Discussion: Grave of the Fireflies
Review
Start by asking the class to perform the following:- Using your cell phones, find out how much damage was caused to Japan due to the firebombing in World War II (not the atomic bombs!).
- Find out if any of your classmates had a relative in the war and, if so, where they served and if they have heard any pertinent stories about America's interaction with Japan at the time.
Discussion
Separate the class into groups of 4-5 students, erring on the smaller size. Assign the following questions to the class and allocate 15-20 minutes for these small groups to discuss. As groups discuss these topics, move among groups and evaluate the content/quality of their discourse.
Discussion Questions
- Spend a few minutes in your group discussing your opinion of Grave of the Fireflies.
- Where can you find representations of community and the in-group/out-group dynamic in the film?
- In your opinion, what is the major theme of this movie?
- Does the concept of "victim's history" apply to this movie?
- Based upon the viewing of this film, what do you think Japan's stance on the war is now?
Now, have the small groups choose a single member to act as a representative of their micro-discussion. Then, give the groups 3 minutes to write a question for the class that relates to one of the previously discussed questions. During this time, go from group to group and check their question.
Next, bring the group representatives to the front of the room or arrange all chairs in a circle to facilitate a class-wide discussion. At this point, the group representatives will take turns asking their questions to the class and seeking the other students’ opinions. Give full control of the discussion to the students at this point. The role of the instructor is to evaluate participation and the quality of the discourse. If at any time the students are wandering away from the main topics, interject and course-correct them. The following Focal Points are important to cover:
- The author and director have stated that they do not consider Grave of the Fireflies to be an anti-war sentiment film. You may have the students debate whether or not that is actually the case.
- The original novel by Akiyuki Nosaka was a fictionalized version of events that happened to him during the war. Therefore, this film is semi-autobiographical in nature despite being a fictional account.
- At this time during the war, most students were mobilized to work in factories or on fire brigades to help with the war effort. This is the source of Seita's uniform and also why he and Setsuko are not in school.
- The city that serves as our location is Kobe. As the sixth largest city in Japan at the time, it was selected for heavy firebombing.
- The film is actually a retelling of events by the ghosts of Seita and Setsuko as they relive the tragedy of their young lives. The final scene of the film shows the siblings sitting on a bench looking down at the city. The important part of this scene is that the city they are looking upon is modern day Kobe. The implication is that the ghosts of our past are still here and are watching. It is a call to the audience to not repeat the horror of war again. A similar theme will be seen in Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All Out Attack.
- This film strongly reinforces the in-group and out-group dynamic. While Seita and Setsuko are with their relatives, they are healthy, work well with others, and can survive. However, when they remove themselves from society, by moving into the abandoned bomb shelter, suddenly their lives turn for the worse. They suffer from starvation and steal from others; taking from the group rather than providing for it. In the end, they perish, expressing the harshest punishment for those that violate the social order.
- Susan Napier asserts that films like Grave of the Fireflies represent a "victim's history" of Japan. That is, they ignore the atrocities and warlike nature of the country in favor of telling tales of how Japan was victimized. Barefoot Gen is another example of this theme for Napier. However, you may find that students disagree on its application to these films.
Homework
Assign the following reading as a homework assignment. Readings are available on repositories such as JSTOR:“Transcending the Victim’s History: Takahata Isao’s Grave of the Fireflies.” Wendy Goldberg. Mechademia, Volume 4, 2009, pp. 39-52.
Assign the following quiz. This quiz can either be assigned as a take-home open book test or given at the beginning of the next class period. Correct answers are highlighted.
1. Goldberg argues that Grave of the Fireflies is actually a commentary on ____________.
a. starvation
b. violence
c. atomic energy
d. nationalism
2. Grave of the Fireflies is based on a novel that was authored by _______________.
a. Akiyuki Nosaka
b. Hayao Miyazaki
c. Isao Takahata
d. Osamu Tezuka
3. Brian McVeigh deduces that the ___________ we see today is connected to the wartime period. It represents a sense of comradeship and group consciousness and is a marker for group identity and solidarity.
a. lineage system
b. school system
c. uniform system
d. Japanese system
4. Napier describes Grave of the Fireflies and Barefoot Gen and other WWII-centered films as____________.
a. tales of tragedy
b. victim’s history
c. historical revisionism
d. loser's history
5. In the Japanese title of the film, Hotaru no haka, what Chinese character is used instead of the standard character for "firefly?"
a. fire
b. bomb
c. explosion
d. rain
Download a printable PDF of this quiz here.
