1. “In America”

2. Jim Sheridan
Personal story
Autobiography?

3. American Dreams

4. Themes The immigrant experience in America Healing and acceptance
The value of family and how family can be extended beyond blood relationships

5. Immigrant experience
Fear (of the unknown, of places and people that are different)
Poverty

6. Fear In the opening scene the fear of not being allowed into America.
Can you relate to the sense of fear the family feels?
“The house of the man who screams.”
The Halloween visit to Mateo’s apartment

7. Poverty Johnny unemployed
Humiliation that is associated with being poor
When Johnny tries to win ET
$5,000 bill
Johnny accepts food stamps from a junkie.

8. Healing and Acceptance
Loss of Frankie

9. At Halloween dinner, Mateo describes what “the men dancing”
“I asked God to take me instead of him, and he took the both of us. Look what he left in my place.”
Sarah’s hallucination in the hospital
Christy: “He’s my brother, too. I cried, too. I’ve been carrying this family on my back for over a year now.” Johnny must start acting like a father.

10. Who does “Desperado” describe?
“Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? You been out ridin' fences for so long now. Oh you're a hard one, But I know that you've got your reasons, These things that are pleasin' you, Can hurt you somehow. Desperado, oh you ain't gettin' no younger, Your pain and your hunger they're drivin' you home, And freedom, well that's just some people talkin', Your prison is walkin' through this world all alone. Desperado, why don't you come to your senses? Come down from your fences, open the gate. It may be rainin', But there's a rainbow above you, You gotta let somebody love you, (Let somebody love you) You better let somebody love you, Before it's too late.”
his song is about a cowboy who refuses to fall in love

11. The Value of Family

12. The Sullivan family expands thorough the addition of other people in the junkie house, especially Mateo.
Chrissy uses her third wish to get her dad to say “goodbye to Frankie.”
Ariel gives Mateo magic lemon drops when he collapses
After the snowball fight, Mateo characterizes Frankie as a warrior not afraid to go over there.
Mateo repays the Sullivan’s both monetarily and by seemingly talking the new baby into life.
Christy gives the baby a transfusion
When one dies, another is born.

13. Critical Thinking
What is the importance/ significance of the director’s decision to film the “conceiving baby” scene put side by side against the scene of Mateo painting with rage?
How does the Sullivan family save Mateo? How does Mateo save the Sullivan family?