MY
SISTER‘S SHOES
1.
Review of the Film
‘Children
of Heaven’ is a 1997 Iranian family drama film written and directed by Majid
Majidi. “My Sister’s Shoes” is an extract from the screen play of the film. It
narrates the story of Ali and his sister, Zahra who belong to a
poverty-stricken family and their adventures over a lost pair of shoes. The
film starts with Ali collecting his sister Zahra's pink shoes after a cobbler
has repaired them. He keeps them outside a vegetable shop and goes inside to
buy some potatoes. While he is in the shop, a junk collector picks up the
shoes, thinking it as garbage and takes it away. Frantic to find them, the
young boy upsets the vegetables boxes and is chased away by the shopkeeper.
Ali's family suffers from severe financial crisis. So he fears to tell his
parents about the incident. Ali's mother is ill and confined to bed. Ali tells
Zahra about the shoes and begs her not to tell mother; she agrees. That night,
Ali's father scolds him for not helping his ill mother. While doing their
homework, the children pass notes to each other discussing what to do.
The film is
so dramatic and tells a true story of a family. The scenes in the film depict
the hardships, poverty and the innocence of the children. Even the shoes is a
representative of the family‘s poor condition. In the film, life in Teheran is
sketched beautifully. The family‘s carefully detailed poverty, which reflects
the filmmaker‘s own childhood experience, adds colour to every event in the
story
2. Imagine that Ali happened to see the junk collector the next day. They had a conversation about the shoes. Prepare a likely one.
Ali: HI! Uncle
Junk collector: Hi! Ali.
Ali: Did you get a pair of shoes from
Akbar Aqa's shop while picking up junks yesterday?
Junk collector: A pair of shoes?
Ali: Yes, I had kept a bag of shoes in the
small gap between two boxes before I entered the shop.
Junk collector: Sorry Ali. I might have
taken them for junk.
Ali: Ho! Uncle. Will you please help me to
get them back?
Junk collector: Yes, I will try. What
colour are they?
Ali: Pink.
Junk collector: I will search for them and
return it, If I get.
Ali: Thank you, Uncle.
Junk collector: You are welcome.
3.
A
man in the nearby shop informed Ali that the junk collector who is living in
the nearby village has taken away his sister’s shoes. Ali decides to write a
letter to the junk collector. What would he write? Prepare the likely letter.
Tehran
10/08/2002
Dear
Uncle;
I am Ali. I write this letter to ask you
whether you have got a pair of shoes from Akbar Aqa's shop. Yesterday, I had
kept a bag of shoes in the small gap between two boxes before I entered the
shop to buy potatoes. When I came out from the shop I realised that you had
taken them away. A man in the nearby shop also told me that you had taken away
my sister’s shoes. I think you took them for junk. As you know, I belong to a
very poor family. My father won't be able to buy a new pair of shoes. If he
comes to know that I have missed the shoes,he will beat me. I would be grateful,if
you could return the shoes.
With
love,
Ali
S/d
4.
How
will I go to school tomorrow without shoes?’ This was the thought that lingered
in the mind of Zahra in the screenplay ‘My Sister’s Shoes’. What may be her
diary entry of the day? Write it.
10.
PM 20/08/2002
Monday
Today I am very sad. Ali has missed my
shoes. Oh God, what shall I do? How will I go to school tomorrow without shoes?
The teacher will punish me, if I don't wear shoes. If I tell to my father, he
will beat Ali. Poor Ali! He is also very sad. He has missed the shoes
accidentally. Ali has said that I can wear his sneakers. There is no other way
I may have to wear them and go to school tomorrow.
5. Imagine Ali
narrates the whole incident to his friend. Prepare the narrative
Yesterday I went
to the cobbler to get my sister’s shoes repaired. It was so worn out that she
could not wear it. The cobbler stitched it and put it in a black bag and gave
it to me. While I returning to my home I entered to Akbar Aqa’s vegetable shop
to buy some potatoes. When I was picking potatoes a junk collector came there
and who collected all the junks scattered over the floor. I didn’t notice. When
I came out I felt the shoes are missing. I was so worried. It was the only
shoes she had. I felt afraid to tell my parents. When I reached home, my sister
asked about the shoes. I told her that they were missing. She was so sad. While
we were studying she wrote about it in her notebook and passed to me. We were
afraid to discuss it loudly. So we exchanged our notebooks. I told her that I
would give her my shoes. She agreed to wear it when I returned.
6. Ali’s Diary
10. PM
25/08/2002
Monday
Today I am very
sad. What should I do now? My sister's shoes are missing. I have been
purchasing Potatoes from Akbar Aqa’s shop. I had put it between two boxes in the
vegetable shop. Who might have taken it? My sister will be so worried. Will
father beat me? He has little money to buy new shoes for her. How can she go to
school without shoes? Oh God. It is my entire mistake. I should have been more
careful. Tomorrow I shall go to the shop once again and search. I decided to
give my shoes to her. So she doesn’t miss her class on tomorrow.
7. Conversation
between Ali and Zahra
Zahra: Ali, have you returned? Why are you looking
sad?
Ali:Sorry Zahra.I lost your shoes.
Zahra: Lost it, but how?
Ali: I placed it between two boxes in the vegetable
shop while I was picking potatoes.
Zahra:I can’t believe it. You might have forgotten
it somewhere
Ali:Oh no Zahra. Believe me.
Zahra: How can I go to school without shoes? It is
very cold outside
Ali: I am sorry. I searched it everywhere, but it is
missing
Zahra: I shall tell to father about your carelessness.
Ali: Please don’t do it. He will beat me.
Zahra: Then tell me what to do?
Ali:I shall give my shoes to you
Zahra: ok I shall wear it when you come back from
school.
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