Ponyo Essay

Now that we have finished watching Ponyo and constructed out paper cranes, our last assignment is a paper, below are the instructions:

Answer the following short essay questions in a 2 page typed, double spaced paper

1. Point out 2 of the American/Japanese cultural differences that you noticed in the film Ponyo, what was your first impression of the differences when you saw them and how would they be portrayed differently in an American version?

2. Compare and contrast the main characters of Ponyo and Sōsuke. How do their differences support the story if at all?

3. Compare and contrast the supporting characters of Ponyo’s parents Granmamare and Fujimoto along with Sōsuke’s parents Lisa and Kōichi. How are these characters symbolic? What might they say about the Japanese culture from which they came?

4. What purpose do the three older characters from the Himawari House play in the film?