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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS - THE COUNTRY TEACHER 

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Why do you think writer/director Bohdan Sláma chose to make his main character, Petr, a natural science teacher?

In nature there are many examples we as natural beings would do well to learn from.In my humble opinion, this gave the writer many opportunities to express the theme of love and redemption.

a.) In his first class, Petr shows his students an empty snails shell. He explains that you can track the snails life by looking at the shell; you can see scars that were repaired. Why would this be of interest to Petr, and why would Sláma choose to open the film with this scene?

Each one of us can identify with the metaphor of a scar in our lives. The snail is a perfect example of our back and forth inside and outside mental states of mind. We have a history same as the snail. I think it was a genius way of teaching the audience while entertaining them. It is here that we first hear the theme of we are not above nature, we are natural as well, but have forgotten our past and keep repeating the same scars.

b.) What is the significance of the final scene, in which the cow gives birth? How does the final scene connect to the opening scene with the snail shell?

 Again, love, forgiveness, redemption, although the first calf died, the cow did not stop giving milk, and loving her family, she had a new ones and this time, everyone sees something as redemption. They have all participated in a birth, a renewal in the hope for mankind is what the metaphor of this scene was to me.

How would you define the difference between love and lust? The difference between love and lust, is simple,  lust is an act, the other is real.Consider all the relationships in this film in terms of love and lust: Marie and Petr, Petr and Lada, Lada and Bara, etc.  Cleverly, the director has used the characters to show the difference between lust and love, and self love and self hatred, as well as innocent love and most important, he has the ex lover tell the teacher, ok, then lets FCK....and that he doesn't care if he is being loved back.

Discuss the use of music in this film. What did the music contribute to the story? The style of opereta singing, showed the difference in the world of the cities, and the country folks type of joyous melodies, lacked that sadness that the ipod clad academic seemed to carry like a weight.

When Marie asks Petr, Why didnt you tell me you preferred guys? he answers, I was afraid... that I would lose both of you. What do you think he means by this? Are his fears justified?

He means, perhaps, as his last love rejected him when he found out he was a homosexual, having been bi-sexual since he was with a woman, he felt a coming loss of both her and her son. Yes he is justified, in that there are a lot of homophobics still.

What qualities do Marie and Petr share? They both have a quality of being helpful and genuine.  In what ways are they different? I think Marie is the stronger of the two, in that she faces all of the problems head on even after she had drunk to much and let the calf die, she still kept keeping on. Petr quite the opposite, chose to overdose.

 In your opinion, was Petrs act forgivable? Discuss your reasoning. Lets get real, it was not sodomy, and if Clinton can be forgiven so can Petr. 

Put yourself in the shoes of each character Petr, Marie and Lada. How would you feel about Petr joining the family? What does each character want from the other two in this relationship?  

I would not want to be in any of their shoes, they are fiction, however each of these characters teaches us.

Unrequited love is the main source for all of us to connect and feel united in hurt.

Beyond this is the most important message, to forgive ourselves as well as others.

I do not think, that suicide should be the answer to anyone's disaster. Having said this however, it is clear that the biggest blow to the character who plays the teacher, is his own mother's inability to see that in her footsteps there are more marching boots, than there are soft and gentle explanations to the innocent minds of students who may be wandering off into their own lives, and losing interest in one of the most important factors that make humans more loving, education.
The mother chides her son for going off to the country.

In the country, he finds less arrogance and an open and humble interest into the things he knows. We see when the ex lover shows up also a judgemental person
This new family, has an addition, simple as that, someone who will love the boy as a father, the woman as a lover/sister who knows. They all want love and have each other, as a family, that although like the shells has scars, they must all work together towards their needs and wants.

Besides, working a farm leaves very little time for troubles.