Ghost World

Bibliographic Information: Cross, P., Day, J. (Producers), & Zwigoff, T. (Director). (2002). Ghost world. [DVD]. United States: MGM.

Starring: Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi

Plot Summary: “High school is like the training wheels for the bicycle of real life,” says the girl in a head-brace, giving a commencement speech. Enid frowns in the audience and rolls her eyes, looking towards her best friend, Rebecca, and they laugh. They have been best friends since always, and can’t wait to get an apartment together this summer. But when Enid unrolls her diploma, she finds out that she is required to take a remedial summer art class, which will delay their plans. At the graduation dance, the girls encounter some of their classmates who seem to have their whole lives planned, acting classes, college, scholarships—but the girls, as usual, scoff and sneer at everyone.

            They continue on through summer as if high school never ended, meeting at cheesy 50’s theme diners and making fun of people. One day, they look in the personals to find their “future husbands” and prank call one  of the ads, setting up a blind date with a man named Seymour. He shows up at the diner, but they just make fun of him from far away. Feeling remorseful, Enid wants to follow him. They find him selling vinyl records at his apartment, where their friendship sparks.

            Meanwhile, Rebecca is focused on getting the apartment, figuring that if they dress like yuppies, they will have a better chance. Enid dyes her hair green instead. When she is made fun of for trying to be “punk” she dyes it back to black. She listens to the record she bought from Seymour, falling in love with one of the blues tracks.

            Rebecca gets a job as a barista, and seems to gain a better grasp on adult life, while Enid still struggles with every job she gets (quitting on the first day) and simultaneously struggling to succeed in art class, where her teacher is pushing her to create art that has a deeper meaning.

            The girls grow apart, as Rebecca is more sure of who she is and what she wants, and Enid is in the opposite situation. Enid eventually decides to get on a mysterious bus and leaves her life behind.

 

Critical Evaluation: Based on the acclaimed graphic novel of the same name, Ghost World tackles issues of identity, isolation, racism, and growing up. We watch the two female characters grow up and grow apart, as each is faced with different challenges. Enid is usually ridiculed by boys for being Jewish, while her blonde and beautiful best friend Rebecca has to dodge their constant come-ons. We can see Enid’s frustration in the scene where she dyes her hair green and back to black—a reflection of her inability to take on any one identity.

Neither of the girls plan to go to college, and Rebecca’s dream of having her own apartment seems shallow, as she becomes obsessed with buying blue tumblers and other domestic accessories. Enid’s great struggle is with her art. When she finds out that Seymour’s place of work used to have a racist name and logo, she submits a giant “sambo” poster to an art show. The startling image gains immediate negative response from the crowd, and she is failed and loses an art scholarship. Her teacher was the only person who understood the message she was trying to send: racism used be out in the open, and now its still there, just hidden. Enid knows from experience.

The positive message lies within Enid’s art journal. Throughout the film, she draws doodles of Seymour and herself. So when she gets on the bus at the end, we can only hope that she is pursuing art, but maybe in a less conventional way (like through the graphic novel medium that this story was originally told in.)

Reader’s Annotation: Follow Enid and Rebecca, social outcasts, best friends, and recent high school graduates, as they struggle with first jobs, love, and identity.

Director Information: The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) states: “Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Zwigoff held several jobs before making his breakthrough feature: the documentary Crumb (1994) in 1994. His previous jobs included musician, shipping clerk, printer and welfare office worker.

Even with the enormous success of "Crumb", Zwigoff refused to sell out to Hollywood. His aversion to corporate commercialism is a well-known trademark. He turned down many more commercial projects while he struggled for five years to make a feature film out of Daniel Clowes's underground comic strip "Ghost World". Released in 2001, Ghost World (2001) became the summer art house hit and captured Golden Globe nominations for Steve Buscemi and Thora Birch, who played the teenage protagonist Enid. "Ghost World" also brought acclaim for Zwigoff and his co-screenwriter Daniel Clowes, a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay in the 2002 Academy Awards. Ghost World wound up on over 150 Ten Best Lists for 2001.”

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0959062/bio

Genre: Drama

Subjects: adulthood, graduation, friendship, love, racism, art

Curriculum Ties: N/A

Booktalking Ideas: What are the differences between Enid and Rebecca, and how does each character navigate the adult world?

How does racism effect Enid and her art?

Reading Level/Interest Age: 16+

Challenge Issues/Defense: Due to profanity and sexual themes, this movie may be challenged. If so, refer to:

 1. The San Francisco Public Library Collection Development Policy, Selection Criteria, and Teen Collection documents.

2.     The California Department of Education District Selection Policies.

3.     A hard copy of the ALA’s Library Bill of Rights.

4.     Mixed reviews and list of awards won and nominated for.

5.     If necessary, The San Francisco Public Library’s Request for Reconsideration of Library Materials Form.

Reasons for Selection: This was one of my favorite movies in high school, it complements the popular graphic novel well, and stars popular actors. Teens with an affinity for alternative lifestyles and music, will love the punk references, and obsession with vinyl records by Enid and Seymour. But most importantly, teens will identity with the struggle to fit into the adult or “ghost” world. the film was nominated for many awards, including an Oscar, and won many others.