Blood Diamond

On a separate sheet of paper, please answer the following questions and write a short response in English. There is no right or wrong answers to these questions. however, short and simplistic answers will receive low points. Answers that show thoughtful ideas and effort will receive high points You may discuss your ideas with friends and classmates.

1. Blood Diamond is based on a true story about the diamond industry in Africa. 

Q.1 What does the title, "Blood Diamond" mean?

A.1 “Blood Diamond” is a diamond traded illegally to finance conflict. Stage of this story is about the civil war in the Republic of Sierra Leone West Africa. In the civil war, many people were massacred.

2. Leonardo DiCaprio plays a diamond smuggler in the movie. Throughout the movie you can see that his life undergoes a drastic transformation.

Q.2 What is the transformation? Give specific examples from the movie.

A.2 I think love has changed him. First, the love for the son of Solomon. Solomon pulled away with his family by RUF. RUF is Anti-government forces. My tears came out in the scene where Solomon said “I’m a father. If son is not alive, does not make sense as I live.” I was impressed this scene. So I think DiCaprio impressed too.

Second, the love he has received from Muddy. She is a journalist and she doesn't like DiCaprio for the first. But she grew to love him. I think love of these has changed him.

254/12056words

The Pursuit of Happiness & Erin Brockovich

The Pursuit of Happiness & Erin Brockovich

Will Smith is a social outcast in this movie. He was selling medical equipment but this machine wasn’t very useful. So he decided to participate in the training program. During the training period was unpaid. People through the training period, get used to regular employees is only one person. But he never gave up and tried hard.

1. In the movie, “The “Pursuit of Happiness”, Will Smith tells his son to “never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.”

Q.1: What do you think he meant by that? And why did he say that?

A.1: Will Smith’s son said “want to be a basketball player” but Will Smith said “you can’t”. His son was the face wounded. Will Smith tells his son to “never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something”. He wanted to tell his son, “you shouldn’t give up never even been said that it is impossible to someone”. If his son doesn’t give up, dreams come true.

2. In the movie, “The “Pursuit of Happiness”, Will Smith shows up for an interview for an internship position at a famous stock broking company wearing regular clothes and covered in paint.

Q.2: Why did he show up like that? And why did he get the internship position? What would you have done in that situation?

A.2: Will Smith was kicked out of the house because he didn’t pay the rent of the house. Morning of the next day, people who paint comes, so he was ordered to eviction. But he can’t it. He suggests that the painting himself. Landlord gave the grace of one week. When he is painted, chime sounds, and the police came. He was arrested because he didn’t pay the parking fines. Check the fine can’t accept only 9:30 in the morning of the next day and Interview start is 10:15. So he couldn’t change into suits. He talking about that thing for examiners and he spoke honestly the truth. His appeal point is honest and he finds a solution. I would give up if I was in his position.

3. In the movie, “Erin Brockovich”, Julia Roberts who plays Erin in the movie, got a job at a small law firm.

Q.3: How did she end up working there? Do you agree or disagree with her approach to getting the job?

A.3: Although judge said that trial can be win comfortably but it lost. So she said “you should give some job in this law firm” and she can get a job.
I agree with her approach to getting the job. She has three children and she is single mother. If there is no work, it is not possible to raise a child. So I think it necessary to get a job in a manner somewhat aggressive approach.

4. In the movie, “Erin Brockovich”, Julia Roberts talks about life not always turning out the way we expect it to.

Q.4: What do you think she meant by that? Give examples from the movie?

A.4:  Erin once won some beauty contest but now, she is single. She was thought to be happy old days. That thing is not good for her children so she talks about life not always turning out the way we expect it to.

5. Both movies are true stories about people who were able to overcome extreme financial hardships.

Q.5: Why do you think the protagonists of these two movies were able to win over their circumstances? Give specific examples from the movies.

A.5: They didn’t give up to become happy, so they were able to win over their circumstances.
Frist I will write about “Pursuit of Happiness”. He did not give up even homeless and he worked hard for his child. So Will Smith and his son will be happy end.
“Erin Brockovich” is made ​​an effort for people who got sick by pollution. She worked hard at the time of sick.
I think that they want to convey to the viewer's "that do not give up anything."]

679/11012words

Coach Carter

 “Coach Carter” is the nonfiction movie about one of Basketball team. This team was on the verge of collapse. But Coach Carter’s method changed player’s thinking and their life. And I answered 5 questions and stated my opinion as follows.
 

Q.1 How does Coach Carter accomplish positive change and how are how are his methods similar and/or different from Erin Gruwell's ( Freedom Writers ) methods. Give examples and details from the movie.

A.1 Compare Coach Carter’s method with Erin Gruwell’s method, I found similar point. It’s both give problem for players(students) and settled it. Player(students) thinking about problem and noticed their answer. For example, Coach Carter is gave hard practice for students and players noticed valuable of teammate, and Erin Gruwell is gave “Anne’s Diary” for student, and got hold various thinking. And Different point is Coach Carter has Sparta training. He gave heavy punishment if players late for practice. And Grin Gruwell is not Sparta training. She is gave top priority to student’s thinking things and helped it.

