Set around 1930,Man of Aran (Robert J. Flaherty, 1934) is an early and classic documentary that describes the often difficult life of the men and women who live on the isolated Aran islands off the coast of western Ireland.
Discussion Questions
After watching this clip from Man of Aran, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.
1. This sequence depicts the common tasks needed to harvest seaweed. What about it could be described as nonfiction and/or non-narrative? Or there moments in the sequence which seem more fictional or narrative?
2. How does the cinematography in this sequence create a specific relationship between nature and the men and women on the islands? How would you describe that relationship?