Plot
The play starts in 1936 just before the Spanish civil war starts, In Madrid, the family of Don Luis, his wife Dolores and their children, Manolita and Luisito, share the daily life of the Civil War with their maid and neighbours. Despite having failed his exams, Luisito wants his father to buy him a bicycle. However, the situation forces them to delay the purchase and the delay, like the war itself, is to last much longer than expected. The movie, and the play it was drawn from, show how daily life was conducted during the war. Unexpected things happen, but people find ways to survive. Above all, it is a story of survival and adaptation. the bicycle symbolises luisitos innocence disappearing as at the beginning he wants a bicycle to hang out with his friends and meet girls but by the end due to the horror of the war Luisito had to grow up and become the man of the house and his bike symbolises responsibilities he has to have for his family. Luisito touches MariaMain characters
Luis (Luisito): Luisito is the son of Don Luis and Doña Dolores and best friends with Pablo. Luisito begins the play as a child, carefree and with his whole life ahead of him. He aspires, not unlike his father, to be a writer. However, the war dashes these hopes and dreams and leaves him as the head of his family, having to abandon his education and childhood. Don Luis: Don Luis is the husband of Doña Dolores and the father of Manolita and Luisito. Don Luis provides most of the comic relief in what would otherwise be a solely tragic play. He provides encouragement and optimism to his family and neighbours throughout the play, despite the suffering they undergo. Although the play is left open ended, it seems likely that Don Luis will end up in a concentration camp because of his republican sympathies and the fact that he created a trade union at the 'bodega' where he worked before the war. Doña Dolores: Doña Dolores is more conservative than her liberal husband. Whilst she is easily persuaded by her husband, she often disapproves of the direction her daughter's career is taking at the beginning of the play and enjoys her traditional way of life. Manolita: Manolita is the outspoken, aspiring-actress that is the daughter of Doña Dolores and Don Luis. Like her brother, at the outset of the play her life seems full of promise. However, by the play's end, Manolita has a baby with a soldier who dies; has had to give up her career; and is doomed to a life of subservience at the hands of theExternal links
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bicycles Are For The Summer 1984 drama films 1984 films 1984 plays Films directed by Jaime Chávarri Spanish Civil War films 1980s Spanish-language films Spanish plays Spanish war drama films