Betty

STUDYING CHARACTER IN PLEASANTVILLE:

Betty is a fantastic character and while we’ve briefly chatted about her,

it’s time to get to know her a bit better..

You will be answering questions in as much detail

as you can – this is NOT close reading!!!

The more notes you take, the easier essays will be

later.

“WHAT’S A MOTHER TO DO?”

Before David and Jennifer are transported into Pleasantville, there is still much to be learned about the characters from the show itself.

Think about the episode David watches while he is sitting on the couch.

• Why is that episode significant?• What can be learned about

Betty from that brief glimpse into Pleasantville?

• How does Betty provide David with some kind of solace from real life?

BETTY AS A TV CHARACTER

Now think about the Betty we see in the early days in Pleasantvile (i.e. between D&J arriving and Betty “taking her bath”)

• What more is revealed about her Pleasantville persona – think about how presents herself, how she thinks and how others treat her.

• Is she still the solace David needs?

• Think about the relationship each teenager has with her. In what ways is she a better mother for them?

“HOW ABOUT SOME MARSHMALLOW RICE

SQUARES?”

Think about why Betty changes colour. This is not just a cheap sex joke played for laughs.

• What does “the talk” between Jennifer and Betty reveal about women in Pleasantville and also about women in the 50s (although this is still partly relevant today).

• Why do you think Betty’s bath was so important?

• How does she feel afterwards?• The “putting on the make-up”

scene is both touching and upsetting. Explain how it can be both.

50 SHADES OF GREY (AND BLACK AND WHITE).

Betty’s change is fantastically dramatic.

• Explain how the director captures Betty’s change through visual techniques.

• Try to focus on costume and make-up.

• Think of important moments when we see these changes most of all.

A CHANGE WOULD DO YOU GOOD

In the TV show, Betty and George have always been a married couple. Viewers will not have seen them fall in love, get married or have their children. They simply exist as they are.

• Is theirs a real representation of a marriage? Explain.

• Think about Betty and Bill meeting in the hallway. Then think about Betty’s hand of cards changing. And finally, think about why she goes into the soda shop for the first time. What point is the director trying to make here and what does it reveal about Betty?

• Is this love? Justify your answer.

TO LOVE SOMEBODY…

THINK ABOUT THE WAY BILL SEES BETTY. COMPARE IT WITH HOW

GEORGE SEES HER.

The scene where Betty leaves George is a wonderful one.

Dissect this scene in detail, explaining what it reveals about each character and their relationship.

You do not necessarily have to refer to cinematic techniques but do so if they add to your understanding of the scene.

“I HAVE TO GO NOW”

Betty’s mirror forces 3 different characters to look at the change in themselves.

Explain how each one uses the mirror and what we learn from these moments.

BETTY’S MIRROR

Think about the version of Betty we are left with at the end of the film. She’s come a long way.

• Think about the trial. How does Betty play an important part in the trial scene?

• When David leaves, Betty still prepares him a packed lunch. Does this mean she’s the exact same person she was when she first came to Pleasantville?

• What does the bench scene reveal about her current feelings about each of the men in her life? What do you think she will do next? Does it matter?

IN THE END

Betty makes for a great character to write about in the exam.

Let’s go over what we’ve covered and tidy up some loose ends:

• Which themes does Betty represent?

• Which key relationships are essential for discussing in a Betty essay?

• Pick out 5 scenes which you think must be used when writing this essay.

BETTY’S BEST BITS