Essay #1—Analysis of a Film’s Theme

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Originating from a 1905 novel written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess was first released in the United States in 1995 (Barnes & Noble). Richard LaGravenese and Elizabeth Chandler created this classic screenplay. Alfonso Cuarón, winner of The New Generation award at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, directed this film (IMDb). Family drama and fantasy is the genre. The main character is Sarah Crewe, followed by sub-characters Captain Crewe, Miss Minchin, Ermengarde, Lavinia and Becky (IMDb). Sarah is an intelligent, polished, motherless, wealthy child living in India with her father, Captain Crewe. Captain Crewe toke Sarah to a Victorian style boarding school in New York while he was away at war. Miss Minchin, the headmistress, takes a disliking to Sarah immediately, as does the school bully, Lavinia. Sarah immediately bonds with her classmate Ermengarde, an awkward, fat, rather dull gal and Becky, an obedient, colored and articulate servant girl. Most importantly the primary theme of A Little Princess is perseverance through social class changes. A Little Princess effectively represents the theme because Sarah’s spirit is not broken when she experiences jealousy, isolation, death of a loved one and poverty (Shmoop Editorial Team).
The plot unfolded when a messenger arrived at the seminary to notify Miss Minchin that Captain Crewe died and his estate had been seized. Miss Minchin would not be receiving any compensation for Sarah’s care. Miss Minchin, emensly disturbed by the news, immediately ended Sarah’s elaborate Birthday party and divulged to Sarah very unsympathetically that her father died several weeks ago. Sarah was being held responsible for paying back the expenses that were incurr...

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... moral lessons. In light of being Cuarón’s first movie, it is artistically successful.

Works Cited

“Awards.” IMDb. IMDb.com. 26 Feb. 2014 .
“Full Cast & Crew.” IMDb. IMDb.com. 26 Feb. 2014 .
A Little Princess (Barnes & Noble Collectible Editions). Barnes & Noble. 26 Feb. 2014 .
Shmoop Editorial Team. A Little Princess Theme of Transformation. Shmoop.com.
Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 16 Feb. 2014. .
Patrick Doyle - Little Princess Soundtrack CD. Little Princess Soundtrack CD Album. 26 Feb. 2014 .

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