Mulan activity guide 1

ACTIVITIES GUIDE PRE-WATCHING QUESTIONS: Chinese Culture – Read the following essay on the topic and answer the questions below.. ESSAY # 1: Women in China at the beginning of the 20 th

ACTIVITIES GUIDE PRE-WATCHING QUESTIONS:

Chinese Culture – Read the following essay on the topic and answer the questions below.

1 What do you know about China’s custom regarding marriage?

2 Do you know what women’s customs were in the past?

3 What is foot binding?

4 Who came up with such idea?

5 What are “Lily Feet”?

6 When was the practice overruled?

7 Why did women resort to suicide so often and who helped in the decision?

8 When were women allowed to start studying?

9 Who made it possible for Chinese women to become educated?

10 Approximately when did Chinese women become involved in politics?

ESSAY # 1: Women in China at the beginning of the 20 th century

China was suffering from a great loss in the beginning of the 20th century, since half of its citizens were not able to contribute to the country The society at that time was male-dominated, so though women comprised almost half of the total population, they had actually a very little part to play in uplifting the country economically, socially and intellectually Nevertheless, Chinese women should not be blamed for that They had their own reasons for being so unproductive, which they later tried to overcome successfully

Firstly, they were physically confined This takes us back to the practice of foot binding in China, which started early in the 10th century by a prince who loved the small “lily feet” of his concubine “Lily feet” were considered very dainty, beautiful, and a symbol of gentility and high-class They could fit into three inches long shoes This practice of food binding began when a girl was between three and eleven years

old “The child’s toes were turned under and pressed against the bottom of her foot and a bandage would be tightly wound around the foot from the toes to the ankle.” This indeed was a very cruel thing

to do because sometimes the toes even fell off due to the lack of blood It was very painful even to stand and they could not walk unassisted Foot binding was not only for the sake of beauty, but it also served the purpose for the Chinese young girls to be restricted from going out of their houses This practice lasted for about a thousand years Thus this unhealthy practice prevented Chinese women from going beyond their houses and thus limited their freedom to gain knowledge from the outside world

Secondly, Chinese women were socially restricted “Chastity for women was more valuable than life itself The definition of chastity became ridiculously broad to the extent that a girl was considered unclean if she happened to see a man’s genitalia when he urinated in any public place.” Unless she married him, she had to commit suicide to protect her reputation “Moreover, women who were disowned by their husbands due to unfaithfulness and disobedience, were deprived of employment, bearing remorse and disgrace for life.” [Yao 79]

Since these women had no other source of living as they were completely dependent on the men, suicide was the only alternative More often the family made those decisions of suicide because that saved its name So, there was a lot of pressure from the society which suppressed Chinese women’s hopes and desires to be equal to men in every aspect of life

One of the reasons for the Chinese women to be so dependent was the lack of education “Missionaries from the West, as a result of their outreach to Chinese women, first recognized their desperate need of education.” The Western missionaries emphasized foreign language, science, mathematics, social science and Bible studies “In 1905 the government set up a new division in the administration to direct educational affairs which still leaned toward traditional values to learn domestic skills.” The number of girls in school in China was almost zero until the beginning of the 19th century, but it slightly increased at the beginning of the twentieth century However, there is a sharp increase in the number of Chinese female students in early twentieth century This opened the door for those young girls to go out of their home to gain education and motivation in their lives Moreover; women in the past were politically ignorant They had no idea what was going on outside their homes More importantly, they did not even have any rights to work with politics This was so until the May Fourth Movement in 1919 when there was a political upheaval in the government of China Women were then given opportunities to work with the opposite sex Thus they could demonstrate their potential, and talents as they competed with men They had the opportunity to be liberated from the traditional value system, which helped them to develop themselves as individual persons

Gradually, women tried to come out of their homes and face the world in front of them The practice of foot binding also started to be less common as people realized the cruelty behind it Women’s organizations were also being established, like the League of Women’s Rights and Women’s Suffrage Association which voiced women’s opinions Women were able to overcome all the social, political, and traditional pressures and identify themselves to the world This indeed was a good start for Chinese women to pave the way for later generations to follow Hence, no matter how much women suffered in China in the early stage of the twentieth century, they made a good start and continued to reach the present state of freedom and equality

WHILE-WATCHING ACTIVITIES

1 Answer the following questions:

a What’s the first shot we get?

b Why does Shan-Yu say “perfect”?

c What is Chi Fu like?

d What does the Emperor answer to the General’s suggestion to protect the palace?

e What do you think “A single grain of rice can tip the scale” mean?

f What does the Emperor want General Li to do?

