My Left Foot Questions

1.Describe some of the characteristics of Christy’s father?
He seems to be a hard working alcoholic that is fed up of being poor but does his best to get by. When Christy is born he finds it difficult to accept that a son of his would be a cripple. So in his mind at the start of the movie, all he saw was a brainless cripple that is only his son by blood. However the moment that Christy shows his intelligence, the father is quick to announce to everyone, 'He's a Brown'. His way of accepting christy into the family as his son.

2.Are there any similarities/differences between Christy and his father?
Besides the obvious fact that they are both from Dublin and related, I would say that they are both fed with the obsticles in life that are being thrown at them. Poverty being the Fathers obsticle and Cerebral Palsy being Christys. But they are both too stubborn to let that get in the way of their life.

3.Would  Mr Brown be considered to be a typical ‘Irish father figure’?
Well my father is Irish, originally from dublin and entirely different from Mr. Brown. So from my point of view, he isn't. Sterotypically however i would say he is. Hard Working, Rough personality, Alcoholic (Minor anyway), has a very large family as all hardcore catholics have. Not to mention the way he talks I think speaks for itself. Pun slightly intended... although I hate when people say pun intended. but i digress...

4.Does the relationship between Christy and his father evolve?
Yes, Greatly. The moment that Christy shows his intelligence, the father is quick to announce to everyone, 'He's a Brown'. His way of accepting christy into the family as his son. from then on he is always interested in helping his son. Even near the end when he knows that christy is depressed, he tells the family to help the mothers idea of making christy a room. and once it is finished, the mother even says to christy, ' there you go. thats a close as you will ever get to him saying he loves ya.' Due to the father being ' a tough man ' he would never tell any of his sons he loved them and this was his way of showing it.

5.Has the concept of masculinity changed since the period during which the film is set?
Yes. Times have changed and it is advertised very well that real men arent tough. the real men are men that act the way they want to act on the inside. This is shown by the phrase 'real men wear pink'. and other phrases. As for me, \i am as sensitive as they come and\i'm not afraid to show it. (Can I say 'lol' or will I be marked down?)

6.Discuss the importance of social setting in the film 
It would be tough for a person with a disability to live around that time. With expectations being that if you can't walk and talk, what use are you? Also with hard men all around the place, no one would give a s**t if some 'cripple' needed help. Thats why this movie had to be in this setting. It shows that it not just difficult to be handicapped. but even more so to be handicapped in this time and area.

7. How are men and women expected to behave
Woman would do what the man of the house would say. They both have to be very religious, otherwise no one would talk to ya. Men would have to be harder than any other man. Women would stay home to work around the house.

Sorry for some reason I cant get the Highlight off. Oh well...

8.Discuss society's attitude to disability and to the Brown family within this film
Well even at the start of this movie when the mother fell down the stairs, there was a bunch of neighbours just standing there over christy saying that he is a crux on the family and it would be better for the family if he wasnt there, acting like he couldnt understand them.

9. How does Christy, Mrs Brown and Mr Brown deal with Irish societal expectations of them?
Well i believe that the Irish expectations of them would be to just have christy die in a ditch somewhere and move on with their lives. But the brown family are very proud to have Christy and the show it very well. Like when christy wrote 'Mother', the first thing mr.brown did was pick christy up and announce to everyone at the pub. 'This is my son. This is Christy Brown.'

10. How does our understanding develop as a result of the repeated reference to the fund-raising benefit? 

Is the Medium the Message or Massage?

The Medium is the Message by Marshall McLuhan
What is the 'Medium is the Message'? That being said, what the hell is 'The medium is the massage'?
More on this later...