|
|
Post by lemacd on Jan 16, 2018 7:38:41 GMT
 I'm trying to stay chronological but finding it hard to find new things to say... observation: Gretl's "at ease" looks anything but comfortable. Then again, I've known a five year old to fall asleep dangling from the edge of the sofa, so... whatever. Maria is finally alone with her charges. Twice she has asked what is wrong with them (once to the Reverend Mother and once with their father) and both times she was not really told the truth. Still, she is very open and unguarded, as if she assumes she will have an easy rapport with them, as if children aren't really a mystery to her. As the movie unfolds we see that she isn't really wrong about that. Do you suppose that Maria felt sorry for them at this point? She tells them that she doesn't know anything about being a governess but do you think she had some experience tending to children? |
|
|
|
Post by gothicbutterfly95 on Jan 16, 2018 11:26:08 GMT
I think she feels very sorry for them at this point. I always imagined her thoughts being 'I shouldn't have to say 'at ease' to kids.'
In reality she was working as the teacher for the Abbey (so she does have some background with them) and while I personally don't follow that for the film, I DO think she's trained. So that takes care of her qualifications.
I think a big part of her connection with children is that she's so young at heart. There can't be a whole lot of people her age who would love things like tree-climbing and all that stuff as much as she does. I think she would've approached children when she's outside in Salzburg (doing stuff or on a 'free day' kind of thing for the Abbey) and connected with them, however briefly. I think Maria's so honest and open with just about everyone. Georg shakes her a bit, but she never lies to him.
I think her kindness, vivacity, uncertainty in her own life coupled with her teaching qualifications made her the best fit in the Reverend Mother's mind.
And yeah, Kymmie always seemed to step too wide to me.
|
|
zestylime
New Member
my tSoM fic is here: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1380595/zestylime
Posts: 30
|
Post by zestylime on Jan 18, 2018 0:23:54 GMT
it's funny to me as a former marching band kid like....they actually have an "at ease" position. I always saw it is that when she said "at ease" she expected them to kind of......be normal kids and have normal kid...posture. Instead they do this military formal at ease. I don't remember fully if Maria makes a "oh dear" face about this but I think she does.
As far as her rapport with the kids I agree with wickedbluestrawberry - I think she is so forthright and honest as a person that she just wants to know about them....and she isn't getting answers from the Captain or the Reverend Mother so she's going to try to find out from the source! She asks what's wrong with the children before she meets them (& before he blows the whistle) so she doesn't exactly know that the Captain treats them this way. I think she's trying to figure out if they're actually trouble or....just children. She calls out Louisa pretty easily so I would say she has some experience dealing with kids-enough to know to pay attention!!
|
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Jan 19, 2018 0:07:53 GMT
Maybe she is the first open and honest person they have met? Especially someone on the kids' level?
One would hope that previous governesses had their merits, but you never know...and as for their father...well!
I always imagined she had young cousins or suchlike, whom she had to look after or babysit, which accounted for her ease with children.
I love it when she asks the kids on the mountaintop why they are (I think) so naughty, because it gives them an opportunity to put their case without fear of retribution- I suspect they haven't had many opportunities like that before. And yes, I do think she feels sorry for them, which is why she takes them out and about at her first opportunity. I can remember at the age of five desperately wanting her to be my babysitter - one day when my Mum couldn't find a babysitter for me, I can remember the idea crossing my mind of suggesting she get in contact with Maria...haha!
|
|
|
|
Post by augiesannie on Jan 28, 2018 0:47:17 GMT
yes, zestylime, I always loved that bit when she said "at ease" and they did that formal Navy thing (then again, why did she use that phrase, it's kind of ilke she was already buying into the whole Navy thing herself?). I think it's so funny that she openly tells them she doesn't know how to be a governess, she's either incredibly naïve or brilliantly calculating. |
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Jan 29, 2018 23:27:12 GMT
I think it is a clever way of getting them on board, the way she says she will need lots of advice from them enables them to have a say in things rather than constantly being disciplined without redress (as is their father's style). As such he must have considered her subversive, particularly with his background...
|
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Feb 20, 2018 0:16:34 GMT
 Can't resist including this (presumably taken during rehearsals-click twice to enlarge) because Gretl looks anything but At Ease, and Louisa looks as though she's on another planet, listening to something sublime on her earphones! |
|
|
|
Post by gothicbutterfly95 on Feb 20, 2018 4:55:15 GMT
Yeah, I think that would be rehearsals. Given Christopher/Georg's presence I don't know whether they would be standing 'at ease', but Kym does look particularly uncomfortable.
And I love image of Heather (RIP) listening to music and off in another world.
|
|
|
|
Post by clarinetjamie on Feb 25, 2018 7:09:52 GMT
I think she says at ease because they were so rigid and even though it was awkward fort hat to use the term I think she was hoping that was a signal for them to relax. I don't think when she said she was expecting the rigid response that she got from them.
|
|
|
|
Post by reverendcaptain on May 19, 2022 22:20:30 GMT
Have these kids ever had a governess who is at all their ally? They are ready to pull pranks without finding out anything about her, so I'm guessing no. I know staff is expected to follow the rules of the house, but Maria can't be the first one to feel sorry for these neglected kids and want to help them, right? I wonder if any of the other 11 were fired for lack of discipline (letting them break the rules), or did they all quit due to terrible behavior?
|
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on May 25, 2022 23:30:52 GMT
I imagine it could have been either one or the other: either the governess was so strict she was clearly not on their side, or if she had been a little too lenient the kids would have taken advantage of her. There is a great art to being just sufficiently in control that the kids have fun but don't get out of hand! It seems Maria is of this latter type.
We see the kids getting out of control as soon as Elsa tries to play ball with them; who do you think were the ringleaders?
|
|
|
|
Post by reverendcaptain on Jul 19, 2022 16:35:23 GMT
With the Elsa ballgame, I think it was the oldest 4 that were the ringleaders. Louisa makes Elsa flinch ever time she has the ball. Kurt intentionally throws it past her. Liesl slams the ball into her. Friedrich points out her mistake the the numbers. I think the little ones are just trying to get along and the older ones are trying to get rid of her. This is probably the case for past governesses too.
|
|