2 Organize the following adjectives in their chronological appearance.

graceful _ punctual quiet delicate

poised _ polite demure _ refined

 What do they refer to?

 Look up the ones you don’t understand in a dictionary

 What cultural hint can you spot here?

3 Complete the following conversation.

Fa Zhou: Honorable please help Mulan the

_ today

Little Brother: Bark, bark, bark, bark, bark

Fa Zhou: _ PLEASE help her

Mulan: _! I _ you – whoop!

Fa Zhou: Mulan –

Mulan: I brought a

Fa Zhou: Mulan –

Mulan: Remember: the _ said _ cups of in the

Fa Zhou: Mulan –

Mulan: And at _.

Fa Zhou: Mulan, you _ already be in _ We’re _ on you to up – Mulan: – _ the family _ Don’t , father I won’t _

you me _

Fa Zhou: Hurry! I’m going to some _

4 Say whether these statements are T (true) or F (false).

a The Bath Lady says that Mulan is the worst case she’s assisted _

b Mulan tells her mother her notes on her arm are to refresh her memory _

c The song mentions men will avoid going to war to marry Mulan _

d A woman can bring her family honor if she strikes a good match _

e A woman helps the Emperor by bearing arms _

5 Choose only one answer.

f The water for the bath is freezing because:

i Mulan likes it cold

ii The Chinese tradition is to bathe girls in cold water before meeting the match maker

iii Mulan was late to her appointment

g Organize the actions according to how they are carried out in the song

i primp, polish, wash and dry

ii wash, dry, primp and polish

iii polish, dry, primp and wash

h Men want girls…

i With good taste, obedient and calm

ii Obedient, calm, and with good taste

iii With good taste, calm and obedient

i Women should also …

i work fast-paced, have good breeding and a tiny waist

ii work slowly, have poor breeding and a wide waist

iii work fast-paced, have poor breeding and a tiny waist

j What are the amulets for?

i An apple for beauty, beads of Jade for balance & a pendant for serenity

ii An apple for balance, beads of Jade for beauty & a pendant for serenity

iii An apple for serenity, beads of Jade for beauty & a pendant for balance

What is the cricket for? Complete Mulan’s prayer at the end of the song:

Mulan: hear my , help me not to _ a _ of me

and not to my family’s _, my standing tall

6 Organize these last lines of the song:

_ Destiny, guard our girls

_ Scarier than the undertaker

_ Please look kindly on these cultured pearls

_ And our future as it fast unfurls

_ Each a perfect porcelain doll

7 Organize the following events according to the movie.

_ Mulan speaks without permission

_ Grandma Fa thinks things are going well

_ Cri-Kee escapes from his cage

_ Mulan spits the cricket to recite the final admonition

_ Mulan splashes the Matchmaker’s face to put out the fire

_ Mulan is called by the Matchmaker

_ Mulan puts Cri-Kee in her mouth

_ the Matchmaker runs out of the building screaming

_ Mulan scans her smeared notes for the final admonition

_ the crowd whispers and walks away

_ the Matchmaker stains her face with ink

_ the Matchmaker sits on burning coals

_ Mulan struggles to catch Cri-Kee

_ Mulan tries to recover the cup of tea

_ Grandma Fa makes a comment on the Matchmaker’s bad mood

_ Mulan realizes she’s pouring tea on the table

_ Cri-Kee jumps down the Matchmaker’s dress

_ the Matchmaker shouts Mulan will never bring her family honor

_ the Matchmaker looks at her clipboard and calls Mulan

_ Mulan tries to put out the fire with the fan and makes it flame up

8 Song: Reflection: Summarize Mulan’s thoughts in three statements (Family, herself, future)

_

9 Analize the meaning of the comment made by Mulan’s father:

… “My, my, what beautiful blossoms we have this year … But look, this one’s late But, I bet that when it blooms, it will be the most beautiful of all.” …

10 According to this scene, what are girls supposed/not supposed to do?

_ / /

/ _ / / _

11 Describe Mulan’s state of mind in a few lines.

12 Answer the following questions:

a What does Mulan decide to do and why?

b How does she do it?

c Who gets the hint that something is happening?

d What do the members of the family do?

e What does Mulan’s father mean by “If I reveal her, she will be”

f What do we see immediately after the family prays for the ancestors to help Mulan?

g Which of the characters is voiced by Eddie Murphy?

h Which of the family’s guardians is to be sent?

i Which will finally help her and why?

