The narrative in this story helps participants recall the basic plot of "Fiddler on the Roof." We're reintroduced to Tevye the dairyman and the character of the Fiddler himself. Then we meet Tevye's daughters who are all seeking partners. And we remember, experiencing a wide range of emotions, as each daughter struggles to find their way as individuals, respecting more (or less) the norms and expectations of their family and community.
It ends with the song called "Anatevka" sung by villagers as they pack their things and leave their village and traditions behind.
There are plenty of things to talk about in the film itself: traditional occupations and stereotypes in the small Russian village of Anatevka, for example. But also Tevye's belief in God and tradition as a stabilizing force in his community, his optimism. By the end of the picture, of course, his confidence has been shattered and he's facing emigration to American where he'll struggle to find a "familiar face."
What are we to make of the character of the Fiddler at the end of the movie, who seems to be following Tevye and his family to America?
How do we feel when we watch Tevye and his daughters struggle to maintain a balance between the needs of individuals and those of the family, tradition and change?
How do we related these feelings in our own lives? How has our relationship with the story changed over time?
