Introductory Message
This week we are going to talk about the 2019 Oscar Winner for Best Picture - Green Book. Inspired by real life stories, Green Book features an unexpected bonding between Dr Don Shirley - a Jamaican American classically trained pianist, and his white chauffeur, Frank “Tony Lip” Vallelonga - a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighbourhood. This humourous, heartwarming yet thought-provoking movie invites a philosophical contemplation about racism, segregation, social class, friendship, loneliness and beyond. Hope our dialogues will shed some light on the life wisdom suggested in the film.
本周六的英语角想和大家聊聊今年的奥斯卡最佳电影《绿皮书》。这部电影用诙谐幽默的语调讲述暖心故事的同时，也对友情、阶层、歧视、隔离、正义、公平等触及人性的关键问题进行着深刻的思考。相信每个人都从电影中解读提炼出一本属于自己的人生绿皮书。
The article blow is written by Celia - one of our most loyal and supporting members. Celia is a professional freelance translator and a loving mother. Get in touch if you require professional translation services.
Writer's Note: I wrote this article last week to publicize Nanxian English Corner and express myself as well.
As a frequent visitor there , I applaud for the commitments of the organizers for a non-profit English club. Usually in the aroma of Jasmine tea, we sit around long tables like King Arthur and his knights. While some attendees are eager to improve their spoken English, there are some who seems to come in pursuit of happiness of gossiping or merely pay tribute to Cambridge, for Janny, our hostess, has earned her PhD in that prestigious university.
The first movie discussion occurring the other day was mainly about a highly-praised Academy Award winner - Green Book. The movie is based on a true story of a tour by a well-to-do black pianist Don Shirley with his driver and bodyguard Tony . Don Shirley, a distinguished pianist with three doctoral degrees, bears no resemblance to Tony in any respect at all. But when tackling the sticky problems together, the mutual understanding somehow is bred. And the understanding gradually turns acquaintances into friends. The movie interprets a seemingly ideal friendship: to give support and help mature. The fact is, according to Shirley's close relatives, he never took Tony as his friend, simply as a driver he employed. The question here is, could grassroots make true friends with someone up the social ladder? Well, I really doubt it.
As for the race discrimination, I asked Janny whether she ever felt it during the seven years in Cambridge. She responded, “ It does exist. ” What she perceived is probably as much as we do here about sexual discrimination. People seldom talk about it, but it is just there. On the ground of prejudice silently grows lush trees of unequalness. In a country with feudal traditions for thousands of years, efforts to uproot those trees are always futile. If genders were optional, Chinese females, I guess, might be rarer than pandas. Though nobody seems to object to a woman pursuing her career, if she manages to be a good wife, a good mother, good looking and good tempered!
Date & Time: 16/03/2019 19:30-21:00 (Rainy)
Attendees: 10, Mrs Nanxian, Janny, Lin(+1), Celia, Shadow, Mike, Vincent, Joan, Benjamin, Tony
Archive files: 1 Photo, 1 Signin Form
Minutes taken by Janny, article written by Celia
