Anthropological Viewpoint From the Film "The Florida Project"
The Film Study prompts students to “think like an anthropologist” in order to unpack the cultural meanings and sentiments explored in Sean Baker's, “The Florida Project.” Using anthropological concepts and theories discussed in the course, students will be asked answer one question about what it means to "come of age" near the "happiest place on earth," Disney World. Objectives Students are asked to write a 3 page (or 750 words, double-spaced) reflection paper that responds directly to a question regarding “The Florida Project” and Ronald Grimes’s chapter, “Coming of Age, Joining Up." Your goal is to address how narratives of “coming of age” are being communicated in the film as well as their significance from an anthropological perspective. The question you will be answering will be posted in lecture on Friday, October 6th. The point of the exercise is twofold: • It will give you practice with using an anthropological lens to analyze literary interpretations of human culture and behaviour. • It will help you develop an analytical voice for understanding an academic text as both an independent piece and in relation to broader course themes and cultural phenomena. How to Complete this Assessment Write a 3-page (or 750 words, double-spaced) analytical paper that responds to a question that will be posted in class on October 6th. Please read the question carefully before you start! This question requires that you: • Attend the October 6th screening of Sean Baker's film, "The Florida Project," and • Read the selections from Ronald Grimes's chapter, "Coming of Age, Joining Up," to complete the assignment. • Assignments that do not refer to these works will result in a lower grade. Do not cite any external sources, including reviews of the film. This is an exercise in cultural anthropology and not film theory, so using language from media studies (e.g., point of view or POV, framing, sound anchoring, etc.) are not relevant. Students should use course concepts (e.g., thick description, cultural texts, symbolism, rites of passage, etc.) to help convey their point. 2 Include your name, student number, course code (i.e., SOSC 2001), and date. Do not create a separate title page; you can put this information at the top left corner of your first page. Please use 12-point font, 2.5 cm or 1-inch margins all round, double-spaced, with page numbers indicated, and clear paragraphs. Assignments should be submitted in either Word, Pages, or PDF. A separate bibliography is not required for this assignment
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Professor’s Name
October 18, 2023
Film Analysis - Identity
Human actions are unique in every country, and each and every single one of these actions can have a significant effect on the community and society. Anthropology is the study of human behavior, and with this, human action can be predicted by gathering data from the past and the present ("Anthropology | Definition, Meaning, Branches, History, & Facts"). Humans are molded by their surroundings or the location in which they reside; the culture and beliefs of the society will also impact their perception of society. The film "The Florida Project" is an excellent illustration of this since it shows how society can influence and contribute to the development of young brains. The author will utilize the film "The Florida Project" and a chapter from Ronald Grime's book Deeply into the Bone: Re-inventing Rites of Passage as references in this article to explain what anthropological viewpoint may be obtained from the film.
Discussion
Made by Film Directed Sean Baker, This movie, "The Florida Project," is created with a focus on human nature and how that human nature affects society and close relatives. The movie revolves around a girl named "Moonee" who spends her summer going on sneaky adventures around their hotel, which Bobby manages. Bobby looks out for the residents and around their neighborhood while also guarding the hotel itself. In the movie, Moonee is subjected to many initiations of coming-of-age, but rather than an announced initiation, it is hidden by society. This communal support system becomes an important part of the children's coming-of-age story, demonstrating the adaptability of social relationships in the face of economic adversity. Although Moone does not know she is being subjected to this coming-of-age, she is slowly building her conscience and gaining experience.
This “Coming-of-age” and “initiation” are some of the words used in the book of Ronald Grime's book Deeply into the Bone: Re-inventing Rites of Passage, especially in the chapter titled "Coming of Age Joining Up ."In his book, Grime uses the phrase "initiation" as the start of growing up or the phase where a person is doing things related to their growth from a kid to a young adult. The act of taking responsibility and making decisions that align with society and themselves is considered at the start of the said "initiation...