AP Spanish Literature: Dinner & a Movie Night
By Crystal (Brim) Cleveland - FF/S
After studying different styles and techniques utilized in Spanish literature, AP Spanish Literature students joined on a Sunday evening for a "dinner and a movie” event called “The Picaresque Protagonist: Poverty and Perseverance.”
They watched Slumdog Millionaire (India), a story parallel to the recently studied Lazarillo de Tormes (Spain) to observe themes of “power with impunity,” and the traditional picaresque genre or story of “coming of age.” The class planned the gathering, complete with traditional Indian food prepared by the families of students Shivani Singh and Amita Reddy. This treat set the mood for the movie and helped to create a memorable cultural experience.
“The food was delicious,” says Wesley Samples, “and my favorite was the naan bread.”
After grabbing a plate of food, the class found a spot in the Cinema Room and watched the movie, sharing opinions and observations, and making connections between studied material and the story brought to life on screen.
“The movie was so much better having read and studied material specifically following the pattern of Slumdog,” says O’Keefe Johnson. “I hope we have another movie night soon because it really helped me understand the material. Plus …the food was epic!”
After the event, students wrote a formal essay comparing the themes of both works. The AP Spanish class will be having another "dinner and a movie” event in March, and hopefully it will be as awesome as the first.
