Stage 1 SACE English - Lady Bird

Main Ideas/Themes

  • Identity & Self Discovery

  • Mother/Daughter Relationship

  • Social Class & Ambition                              

  • Friendship

  • Romance & Love

  • Belonging

  • Authenticity & Acceptance

Identity & Self Disvovery

  • The decision to adopt ‘Ladybird’ as a name reflects the desire to know oneself 

  • Signs up for musical 

    • Meets Danny (first boyfriend)

  • Desire -> leave home college on the other side of the country

  • She dislikes where she’s from (Sacramento) 

    • Choice (didn't choose to live there)

  • Attempts to integrate herself with different groups of people (Rich kids)

Mother/Daughter Relationship

  • Tension -> Mum constantly talks about money, reminding Ladybird of finances 

    • Love, mentions of money imply that she doesn't want her to leave, unable to articulate this

    • Ladybird sees this as a negative

    • Communication breakdown

  • Loving caring relationship -> complicated relationship

  • Falling asleep next to each other -> close together

  • Opening shop

  • Thrift store scene

  • Close -> trust -> sex, confides in mum

  • Vulnerable

    • “Why don’t you like me” 

    • She is comfortable with being vulnerable with her mum

  • Ladybird breaks trust (applying to college)

    • Mum upset (silent treatment)

  • Doesn't tell her daughter goodbye, and immediately regrets

  • Dad puts Mum’s letters in Ladybird's suitcase

  • Number of crumpled, unfinished letters -> feelings

  • Angry at Ladybird for coming home late

    • Can’t communicate worries about loss of Dad’s job

  • Shelly - tells Ladybird her mum has a big heart

  • Danny - tells Ladybird her mum scares him -> she defends her mother

    • Ladybird gains more perspective

  • Mum is there after Kyle

Social Class & Ambition

  • Ladybird -> ambition

  • Exceeds families finances

  • Ladybird’s ashamed of lack of money

    • Tells dad to stop before they get to the school (“I like to walk”)

    • Lies about house, when making friends with rich kids

  • Shuns Julie - stops theatre -> wants to be “cool”

  • The scene shows Ladybird and Julie small compared to their surroundings

  • “Money is not life’s report card” - Mum (money does not = happiness), “Dad’s not happy” - Ladybird

  • Ladybird parents aware of disdain

    • We’re not good enough

  • Kyle -> pretentious, contrarian, hot air

  • Song “Crash” - Kyle “I fcking hate this song”, Ladybird “I love it”

    • Reunion with Julie

  • Gives up ideas of fitting in


Belonging

  • Uni in NYC

    • Independence

  • Appreciates her home

    • Drives through town, cuts between her and her mother

  • Where you come from is important to who you are

  • Sacramento -> San Fansisco 

    • Acceptance - Christine 

  • CD collection (David)

    • Judgy asshole - relates to Kyle

    • Comfortable in voicing her opinion - a callback to “I love it”

  • Doesn't try to change herself 

  • Hospital -> kid who’s hurt

    • Mum is there

  • Realisation of the importance of her family (mum)

  • Christine - who she is reflects on her, her family, her upbringing

  • Hospital -> Church

    • Went to a Catholic school, and wasn’t religious

  • Connection to her past, family -> mother

  • Calls her mum

    • Hasn’t spoken since leaving 

Authenticity & Acceptance


Other