English, baby!

Anna and the King

Date: Mar 23 2000

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Plot: An English woman takes a job as the teacher to the royal family in Siam (Thailand). She struggles with differences in culture, but comes to love the children and eventually, the King.
Clip: In this scene, Anna (Jodie Foster) and the King (Chow Yun-Fat) are discussing the meaning of life, as well as some of the King’s traditions.

Dialog

1. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Anna

King

Anna: I find myself traveling from place to place, wondering where it is that I belong. I find myself here.

King: Your path is as it should be.

Anna: My mind has taken me down many roads, all of which lead absolutely no where. What would Buddha say to that?

King: That roads are for journeys, ma’am, not destinations.

Anna: Don’t your wives ever get jealous?

King: I do not understand significance of question.

Anna: Forgive me, I…

King: No, no, no. Please, continue.

Anna: Most of the world believes that a man and a woman should share a relationship which is sacred only to themselves. *

King: Each one of my wives believes same about King.

Anna: Not everyone can marry you, Your Majesty.

King: Good thing. King need his rest sometime. *

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Discussion

This scene shows a good example of the cultural differences between Anna and the King. Anna doesn’t believe the King should have so many wives, but it is the way things are done in Siam. The King’s English isn’t perfect, but he is able to communicate very well. Don’t be fooled if you see some mistakes in the conversation above. It’s how the King really talks in the move. Personally, I liked this movie. There were some parts that I thought could have been done better, but the story of a teacher going to another society and trying to work out the cultural differences is interesting to anyone who has had a similar experience. Check this one out, but you should probably wait until it’s on video. ‘Till next week, —Doc