katheen told Geremio that she could find him work someplace that wasn't dangerous, and he refused.
1) I agree I was confused at first then I grew to really enjoy the film and appreciate the difference.
Delete2)I disagree, I think it would have made the scene less dramatic and I think the author wanted Geremio to be pitied. If that scene occurred it would have seemed like he knew the building was dangerous.
1) I really enjoyed the movie, I love how it was a background story to Christ in Concrete. It was really unexpected, especially the way the characters were depicted. I thought it was interesting to see how Geremio wasn't this great amazing guy and that they idolized so much in the book. What struck me the most was that when he finally tried to do good his life ended.
ReplyDelete2)The scenes that help the book make more sense are when we see that the site is dangerous and he knows that but still willingly hires his friends for the job. It really makes the scene in Christ in Concrete when he and Annunziata are in bed and shes asking about the job. It changes my view of Geremio and the way I view the book.
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ReplyDelete1) The way I pictured the characters physically while reading the book is the way they are shown in the film. I was expecting the film to be in Italian. In the book they did not know English but in the film they did. When Annunziata came to America she already knew English. I found the film more interesting it showed more of Geremio. In the book he dies at the beginning.
ReplyDelete2) A scene from the movie that that should have been in the book is the scene when Annunziata arrives and Geremio tells Luigi he lied to Annunziata about having a house because he said he couldn't wait any longer.
3) I agree with cheyanne about Geremio being more Americanized but I disagree about Annunziata and Geremio's love. In the beginning of the movie especially after they got married you can see the love they have for each other.