This week we have a guest blog post from Kimberlie, the owner of Phrased LLC. She has written a post about how to become a pro at tough conversations in English with Little Fires Everywhere. Here is what she has written about:
- What is Little Fires Everywhere?
- The summary of the series
- Little Fires Everywhere Finale / Ending
- How to become a pro at tough conversations
What is Little Fires Everywhere?
Little Fires Everywhere is a Hulu drama series that follows the life of Mia Warren and her daughter Pearl. In the series, Mia is a single mother and “starving artist,” who moves around a lot to find inspiration. She has to constantly move to find work with her only child, Pearl.
At the beginning of the series Mia and Pearl have moved to a new town, called Shaker Heights. They start renting their new home from the town’s perfect family, the Richardsons. The Warrens (Mia and Elena) have a strange relationship with the mom of the Richardson family. Nevertheless, Mia agrees to start working for the family as a housekeeper and cook. Meanwhile Pearl starts to bond with the Richardsons’ four children, Trip, Lexie, Izzy and Moody.
Later in the series, the families’ lives become complicated with Pearl becoming much closer to Elena Richardson. Izzy, the Richardson’s youngest daughter starts bonding with Mia
The entire series is filled with an interesting and unpredictable plot. This causes the characters to have many tough conversations (intense dialogue) . If you have been struggling with things such as learning idioms or tough conversations in English, this series is great for you.
All of the episodes are perfect to learn how to become a pro at having tough conversations in English, but the finale is one of the best. Let’s take a close look at the Little Fires Everywhere series and the finale or ending together.
Little Fires Everywhere Summary
Little Fires Everywhere mainly looks at the way that Mia and Pearl Warren’s lives become twisted together. Pearl and Mia have their whole lives in their car. They move from place to place, so that Mia can create her art. When they move to Shaker Heights, Pearl gets a glimpse of a normal, “perfect family,” in the Richardsons. She starts to question why she and her mother have to live the way they do. She finds “a new family” in the Richardsons, especially with Elena’s youngest son, then her oldest son and throughout the entire series with Elena.
The plot of the series becomes even more interesting as we learn about the backstory of each family. One of them is seemingly perfect and the other happy, but with many problems.
Each of the episodes features different, excellent lessons that anyone trying to master English would benefit from. For example in the Little Fires Everywhere finale, the main characters have one difficult conversation after the next. Here is a little more about what happens in the Little Fires Everywhere finale or ending.
Little Fires Everywhere Finale/ Ending
Mia and Elena are in a bitter battle as Mia supports her friend, who left her daughter at a fire station. Nevertheless, she is now trying to get her daughter back from Elena’s best friend, who is in the process of adopting the child. Both Mia and Elena have taken turns, all season long, trying to get one over the other. In episode 7, Elena tells Pearl some dark and hurtful secrets about the circumstances surrounding her birth. In this way, she gains the advantage over Mia in their fight.
The finale tries to bring some closure to all the hurt and pain and unanswered questions, that has occurred. As a result, it includes many examples of tough conversations in English that would be helpful to anyone trying to become a pro at having tough conversations.
How to Become a Pro at Having Tough Conversations
Here are some of the biggest lessons you can learn from the finale.
1. Ask a rhetorical question
In the first scene, Mia and Pearl are not on speaking terms. This is because Pearl has just found out her mother has lied about everything surrounding her birth and father. Mia tries to speak to Pearl to try and explain, but Pearl does not want to speak to her mother. Pearl uses an excellent technique that you should use you want to become a pro at having tough conversation. The function she asks is a difficult rhetorical question.
Mia: I’d like to talk
Pearl: What’s the point? All you ever do is lie.
When Pearl, in the finale asks Mia, “What’s the point?” She then quickly follows up with, “All you ever do is lie”. She takes all the power away from Mia in the conversation. Pearl gets the upper hand and finally lets her mother know how she has felt about their life.
2.Repeating an important word or phrase
After Pearl asks the rhetorical question, she uses another important technique. She repeats the most important word or message of what she is trying to say.
Pearl: We can’t stay in one place because of your art, lie.
We have no money. Lie.
We have no family. Lie.
My dad didn’t want me. Lie.
Pearl repeating the word “lie,” in this tough conversation, is a pro technique when having a difficult conversation. This is because it gets your point across very convincingly. The other person knows exactly what you’re talking about and how you feel.
3. Have the final word
In this same scene, only 7 minutes into the finale, Pearl teaches yet another important technique. She teaches you to have the final word and leave on your own terms.
After Pearl repeats the most important part, she delivers a crushing one liner and then leaves the house. This is despite her mother pleading with her to let her explain. Pearl says,
“So you stand around, judging everyone acting like Elena’s full of sh.., but you are.
As she delivers the words, Pearl grabs her coat and leaves. Mia has no way of saying anything back and Pearl has convincing won in this tough conversation.
English has a lot of complexity. One of the things that an English learner will need to master is how to have tough conversions. This series is the perfect way to become a pro at having tough conversations in English.
The three tips given above for learning how to be a pro at having tough conversations in English happen within the first 7 minutes. Other educational examples of tough English conversations can be found in all 8 episodes of the series and will help you to learn how to be a pro at having tough conversations in English.
About the author
If you’re interested in reading more interesting articles from Kimberlie, then go to her blog site or check out her social media on Facebook, instagram, Pinterest and twitter
I’d like to thank her for the amazing post she has written.
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