Mao's Last Dancer Oral Presentation

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Compare and contrast the themes of freedom and oppression in this movie. Li Cunxin, a boy who ventures from childhood to maturity, from poverty to plenty, from country to city, from East to West and from oppression to freedom, was saved from a life of hardship and oppression by ballet. Li had been captured in China’s web of communism and had been brainwashed by the misleading communist teacher’s. Except for Teacher Chan, he inspired Li to better and bigger things that would pave the way for Li’s prosperous future. Li’s freedom came down to the way that teacher Chan nurtured Li’s gift into something special that would captivate an audience, inspire a nation and bring together two contrasting cultures. In addition, I strongly believe that Bruce Beresford has created America as a symbol of freedom in this film that contrasts against the oppression of communist China. Furthermore I believe that Consul Zhang is a character that conveys the oppression of China through the way that he tries to control Li’s life and tries to force him back to Communist China. Firstly, Teacher Chan inspired Li to be the best he could be, Chan always believed in Li and saw something that the other teachers didn’t, he saw Li’s ability to overcome hardship and shine when the time called for it. Teacher Chan is a symbol of freedom in this film, he tells Li that “Before you can fly, you have to be free” and I believe this is a very important quote for freedom in this film that accentuates the motif of flying that surrounds the viewer in Mao’s Las Dancer. A very important scene that represents freedom in this film is the scene that depicts Li practicing very hard in a dark room with only a glimmer of light, which I think symbolises the glimmer of hope Li provided to himself and those who believed in him. Another inspirational scene is that of Teacher Chan taking Li on the walk through the

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