Representation

Question 1

What were the ideas promoted in the introduction to Vidal?

Answer 1

• Vidal is a tall, masculine figure with the stereotypical appearance of an authoritarian figure = remnant of a fascist society
• Touching Carmen’s stomach (Carmen being objectified)

Question 2

What were the ideas promoted in the opening scene (the introduction to Ofelia)?

Answer 2

• 11-year-old girl= Del Toro tries to portray war through the eyes of a child to increase the impact that war has on humans
• Ofelia is subjected to the fascist regime which portrays the oppression and negative effect of war

Question 3

What were the ideas promoted in Ofelia’s narration?

Answer 3

• Ofelia and Carmen are represented as carers for children as Carmen is pregnant and Ofelia tells her baby brother the story.
• It foreshadows Ofelia sacrificing her life for her brother near the end of the film.

Question 4

What were the ideas promoted in the gruesome murder of the farmers?

Answer 4

• Farmers needing to hunt for rabbits for food = representative of the working class

Question 5

How could the toad represent Vidal (fascism)?

Answer 5

• May represent Vidal and the fascist regime
• Consuming and killing others for their own benefits without thinking of the consequences that will affect others

Question 6

How could the toad represent Ofelia’s baby brother?

Answer 6

• Representative of Ofelia’s brother
• Carmen is the tree who is slowly being killed by the being living inside of it (the toad/the baby)

Question 7

What could the toad represent?

Answer 7

• Vidal (and fascism)
• Ofelia’s baby brother

Question 8

How is Ofelia represented in the toad scene?

Answer 8

Ofelia is represented as being brave and rejects the gender stereotype of women at the time in the patriarchal society.

Question 9

How is Ofelia represented in the first task/hunting the rebels sequence?

Answer 9

• Ofelia is represented as brave and powerful as she dismisses her gender stereotype
• Courageous in face on difficulty, independent and rejecting her dress
• Symbolic of a princess, stated earlier by Carmen

Question 10

How is Vidal represented in the hunting the rebels scene?

Answer 10

• Vidal again displays his masculine need for power, control and order as he tries to defeat the rebels
  – Perhaps show Vidal as weak for the first time as she does not succeed