Great Wide World Over There story
Cora Gibbs lives on an isolated farm, but thanks to her nephew finally has the chance to connect with the outside world. Directed by: Ian Mune. Story by: Ray Bradbury.
11 total · 1 choice · 5 major · 5 minor
| Theme | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| loneliness | choice | At the core of the story was Cora's and Mrs. Brabbham's feelings of isolation from the rest of the world owing to their raging illiteracy. It came to light that Mrs. Brabbham ventured out to her mailbox each morning to collect the same tattered old letters. This was to give the appearance that she was regularly receiving mail from her loved ones. In reality she lived by herself in an old farmhouse, where one gathers she was deeply isolated and alone. |
| aunt and nephew | major | Cora's nephew, Benjy, spent the summer with her at her at Tom's farmhouse. |
| husband and wife | major | Cora's husband, Tom, was kicking around the house. He was unenthusiastic about the letter writing project but grudgingly put his carpentry talents to use in its employ. His demeanor thawed somewhat when he saw the joys reading brought to his humble home. |
| illiteracy in society | major | The story is set in a rural community where illiteracy was extent. Benjy wrote letters for Cora because she couldn't even read her own name. The story concluded with Cora receiving a simple letter from Benjy that included a drawing of a pencil together with the word "pencil". This, coupled with Benjy's assurance in the letter that he would write Cora very week, suggests that he intended to teach her how to read through their future correspondences. |
| neighbor and neighbor | major | Cora was determined to upstage her solitary neighbor, Mrs. Brabbam, by receiving the most mail out of the two of them. |
| pridefulness | major | Receiving mail was evidently a point of pride in the rural community where the story is set. It was in this context that Cora was eager to outdo her solitary neighbor, Mrs. Brabbam, when it came to getting letters stuffed in her mailbox. Cora was initially gleeful when the mail started flooding in. But she ultimately took pity on Mrs. Brabbam after it came to light that Mrs. Brabbham had been faking getting mail for years. |
| carpentry occupation | minor | Cora's husband built a magnificent white mailbox for her. |
| coping with saying goodbye forever | minor | Benjy bid a sentimental farewell to his aunt, Cora, after spending the summer at her farmhouse. |
| creative writing | minor | In the introduction, Ray Bradbury shared with the viewer the wellsprings of creativity that inspire his writing. |
| remorse | minor | Cora came to regret one-upping Mrs. Brabbam when it came to receiving lots of mail. |