A very funny story on the theme of the magician who loses his temper to make children want to do magic tricks!
Understand the story, the theme, express your sensitivity and exercise your critical thinking.
1-Why does the magician, who was successful, become unpopular in the middle of his show (50 s)?
His table breaks and the spectators then discover his trick: the rabbits do not come out of his hat but from the table.
2-Does the magician understand the reason for his unpopularity?
No, he doesn't understand that the table is broken and allows the spectators to see the rabbits.
3-At first, the spectators applaud, but when they discover the magician's trick, what do they do?
They boo.
Booing: Shouting or shouting against someone or something to show hostility or disapproval.
4-What is the magician's reaction?
He is sad; He cries.
5-How do the rabbits react?
They will perform another magic trick to save the magician's face: the famous rabbit cut in two!
6-Does the magician understand?
No, because he doesn't see under the table; He simply thinks that his magic trick is successful again.
Preparatory work for educational activities
After viewing the film, invite students who wish to make comments to speak.
It is possible to organize the points covered on the board into different areas, by collectively validating the comments if necessary by quickly browsing the film.
We can supplement the observations in each area with a few oral questions:
- Graphic appearance
How do you recognize that you are attending a magic show (curtain, stars, top hat, costume)?
Where are we placed? How are the magician's emotions transmitted to us (mainly through his mouth, as well as through his eyes)? And those of the rabbits (they are not very expressive, apart from the ears which stand up when the sign falls and the final smile of the rabbit-magician)? Observe the framing which prepares, through the management of the off-camera and the applause, the surprise given to the viewer of the film at 1:18.
- Sound aspect
What elements do the students remember (drum rolls, audience reactions in voice-over)? Ask them to recount the events of the film by listening only to its soundtrack: we manage to reconstruct all of the events.
- Magic
Have the students ever attended magic shows? Is it the same magic as that of magicians in fairy tales? Do they recognize the two emblematic tricks (the rabbit pulled from the hat and the woman cut in two)? Are any of them capable of performing tricks?
- Storytelling
Who are the characters and how many are there? What is the crux of the plot (the gap between what the main character perceives and what actually happens)? Note the contrast between the magician's trick, expressive but repetitive and without any interest from the moment the “trick” was understood by the spectators, and the surprise created by the rabbits, not very expressive, but visibly very intelligent. Highlight the misunderstanding between the magician who thinks he will be applauded again and the audience who only looks at the rabbits.
By watching the film again, we can collectively list the different emotions expressed by the magician, the audience, and even the rabbits. Students can practice identifying illustrations of certain emotions using the Emotions, Feelings and States of Mind sheet.
Additional elements
- For your personal information (we do not reveal the secrets of a magic trick to others!),
An explanatory video of the woman's trick cut in two...
- Pop-up album: The color of emotions by Anna Lenas, Éditions Quatre Fleuves, 22p., 2014, ISBN 979-1026400134.
- Animated film Vice-Versa (Inside Out) by Pete Docter, Pixar, 94 min, 2015.
- Feelings board game by Jean-Louis Roubira and Vincent Bidault, published by Act In Games, 2015.
Created with the support of the French Ministry of Education and the French National Center for Cinema and Animated Images (CNC).
Watching the film with the family, educational activities with parents at home and with teachers in class.
