MovieChat Forums > Good Bye Lenin! (2004) Discussion > Question about Ariane

Question about Ariane

posted 13 years ago by sylvia67
5 replies | jump to latest

Did she quit school because of the reunification? What i mean is was it because the country of East Germany didnt exist anymore and education would not be free anymore?

[–] lual 13 years ago

It's been a while since I watched the movie, so I do not know the exact answer. But I can definetely tell you that your presumption is not correct since education has always been free in West-Germany as well.

I would guess that she dropped out since she got together with her boyfriend and thinks that her job at the fast-food restaurant will suffice. But as I said, I haven't seen the movie in years and would have to rewatch it first.

[–] sylvia67 13 years ago

ty for answering. i didnt know education was free in west germany as well.

[–] rob-hymer 13 years ago

She quit school because the subject she was studying in her GDR college (Economics) would be worthless in the coming western society, and she wanted to take advantage of the decent wages that were to be made with western companies.
I don't blame her for that, it's probably what we all would have done after forty years of the GDR.

[–] ppllkk 13 years ago

She quit school because the subject she was studying in her GDR college (Economics) would be worthless in the coming western society...

More specifically, Ariane was studying Marxist-Communist economic theory. It is, of course, a joke because at that point in time what she was studying became the most useless subject that she could possibly be studying. We don't normally think of "fast food" as a great career choice, but compared to expertise in Communist economic theory, it certainly is. That irony is also a joke.

[–] Miss_Sui_Generis 13 years ago

The irony of it was driven home by Ariane becoming an employee of the month at Burger King. Nearly fell out of my chair laughing at that scene.

I identified with Ariane a bit. I'd taken a study tour of the BRD/DDR during the 750th anniversary of Berlin.The Wall came down during my last year in Foreign Service school, and given the emphasis on the Cold War in the curriculum at the time, certain elements of my education were suddenly obsolete as well.

Send lawyers,guns and money/The *beep* has hit the fan