Django Unchained — Freedom, Revenge & Tarantino’s Western Reimagined
Lesson Type: Movie Discussion | Level: Intermediate
🗣️ 1. Warm-Up Questions
- Have you ever heard of the movie Django Unchained?
- Do you enjoy Western or cowboy-style movies?
- Do you think movies about slavery and injustice are important to watch?
- Do you like revenge stories in cinema?
- What makes a hero strong in your opinion — courage, intelligence, or love?
📚 2. Vocabulary Preview
| Word / Chunk | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bounty hunter | a person who catches criminals for money |
| plantation | a large farm where slaves were forced to work |
| revenge | hurting someone because they hurt you first |
| set before the Civil War | the story takes place before the American Civil War |
| rewrite the Western | to change the traditional cowboy story |
| fight for freedom | to take action to escape control or injustice |
📘 3. Reading – About the Film
Django Unchained is a 2012 Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The story is set in the American South, two years before the Civil War, and follows Django, a slave who is freed by a German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz. They become partners: Django helps Schultz find wanted criminals, and Schultz helps Django rescue his wife Broomhilda, who is enslaved on a violent plantation owned by Calvin Candie.
The film mixes action, dark humor, and emotional scenes while dealing with serious themes like slavery, racism, revenge, and justice. The cast includes Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, and Kerry Washington. The soundtrack is unique, mixing Western music, blues, and even rap. Unlike traditional Westerns with white cowboys, Django Unchained puts a Black hero at the center of the story, rewriting the genre as a fight for freedom and love.
✅ 4. Comprehension Check
A) True or False
- The movie takes place before the American Civil War.
- Django stays a slave for the whole film.
- The story mixes action, humor, and serious topics.
B) Short Answer
- Who helps Django become free?
- Why does Django want to find Broomhilda?
- What makes this Western different from traditional ones?
🧩 5. Language Focus
Using “set before / set after” to describe time in movies
✅ The story is set before the Civil War.
✅ Some Westerns are set after the war.
✅ This movie is set in the 1800s.
➡️ Write 2 sentences using set before or set after to describe a movie you know.
✍️ 6. Writing Task
📝 What to Do
Write a short comment (4–6 sentences) about the movie.
Post your answer in the comments section of this blog post.
Use simple English and include one vocabulary word from the lesson.
➡️ You can start with:
- I think this movie is…
- In my opinion…
- The story is set before…
- What I like most is…
✅ Choose ONE question:
A) Is Django a hero because of revenge, or because of love and loyalty?
B) Why do you think Tarantino chose to “rewrite the Western” with a Black main character?
C) Do you think violence is justified in Django’s story?
🧱 Copy-Friendly Opinion Blocks
I like the movie because Django fights for freedom, not only for himself but also for his wife.
The story is set before the Civil War, so the movie shows how cruel slavery was.
I think revenge makes sense in this story because Django was treated unfairly and wants justice.
🎙️ 7. Voice Recording Task
Record yourself answering:
“Do you think Django is a hero, an anti-hero, or just a man trying to survive? Explain.”
✔️ Speak for 30–45 seconds
✔️ Try to use one word or chunk from the vocabulary list
💬 8. Blog Comment Question
📌 What to Do
Write your answer in the comments section below this lesson.
You should write at least 3–4 sentences.
The teacher will read your comment and give you feedback on your English.
📝 Question
Do you think Django is a hero because of his revenge, or because of his love and loyalty? Explain your answer.
✨ Tips for Your Comment
- Use simple sentences
- Give one reason or example
- Try to use one vocabulary word from the lesson
🧱 Example Comment
I think Django is a hero because he fights for love, not only revenge. He wants to save his wife, even when the risk is very high. I also like that he becomes stronger and more confident. The story is set before the Civil War, so the violence is part of the history.
I think that Django didn’t want to be a hero, I think that he becomes a hero after saving his wife and killing all the bad people from Candie. Also, I think that Django only wanted to help his wife, and not to become a hero specifically, or to do the right thing or anything.
In my opinion, Django didn’t become a hero in the pure sense of the word. He becomes a hero just for his chained wife, who needs to be saved from the candie plantation. Unlike other normal heroes, Django doesn’t have any problems with killing to achieve his objectives and because of this I think Django is not a hero, he is just a guy who is a product of his time of violence, racism and cruelty, aspects that formed his personality and ideals. In the end of the day, Django is not a hero because of revenge, love or loyalty, he is just a man trying to combat his enemies and save the people he cares about.