Au Revoir Les Enfants and La Lengua de la Mariposa A...

Au Revoir Les Enfants and La Lengua de la Mariposa: A Closer Look at European Films The films Goodbye, Children and The Butterfly’s Tongue both revolve around the relationships between friends and between student and teacher. Both films skillfully showed how each relationship developed and blossomed and how each abruptly and sadly ended with betrayal. However, the gravity and the context of the betrayal differ in both films. In Julien’s case, his betrayal was unintentional. Perhaps his glance was more out of curiosity and concern for his friend, Jean, not knowing how a split-second glance can eventually lead to his friend’s death. However, for me, Moncho was more accountable in his betrayal.†¦show more content†¦The title alludes to the fact that even if most of the characters in the film were children, they had to grow up faster because of the war. The title probably refers to a farewell to childhood that the characters had to experience. Though they were experiencing normal childhood experiences such as making fun of the new k id in class or sharing guilty pleasures after dark and the like, these experiences came with their experience of war and disorder in the country. It came with thoughts of death, hatred, racism and all other negative things related to wars, which is a far cry from what a child normally worries about. Their situation has forced them to gain responsibility and deal with life and death at an early age, something that is significantly different from the innocent and carefree characteristics of childhood. The title La Lengua de la Mariposa probably refers to Don Gregorio. Just as the butterfly spreads the pollen to other flowers, so does Don Gregorio spreads his wisdom and love of nature to his students, especially to Moncho. However, a butterfly symbolizes a fleeting and ephemeral passing. Likewise, Don Gregorio’s influence on his students is short-lived because he was eventually captured by the Fascists for becoming a Republican. Although both films were