 Q.2 What were the main items of the contact? And why do you think Coach Carter had the players sign such a contact before they could play? Do you agree or disagree with this?

 A.2 Main items of contract is attend all of their classes and maintain a respectable grade point average.　I think he wanted to keep the simple rules they have to follow. I agree with this. Because, Coach Carter wished every players go to university easily or more cheap money. So, he planned this rule.

3. When Coach Carter found out that over half of his team was failing he suspended all practice sessions and forfeited the followoing games.

 Q.3 Why do you think he did that? What does the expression, "student-athlete mean?" Do you agree or disagree with the meaning of this expression?

 A.3 Because, he wanted grow up study and basketball through contract. Coach Carter said “student” comes first. I think student’s main work is study. So, he said so that. And I agree with the meaning of this expression. Because, study is important for living and people judge a person from school background or achievements past. So he wanted grow up players to take player’s place in adult society.

4. At various times throughout the movie, Coach Carter asks Cruz, "what is your deepest fear young man?"

 Q.4 What do you think Coach Cater meant by that? How does Cruz answer Coach Carter and what do you think his answer means?

 A.4 I think Coach Carter wanted got noticed players, they can do it. Each player has each ability and if every ability made one, it is make the strongest power. Cruz answered “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure”. His answer mean is players perseverance moving all around people for better or worse. Sometimes they makes all around people happy and sometimes makes discouraged. So they have to shine for other people and as they are liberated from their own fear, their presence automatically liberates others.

5. At the end of the movie during the locker room scene Coach Carter tells his team that he failed to meet his objectives for the basketball season.

 Q.5 What did he mean by that? Give specific examoles from the movie.

 A.5 Coach Carter came to coach basketball players, and they became students and he came to teach boys and they became men. What they achieved goes way beyond the win-loss column, or what’s gonna be written on the front page of the sports section tomorrow.They have achieved something that some people spend their whole lives trying to find. What you achieved is that ever-elusive victory within.

647/9095words

Freedom writers

 Freedom writers” is the nonfiction movie. This movie’s hero is one of class. This class is 203.They were quarrel of each race and it made classroom teacher’s Erin Gruwell harassed. But her perseverance changed student. They did any action and changed thinking. Her education changed any student’s life. This movie is like that. And I answered 5questions and stated my opinion as follows.

Q.1 What do you think she meant when she said "It looks like this, one tribe drifting quietly to another's territory without respect, as if to claim what isn't theirs. An outsider looking in woula never see it, but we could feel it. Something was coming." Give examples and details from the movie.

A.1 I think we have different tribes, and all of them divided into separate section and depending on tribes. There’s Little Cambodia, The Ghetto, Wonder Bread Land, South of the Border or Little Tijuana. But this way is wrong. Each people might different accent or eyes color and skin color and so on. However we must to alive in corporation. Even if different outward appearance, it is character I think.

Q.2 What is voluntary integration? And what did some of the Wilson High School teachers think about voluntary integration? Do you agree or disagree with th eattitudes these teachers? why? Include details from the movie.

A.2 Voluntary integration is about riot in Los Angeles. Wilson High School teacher said “Integration’s a lie. We can’t say that or we lose our jobs for being racist.” I disagree with attitudes these teachers. Because, I thought riot in Los Angeles was not success. After all, this matter happened cause anger of Negro and why did they felt indignation. The reason is treating for Negro by Caucasian. And only African’s high unemployment rate and so on. Using force is not good. But Caucasian wouldn’t listen to Negro’s argument and Caucasian hadn’t doubt in the world own argument is sound argument. So this way is final way to sue Caucasian.

Q.3 What do you think Miep Gies was trying to say to the students when she said this? How do you think you could put this statement into statement into practice in your own life?

A.3 I thought we can turn on a small light in dark room and like a Miep Gies, even if different races must help for each other. And I will start job hunting. It is not easy to find job. Maybe I can’t pass at first. But I must get job finally. I can turn on small right myself.

Q.4 What was the purpose of doing a toast for change? Do you think it was effective in helping th e students? Use details from the movie to support your answer.

A.4 They are each gonna make a toast for change. And what that mean is from this moment on, every voice that told you ”You can’t “ is silent. Every reason that tells you things will never change, disappear. Now it’s you turn. I think it is got courage and confidence each, and that is change thinking of student for the person you were before this moment that person’s turn is over.

Q.5 Why did the students decide to call their book "Freedom Writers"? Give specific examples from the movie.

A.5 Erin Gruwell told us we have something to say to people. They were writers with their own voices, their own stories, And even if nobody else read it, the book would be something to leave behind that said they were here, this is happened, they mattered.

619/8448words