Book/Film Interpretation Project Instructions
You will need to obtain and read a book or view a film, in order to begin this project.
You should, therefore, get started on it as soon as possible.
A Note about Culture
This project asks you to use a novel or film as a window into the culture of a Spanish-speaking country. By the culture, we are referring to the learned behaviors, everyday practices, customs, worldviews, and beliefs of a group of people. In this broad anthropological sense, the culture of a group (Mexicans, Aymara, Spaniards, etc.) can include aspects such as family structures, interpersonal relations, gender, class and race relations, ways of communicating, body language, dress, arts, crafts, traditions, foodways, festivals, religion, economy and politics. Anthropologists who study the human condition define culture as the traditions and customs transmitted through learning that govern the beliefs and behavior of the people exposed to them.
As you read the book or watch the film you select, pay particular attention to what is being revealed about the culture of that country or of that group of people. What you observe may or may not be directly related to the main plot or theme of the book or film. Aspects of culture may be revealed in the sections or passages that describe everyday life or set the scene for some action in the plot or story line.
The Assignment
For this project you will choose to analyze a film or book from the list below. With your instructor's approval, however, you may also select a book or film not on this list. Write an analysis of the film's/book's contribution to the study of a Spanish-speaking culture. You can look at the book or film in its entirety, or you can focus on a particular chapter or scene if you prefer.
Important: Your essay is not a summary of the book or film. You should analyze the book/film not for a plot or story line, but as a window into the culture.
Use the following points to guide your essay:
What is the central issue(s) of the film/book?
What have you learned or observed about a Spanish-speaking culture from this book/film? (Think about interpersonal or family relationships, customs, religion, food, music, politics, economics, or any other cultural aspect that are discussed or portrayed in the book/film.)
Be sure to include the title of the film or book in your essay.
Sources
You need to have consulted a minimum of 3 sources for this project. Remember, whenever you use resources (including books, journal articles, newspaper or magazine articles, websites, class discussion websites, and more), you must document them in accordance with the MLA style and policies on academic integrity and plagiarism.
See
MLA—Citing Your Sources
for help with documentation.
Length of Assignment
Your completed assignment should be approximately 4-5 pages (not counting title page, double spaced, font size 12) or 1300-1700 words.
General Information on Finding Films
It is your responsibility to locate and borrow, rent, or buy the film or book you will review.
Read the plot summary of the film or novel, and possible reviews, before choosing it as your topic so that you know what to expect from it. You can easily find synopses and reviews of these books and films online by searching the title and media type (ex., "Sin Nombre film," "Waiting for Snow in Havana book").
You may borrow the book or film from your local library. Check your local library's website or
WorldCat.org
to see if a book or film is available in a library near you. Many libraries have excellent film collections are often able to acquire items through interlibrary loan.
If you are viewing a film, check your preferred video rental or streaming service (such as Netflix, Amazon, etc.) to see if the film is available.
You may also buy the book or film from your preferred vendor. Used copies may be available from independent bookstores and online vendors.
Choices of Films and Books for Your Project
Films:
Maria Full of Grace (Drugs in Colombia, 2004)