Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: Part 2

No school on Monday guys... that means no class :( But think about these questions, and then when you come back, we'll close up Nausicaa and be ready for Totoro!

.: Here are the discussion questions for this week. It's pretty much the ones that were on the board during the movie, and like we said last time, you don't have to answer them all, but think about them be prepared to talk a little about them.

1) Compare the femininity of Nausicaa and that of Princess Kushana. To what extent are they feminine, masculine, strong, frail, etc?
2) Why do you think Nausicaa needs to die? What is the implication of the sacrifice?

Or, think about the circular way that the story is told: starting with the beginning credits, with the post-apolcalyptic history, to the ancient tapestries, then fade to Nausicaa herself.
3) Do you think that she is "free" or "bound?" And what is the role of predestination and submission of will? Is there something greater that controls her, and why does she obey it? Contrast it to other people's approach. Why would Miyazaki make it this way?

Or, a personal question, if you want to answer it.
4) Do you think that Miyazaki is right in saying that part of Nausicaa's beauty lies in her being bound by her destiny? She almost can't escape it, and she's obligated to keep her oaths even when she doesn't want to. Is she obeying a greater power or her own convictions?

See you next Monday!

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind: Part 1

So here's our discussion question for Monday's class, sorry that it's so late. Having a bit of technical difficulty. Read this article, there's a lot of great information about Miyazaki's views on women's roles. Remember, you don't have to respond to all of the questions for the weeks, but it'd be great if you guys participated.

http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/interviews/heroines.html

"When I think about making a male a lead, it gets really intricate. The problem isn't simple. I mean, if it's a story like, "everything will be fine once we defeat him," it's better to have a male as a lead. But, if we try to make an adventure story with a male lead, we have no choice other than doing Indiana Jones. With a Nazi, or someone else who is a villain in anyone's eyes."

You can choose to respond in a number of ways

Relating to last week's discussion.
1) How are Miyazaki's heroines "real?" Are they more so than, say, a Disney Princess? And if so, how?
2) Is having a female lead "more complex" than having a male lead?

Relating to this week's discussion (a bit of a preview)
1) Why does Nausicaa have to die?
2) Is the implication of the ending nihilistic or hopeful in terms of human nature and identity?
3) If Nausicaa is the "proper response" to life, then what is Miyazaki saying?

Okay! post away! This time we'll be a bit more lenient about it especially since this is posted so late. See you tomorrow!