David's Class - Summer 2013 - WeeK 4: ALMOST FAMOUS

[DavidC]

Before we watched the movie this week, we talked a little bit about the "coming of age" story structure. We observed early in William's story, when he receives advice from Lester, that there are certain standard plot points that often appear in coming of age stories. In that case, we saw the young person encounter his wise mentor, who gives him a key piece of advice that he won't fully understand until the end of the movie. Another key milestone in the movie occurs when Cameron Crowe cuts back and forth between the scenes of William's high school graduation ceremony (which he doesn't attend) and his rescuing Lady (A.K.A. Penny Lane) from her overdose. In our discussion before the film, I pointed out that graduating from high school is perhaps the biggest formal milestone for American teenagers that marks the end of childhood and beginning of adulthood. One way of reading that scene is to understand that it marks a coming of age for William, earned in the school of experience.

So this week, I'd like you to write for a few minutes about two questions:

1. What does William learn in that scene with Lady? In what way does that experience nudge him into adulthood?

2. My five year old son just had an experience we hope he won't forget. He spent the afternoon swimming in a pool without applying sunscreen or wearing his swimming shirt, and he learned that even though he may not feel it while it's happening, the sun will burn him if he's not respectful and careful about protecting himself. Have you ever had an experience -- something you encountered on your own, outside of any formal curriculum -- that taught you something important about life? What was it? What did you learn?

[jundong1994]

I think he learned how to love a woman.
He had only been interested in his career such as interviewing famous singers
But when he met Penny and Stillwater he became interested in a woman.
And he eventually began to love Penny.
And also he disliked the guitarist because he made her sick and sorrowful.
Through this experience he became an adult.

[Fatma.Baroun]

I think he learned from things he've never experianced before because him mother was protecting him.
So he needed to step a foot and see the world and experiance new things.
He realized not all people are the way they seams like.
I don't really catch the big difference in his life besides being able to stand for himself, just a bit.

I had a lot similar experience, but I can't recall any! >__<"

[annewu]

Hey guys!

In this movie, I like Lady's character the most, so allow me to talk more about her than the question I should have answer.
(Sorry David LOL)
The most astonished scene is after Lady committed suicide and 2 workers trying to save her life.
I can't help cry out when I saw them stuffing a tube into her throat. That must hurt a lot, and so does her broken heart.
Her soul and body are both suffering just b/c of a looser, that's too sad and unworthy.
And, I think that's when David learned about the callous world.
Love and respect won't always pay back even if you try so hard, like he trusted everyone of them, but they disappointed him eventually.

[Yumi]

Hi!　Everyone!

This is YUMI.

I think he learned how to be in adult.
He understand what is good things and what is bad things.
Also, he can understand other person's feelings,
he can behave gentle, he learn how to love other person.
Finally, he met fallen in love with women!
This movie is interesting!

[tinghsuan]

I think the main character learns a lot from the relationship with Penny. He started to live his own life when he first met Penny, and finally expierence the life without his mother's protection. He experience the feeling of falling in love and breaking his heart. He is the only one who really cared and helped her. He is also the only one who tried to know her. This trip to him was like a dream, he realized the fake and choas in adult life and himself was the only real thing in that world.

When I was in elementary school I told one of my best friend some secret. And the next day half of my class know my embbarassing story. At that time I realized how fake one can be, and it's hard to find someone who you can really trust.

[Khaled1988]

Hi,

In my opinion he learnd how to interact with others. To illustrate, he lives his life in independent way because he was under his mother's observation. His life was fulled of experiences, for example he has met many people in his life, and he fell in love with a girl. He was successful in his job in spite of his age. As a result, the children should have a independency because of the fact that helps them to be more responsible.

[simonqsc3]

Hi guys,

In my opinion, I think he learned a lot from the relationship with Penny. When he first met Penny, this is the moment that he started to learn the life. After that he finally experience this own life without his mother's protection. He found he gradually had feeling to Penny, but she was not into him. Although maybe he is the only one who cared about her, she still loves the singer. This trip with the band was like a adventure to him. Finally, he realized that life is complicated and the real of this world, and he truly became an adult.

[Suzanne]

Hi everyone,

In my opinion, William learns about his relationship with his family. All family have some weaknesses and we saw that his mother is overprotective with him. For example, she said always "No take drugs !". But we saw that William was more responsible than his mother thought. Then, through his experience, he learned about himself and finally came back home peaceful and ready to be an adult.

[Faris]

Hi,

That incident is a line that separates him from being an immature person that cares about superficial stuff to be an adult who pays much emphasis to important things in life. We see the reflection of that when he comes home bringing his sister with him. When he knows the real value of his mother. When he tells the absolute truth about that band. All theses things, are hints that he drastically changed his perspective about life.

I remember one day, I did not study well for the exam and the result was, unsurprisingly, bad, though I thought that I can make it. If there something to learn from this lesson, it is gonna be, the more you work the more you get. No pain ends in no gain.