13 Here are some of Mushu’s statements Put them in order and say what they mean…

_ … Let’s move it, rise and shine

_ Do I look like a sucker to you?

_ Don’t make me have to singe nobody to prove no point

_ I ring the gong

_ After all this great stone Humpty Dumpty mess…

_ You all the way past the beauty sleep thing trust me!

_ Oh, man, they’re gonna kill me!

_ And your point is?

_ Whach’ you mean loser? How ‘bout I pop one of your antenna’s and throw it across the

yard Then who’s the loser; me or you?

_ I mean it’s not like it’ll kill ya.

14 Complete this short Interlude conversation.

Hung Long Hair Guy: Imperial

Scout # 1: Shan-Yu

Shan-Yu: work, You the _ army

Scout #2: The _ will you

Shan-Yu: _ me? He _ me By _ his , he

my _ Well, I’m _ to _ his _ Go! Tell your to _ his _ armies I’m _ _ many _ does it to a ?

Archer Guy: One

15 Say whether these statements are T (true) or F (false).

s Mulan knows how to handle a sword _

s She thinks she only needs a miracle to make it work _

s Mushu pretends to be a huge dragon ghost when he first appears before Mulan _

s Cri-Kee gives Mushu’s size away _

s Mushu is delighted by Mulan’s saying he’s a lizard _

s Mulan’s amazed at Mushu’s size for a guardian _

s Mushu says he’s travel size because otherwise, Khan would die of fear _

s Mulan finally recognizes she’s never done that before _

s Mushu tells her that she’ll have to trust him blindly _

16 List the male attitudes and Mulan’s male attitudes in these columns.

Real Men Attitudes Mulan’s Male Attitudes

 _

 _

 _







17 Choose only one answer

a General Li will take the main troops to

i Shao Yu Pass

ii Tao Shang Pass iii Tung Shao Pass

b Li Shang is named Captain because…

i He’s the General’s son

ii The Emperor’s councilor suggests it

iii Li Shang’s #1 in his class, he has extensive knowledge of training techniques and

an impressive military lineage

c Both father and son will toast China’s victory at …

i The Tung Shao Pass

ii The training camp

iii Imperial City

d When the Captain says he doesn’t need anyone causing trouble in the camp, he refers to…

i All the recruits

ii Chien iii Ping

e What is the correct order of Mulan’s male names mentioned in the scene

i Ah Chu, Ping, Mushu

ii Ping, Mushu, Ah Chu iii Ah Chu, Mushu, Ping

f Thanks to Ping, the recruits have to spend the night…

i Picking up every single grain of corn

ii Picking up every single grain of rice

iii Picking up every single grain of wheat

18 What do these expressions mean or refer to?

a Rise and shine sleeping beauty

b You gonna make people sick

c Then you have to kick the other kid’s butt

d I think my bunny slippers just ran for cover

e Moo goo gai pan

f ‘Cause I owe you a knuckle sandwich

g I’ll get that arrow pretty boy

h This represents discipline and this represents strength

19 Song “I’ll make a man out of you”.

a Why does Captain Li says: “We’ve got a long way to go.”

b Fill in the blanks in the lyrics:

c Explain how Mulan improves during the training

Let’s get to business

To the Huns

Hua!

Did they _ me _

When I for ?

You’re the bunch

I ever _

But you can before we are

Mister, I’ll a man _ you

Chorus  organize the lines 

Once you find your center

But on fire within

You are sure to win

Tranquil as the forest

You’re a , _, _ lot

And you _n’t got a _

I’ll a man _ you

I’m never _catch my

Say _ to those who me

Boy I was a _ in school for _ gym

This ’s got ‘em to death

he doesn’t see right me

Now I really that I how to !

(Be a man) We _ be _ as the river

(Be a man) With all the of a great

(Be a man) With all the _ of a fire

as the side of the

Scrambled words! The lines are in the correct order but the words got all mixed up Put them back in

their correct order 

arrive Huns is racing the till time toward us:

_

you survive order my might heed every and:

_

for of rage the unsuited war you’re :

_

you’re up through so pack home, go and: _

a can how I make man of out you: (Be a man) swift as the we must coursing river: _ (Be a man) typhoon all force with the of a great: (Be a man) with raging strength of all the fire a: _

20 Answer these questions:

b How do the Huns learn that the Imperial troops are at the Tung Shao Pass? List the clues:

_ _

b What will they do?

21 Complete the missing information: