What in this film reminds you of American-style democracy?What observations did you make regarding Chinese culture, or Wuhan culture, especially in terms of school and family?
How do you feel about this film generally? What did it do well, what resonated with you, etc?
Caroline T.
ReplyDelete1. The way extortion played a major part in the campaigns and the way people like to stick with what they know.
2. I noticed that the parents played a large role in their children's lives, and that winning seemed to be more important than morals.
3. I thought the film was a well done documentry and had moments that both cast light and shadow on the canidates and allowed for us to make the comparisions in our own goverment to see how childish it can play out.
1. The way the students campaigned reminded me of American-stye democracy. The students used brivery and pointing out each other's weaknesses.
ReplyDelete2. I noticed that the parents played major roels in the children's campaigns. They were very involved and their children winning the election was very important to them.
3. Overall I thought that the movie was interesting. I enjoyed it. It really showed the different sides people take and how people will do anything to win.
Claire L.
Period 7
1. this film reminded me of american democracy because sometimes people play favorites, or politians go behind backs to get others to vote for them. the kids in this film demonstrated some of these democratic habits.
ReplyDelete2. this really gave me a good insight on chinese culture. the way the parents were so actively involved in the kids campaigns, always planning speeches with them and pushing them to be better. also i noticed how all of the parents walked their kids to school everyday, and you definately dont see that all the time in our culture. the school was different because they had rooms to take naps in and they are in third grade. i would do anything to have a naptime.
3.i thought this film was highly entertaining. i love kids and this just demonstarted how funny their interactions can be. i was amazed at each of the kids' intelligence, the way they schemed and planned their campaigns. i also enjoyed seeing how pushy their parents were. overall, it was a great film.
1. The scene where each student was debating against one another really made me feel as though this was a real democratic election. I thought that each candidate was given an equal shot in the running, but the person who knew and controlled the students the best, was the one who eventually won the election.
ReplyDelete2. From this film I recognized that parents in Chinese culture really have an impact on their children. These parents really got into this election, even more sometimes then their children that were actually running. For example one of the parents wrote a speech for his daughter, while another parent planned out his son's debate arguments. Overall what I got from this film is a sense that the parents in China aren't necessarily strict, but they take pride in their child's success.
3. This film really worked for me. I though it really gave me a snapshot of Chinese culture as well as an insight on how modern day schools are teaching this new form of democracy to their students. I would definitely recommend this film to anyone who wants to learn about Chinese culture in a very unique way.
Taylor N.
1. I feel like the filmed portrayed the youth of china. You really got to see how kids and their fmailies function in China. It is really cool how families you can just compare the chinese families to your very own family.
ReplyDelete2. The film portrayed the students and democracy really well. I think as an american we tend to block out the bad sides of democracy. The kids really showed how democracy is all about who is the best no matter what it takes.
1. The way that the students were posing other students aganist each other and then decieving the promises that they had said just to get the vote.
ReplyDelete2. That parents really want their children to care for their school work so much that they try to influence them to become involved by becoming involed themselves financially and physically (showing up to school).
3.I really liked this film because it was funny but the way the children acted played into a lot of expected stereotypes like the girl always crying.
-JP
1. How people try to make other people look bad and make them selves look a lot better by getting people to vote for them.
ReplyDelete2. How the parents usually tell the kids what to do. and that they want their kid to succeed.
3. I kind of liked it. It showed how much and what people would do in order to win, for something little or small.
1)Throughout the film, I was reminded that the action in the film is a lot like democracy in the United States. For example, when Luo Lei bribed everyone with a trip on the train and gifts, he resembled the average American politician with the "if you help me, I'll help you" motto. Another example is when Cheng Cheng listed all of his competitors' faults and used it against them, We as Americans see this almost on a day-to-day basis during political campaigns
ReplyDelete2)After watching the film, I realized that I had learned a lot about the Wuhan culture in China. Some of these observations included that sometimes other people's feelings are not considered, that the parents' want their children to succeed, that you need to work hard and focus on academics and extracurricular activities, and that family is important for support.
3) I loved watching this film, not only because it was cute and funny, but that it also showed a different perspective of democracy. In American society, we look past all the bribing and trash talking in politics, but this movie opened up my eyes because we saw children doing it. Another reason I liked it was because it showed that communism is a large aspect in day-to-day life in China and that people practice it without even thinking. The one additional part that i would have liked to see is if Luo Lei kept his promises and changed because i believe that keeping promises is a large part of democracy, even though most politicians make promises that they can't keep.
Carolin C.
1. This film was a lot like the American way of democracy because it portrayed techniques that politicians use today to get people to vote for them. They used bribery, pointing out the weaknesses in each other, and the use of outside sources (parents, train rides etc).
ReplyDelete2. I learned a lot about the family ethics that took place. Parents were a very important apart of their lives, and it some situations, the children had lots of power over their parents. For example, Cheng-Cheng yelled at his mother to "Get out!", and she did.
3. I really liked this film. It was funny, and it surprised me how these tiny children could be so manipulative and grown-up seeming.
Emma So.
1) The film reminded me of american democracy when the children made lists and pointed out the weaknesses of the other candidates, and the amount of help and pressure from their parents.
ReplyDelete2) I learnt a lot about the ethics of the family members. The parents were not above doing things for the children like writing their speeches or just telling them what to do and helping to target the weaknesses of the others. The parents even bribed the children in the classroom, and instructed them on every little thing to say, and to not say.
3) I really enjoyed watching the movie, it was really interesting and kind of shocking how little they knew about democracy and how corrupt they were willing to be when it came time to see who the winer was going to be, they offered jobs that did not exist, and they bribed the kids in the classroom to vote for them. I would have liked to see a brief segment of a few months later to see how the children in the class liked who they choose and if they would have done anything differently.
Madalen R.
1. The film was a lot like democracy because it showed the thechniques a politician would use to get people to vote for him.
ReplyDelete2. I noticed that the parents really had an impact on their children because they are very involved with their children's school work. Even Xu Xiaofei's mother was envolved and she was a single mother, while all the other canidates had both a mother and father at home. As opposed in American, not every parent is involved with their child's eduacation whether they are single or together.
3. I enjoyed waching the film because it desplayed how other countries who are not democradic may take a situation where they are to experience a different form of government. I was shocked at the things these children did and how their parents influenced most of the chocies made by the candidates. It really made me look at how "dog eat dog" our government really is.
Nate' P.
1. the fact alone that each of the candidates had the chance to freedom of speech and were able to persuade the class in why choosing them to be hall monitar was the best choice was an example of an american styled democracy.
ReplyDelete2. Parents put a lot of pressure on thier kids whether it invloved acedemics or musical instruments. It almost seems like if hte kids aren't perfect they are punished or looked down upon in disapointment. However, some of the familys werent so critical and really supported thier child so that they could have an enjoiable experience.
3. This documentary was really cute and funny. It was so weird to me that the kids barely knew what democracy was and it was interesting to see how they interpreted it and how they went about in campaining. so presh