Grave of the Fireflies: INstructors Notes

Grave of the Fireflies: Instructors Notes

Objectives:

I: SHow Students the effect of a crumbling society on it's most innocent members.

II: Show Students the perspective of the Japanese homefront during World War II

III: Expose students to viewpoints they are unfamiliar with of a topic that they have some prior knowledge about.

IV: Give Teachers new methods of teaching old content matter

Rationale:

Students studying World War II rarely look at the perspective of the Japanese homefront. Studio GHibli's Grave of the Fireflies shows is this important viewpoint in a very very effective, unique, and heart wrenching manner. No other material dealing with the subject, brings the material alive as well as Grave of the Fireflies. The lessons tought by this film, hold true even today.

Behavior contitions:

Students are to watch the film and discuss the content after it's screening

Notes:

It is post-war Japan, just weeks before the American occupation. In the city of Kobe, a young man lies dying in a train station. Beside his body lies a small candy container. A janitor, unsure of it's ashen contents, pitches it into the night. As fireflies float around it, ghostly images of a boy and his sister appear.....
Flashback to a short time earlier: Orphaned and homeless from firebomb attack on their city, 14 year old Seita and his 4 year old sister Setsuko, set out to survive in the face of a society that is no longer able to protect them. Forced to live in an abandoned bombshelter in the countryside, they slowly come to realize they no longer can escape the hardships of war, or even find enough food to survive.

Grave of the Fireflies is a semi-autobiographical story written by Akiyuki Nosaka, and adapted to film by Isao Takahata. Nosaka wrote the novel of the same name to exersice the demons of guilt and sorrow that haunted him after his sister's death in WWII. Nosaka blamed himself for his sister's death, and to reconcile, he wrote the book in 1965. Grave of the Fireflies was an instant success, as was the film adaptation done in 1988.
   Fireflies gives perhaps the most realistic look at the Japanses Homefront during World War II. The ghosts of the two children take us through this narative like Dante and Virgil.   We see the terrifying effects of war, as these two children become collateral damage, forgotten and cast aside by a crumbling society.
   Fireflies has been praised by critics, audiences, and film makers across the world, as it tells us a poignent, sobering reminder of war's dreadful effects upon the most innocent and defenseless members of society. I find it interesting that Fireflies does not condemn neither the Allies who bomb Japan, or the Imperialist Japanese who started the war, but instead condemns war itself. It is not the American bombers, nor the Japanese Imperialistic leaders who started the war, nor even the indignant Japanese citizens who did not help the children, who Nosaka and Takahata hold responsible for the lives of Seita and Setsuko. Rather it is war which leaves only victims and no true victors in it's bloody wake.
   This film is broadcast in Japan every year on the anniversary of Hiroshima. To them it reminds them of the consequences of Imperialism and conquest. It serves as a telling reminder to not let the grim shadows of war and tribulation keep us from showing compassion and mercy to those who cannot fend for themselves.
The ending is particularly difficult, and can be hard for students to take, nonetheless, these are actual events.
Through careful camera work, and deft cinamtography, the Children seem to come alive, and even enter into us. When we see what happens to them, we lose a little of ourselves as well.

   ONe thing to keep in mind while showing this film, is that it is based off of a true story, which only augments it's powerful message. Do not think that because it is animated, it is 'kiddie diz-nee crap.'
   I have used this film in both history and sociology classes, at the secondary level. Takahata and Nosaka provide us with a very unique perspective of a viewpoint that is seldom, if ever shown. It also shows us how a society can become helpless to protect the members who require the most protection. Other teachers that I have shown this film to, have begun using it as well.
    As for the use of animation, I can say that it is easily the best choise. A live-action version would emphasise far too much on special effects and name recogntition and detract from the sobering story. I have had several students cry at the screening of this picture.
     The perspective of the Japanese during World War II is seldom if ever taught in our classrooms, yet it is a perspective that must be shown in order to recieve a full scope of history.
    For a teacher wanting to use something new in teaching World War II, Grave of the Fireflies gives us a one-of-kind insight into the lives of Japanese while they were being bombarded. I have not found any other material that deals with the subject anywhere near as well as Fireflies.   If we want to show our students a true balanced look at History, and integrate more multi-cultural education into our lessons, Fireflies is a resource that lets us do just that. This is the best film you can show your class.