Unit 2
Spotlight
Say it like Barbie!
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
angt-unit2-spotlight.mp3
Listing some of the many perils of womanhood in a still patriarchal society, the monologue that the actress America Ferrera delivers in Barbie with the intensity of a rallying cry became one of the most talked-about movie moments of 2023. [...]
Ferrera plays Gloria, mother and Mattel employee whose self-doubt and unfulfilled aspirations in the real world prompt an existential crisis in Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) in Barbie Land. Ferrera's plucky performance has landed her in the Oscar discussion this year. [...]
What did you think the first time you saw Gloria's now incredibly popular speech?
“It definitely felt like an important moment, but Gloria was shining from the very beginning. She represents this quest for the permission to express yourself. She has to play the role of Mom and of responsible career woman, while hiding everything she loves underneath the corporate suit, being what she thought she needed to be. From the moment we meet her with her pink sneakers on to her getting to drive in that car chase, there was so much wish fulfillment and release for somebody who has been repressing so much.” [...]
What are your thoughts on the discourse that some people believe Gloria's speech oversimplifies feminism?
“We can know things and still need to hear them out loud. It can still be cathartic. There are a lot of people who need Feminism 101, whole generations of girls who are just coming up now and who don't have words for the culture that they're being raised in. Also, boys and men who may have never spent any time thinking about feminist theory.
If you are well-versed in feminism, then it might seem like an oversimplification, but there are entire countries that banned this film for a reason.”
Ferrera plays Gloria, mother and Mattel employee whose self-doubt and unfulfilled aspirations in the real world prompt an existential crisis in Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) in Barbie Land. Ferrera's plucky performance has landed her in the Oscar discussion this year. [...]
What did you think the first time you saw Gloria's now incredibly popular speech?
“It definitely felt like an important moment, but Gloria was shining from the very beginning. She represents this quest for the permission to express yourself. She has to play the role of Mom and of responsible career woman, while hiding everything she loves underneath the corporate suit, being what she thought she needed to be. From the moment we meet her with her pink sneakers on to her getting to drive in that car chase, there was so much wish fulfillment and release for somebody who has been repressing so much.” [...]
What are your thoughts on the discourse that some people believe Gloria's speech oversimplifies feminism?
“We can know things and still need to hear them out loud. It can still be cathartic. There are a lot of people who need Feminism 101, whole generations of girls who are just coming up now and who don't have words for the culture that they're being raised in. Also, boys and men who may have never spent any time thinking about feminist theory.
If you are well-versed in feminism, then it might seem like an oversimplification, but there are entire countries that banned this film for a reason.”
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Still from Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig, 2023.
Vidéo associée
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
PATH A
B1
1-A
Watch the video. What makes it “impossible
to be a woman” according to Gloria?
List examples.
2-A
In the article, how does America Ferrera
describe Gloria's character?
3-A
Why does America Ferrera believe Gloria's
speech can be important?
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
PATH B
B2
1-B
Watch the video. Pick one contradiction
from the speech and explain it.
2-B
According to America Ferrera, why was
the speech important for a wide audience?
3-B
She says Gloria is "shining from the very
beginning." How does she describe Gloria's
journey and what it symbolizes?
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Let's talk this out!
4
Sum up what Gloria's speech and America Ferrera's interview say about the challenges of womanhood and
the importance of naming them.
5
Can you relate to any of the contradictions or pressures they describe in your own life or from what you
observe around you?
6
In what ways do you think expressing these issues in a popular movie like Barbie can make a difference?
Ressource affichée de l'autre côté.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Faites défiler pour voir la suite.
Speak your truth.
Inspired by Gloria's monologue in Barbie, write your own speech about a bodily autonomy issue that matters to you. Use repetition, emotion, and personal examples to make your voice heard. Then, record it, alone or as a group piece!
Inspired by Gloria's monologue in Barbie, write your own speech about a bodily autonomy issue that matters to you. Use repetition, emotion, and personal examples to make your voice heard. Then, record it, alone or as a group piece!
Une erreur sur la page ? Une idée à proposer ?
Nos manuels sont collaboratifs, n'hésitez pas à nous en faire part.
j'ai une idée !
Oups, une coquille
