# data[].attributes.headline
I think the significance of Xiaobin's family plays a big role in the movie. In the first part of the movie she hides her money from her mom because of the fear of it being taken. She also hides Vijay from her mom because her mom wants her to marry a rich Chinese man. I think she is looking to be accepted and wants to feel loved so she does different sorts of things that are weird as someone watching. I think Xiaobin's relationship with Vijay was significant because she found someone she could connect with while being herself. She didn't have to speak Spanish or even pretend to know things for him so I feel like Vijay was kinda her form of being accepted. I noticed during the movie that most of Xiaobin's classmates were also Chinese so I think that was super important. Not only is she learning a different language which is extremely challenging but she gets to do it in the comfort of her culture and with people who are also learning Spanish. I think they also connect with being Chinese and learning Spanish when they hang out outside of class. - Makenna Ellis

# data[].attributes.subject
I think the significance of Xiaobin's family plays a big role in the movie. In the first part of the movie she hides her money from her mom because of the fear of it being taken. She also hides Vijay from her mom because her mom wants her to marry a rich Chinese man. I think she is looking to be accepted and wants to feel loved so she does different sorts of things that are weird as someone watching. I think Xiaobin's relationship with Vijay was significant because she found someone she could connect with while being herself. She didn't have to speak Spanish or even pretend to know things for him so I feel like Vijay was kinda her form of being accepted. I noticed during the movie that most of Xiaobin's classmates were also Chinese so I think that was super important. Not only is she learning a different language which is extremely challenging but she gets to do it in the comfort of her culture and with people who are also learning Spanish. I think they also connect with being Chinese and learning Spanish when they hang out outside of class. - Makenna Ellis

# data[].attributes.body
I think it's super interesting that cats were a recurring symbol in this movie, especially given the cultural discrepancies between east and west about cats. Western ideologies were initially positive, but that culture soon changed when Christianity began to tout pagan belief systems. After that, cats had a negative connotation, typically with witchcraft or trickery (especially in reference to black cats).

Eastern culture, however, has a completely different view on cats. Eastern cultures highly respect cats. To make a direct link to the movie, the connotations associated with a cat are associated with good luck and fortune. The idea that most people in the United States are familiar with are the Maneki Neko statues that are common in China and Japan as a symbol of good luck. Indian beliefs about cats are similar to those of the West, associating cats with witchcraft and bad luck.

The symbolism of the cat in this movie is super interesting. I think it represents being able to take hold of the future without truly knowing what it holds and accepting what happens in stride. For example, when Xiaobin is initially introduced to the idea of owning a cat in Spanish class, she is hesitent becuase she has to take care of herself, which to her means she cannot take care of a cat. I think it's also interesting that in association with the cat initially, she mentions that she is short-sighted. I think in this moment she is wary of the future and doesn't know how to properly react to it. The fact that it is a recurring theme shows that the future is always going to happen, it's just a matter of if Xiaobin takes control of it or not. At the end, Xiaobin is seen trapping a cat, which could be symbolic of her taking control of her future.

- Grace Kretzer

# data[].attributes.body
I believe that we do not see the Argentines that she interacts with because she does not fully understand that world just yet. The movie is coming from her own perspective and her own insight. Therefore, we see what she sees, consciously and subconsciously. Subconsciously she isn't fully comprehensive of the world around her, and therefore neither are we. I think it also adds to her own feeling of isolation. Nothing is more important to her than her family, class, and Vijay.

- Lafayette

# data[].attributes.body
I think that the importance of the scenes where Xiaobin speaks in Chinese shows that these were the times where she felt most true to herself. These were the times that she was able to speak freely, without any concerns, about how she really felt about the situations. In addition, these were the times that the person she is talking to does not know and understand her native language. This is significant as it shows how the other person is unaligned with her, does not really know her deeply, and does not know her for who she really is. I think that Xiaobin has dreams and ideals about her life that she cannot yet express in Spanish to the other person.
- Vy Nguyen

# data[].attributes.body
I think that Xiaobin's family is a very important role. i think that this coming of age story shows the relationship of a young girl that is growing up and trying to figure out how to make it on her own. I think in the beginning when she hi her money under her mattress, or when her family made her begin working immediately to pay back her flight showed that sense on independence, that she may have had in China stripped away from her. I think she then begins figuring out life a bit for herself. But struggles in getting her parents to accept her love interest Viajay. Having someone that accepted all of her, unconditionally is what she needed, at least from a viewers standpoint. -Alexis Johnson

# data[].attributes.body
In what way is El futuro perfecto a coming-of-age story?

It is a coming of age story because it shows the life of Xiaobin as she is ultimately the one responsible for her decisions.

What is the significance of...

…Xiaobin's family?

Her family represents what is expected of her. The family is a true representation of what her future should be if she were to make decisions based on what her parents would want her to do.

…Xiaobin's relationship with Vijay?

Her relationship with Vijay represents a little bit of her nature to rebel against what is expected. When she is with Vijay, she can be herself. It also represents possible alternatives to her the future.

…Xiaobin's classmates?

Her classmates are significant because it allows her to not be alone in the struggles and pressures she is dealing with. Her classmates also offer an escape back into a time when she was more free spirited.

# data[].attributes.body
I think Xiaobin’s family is a significant rule in the movie because of how their relationship with Xiaobin was very strict and that they wanted to find a rich Chinese guy for her. Also how Xiaobin hide Vijay from her mom and how she hide money from her because she was scared she was gunna take it all. And when she did give her money she would hide the rest. Xiaobin’s relationship was very important because of how Vijay wanted to get married and he didn’t care what everyone else thought. But Xiaobin was worried her parents would possibly hurt him or dislike him for not being Chinese. Xiaobin’s classmates played a rule in the movie because they were all Chinese learning Spanish. They were people of the same nationality in the same place trying to fit in together and learn the language.

Justin Clement

# data[].attributes.body
In the movie Xiaobin's movie her family is has huge role with her, they don't really open their arms with her when she first arrives and then he has hide her hard earn money from her mom because her mom take it and use it, and he hide Vijay from her mom because her mom wants her to find a nice successful man and then Vijay wants to marry her but she fears he only wants to marry her because he older than her and she feels his parents wants him to be marry and her friends play a somewhat role because she open up to them about Vijay and they are her classmates from school she hangs out with them .

Angie Tarnick

# data[].attributes.body
I agree with you have some great points, I feel she struggles to speak Spanish around her family but she is comfortable speaking Spanish in class and around her friends

# data[].attributes.body
The scene where Xioban and Vijay are sitting on Vijay's bed and he is waiting for a response from Xioban regarding his proposal was one of the most coming-of-age scenes, in my opinion. Xioban, at only 18 years of age, very quickly analyzes the whole situation and makes a mature decision. Not only was her decision mature, she also communicated her thoughts effectively and respectfully to Vijay. Xioban's decision was partially based from her parent's expectations, but mostly influenced by what she wanted for her life. Here was a young woman that rejected a man who told tall tales of giving her everything in life. -Megan Ferris