The Great Debaters2007伟大的辩论家

• In the film--The Great Debaters, there are several sentences Firstly, the writer uses a method of questions-and-answers to attract audiences’ attention. And the questions-and-answers go forward one by one. That reflects the teaching theories of Professor. Tolson’s. These words are very catchy and easy to understand. • Secondly, students can get more from these simple words. When we face the difficulties, nothing can defeat us totally except ourselves. And even if you fail in doing something, it does not mean you are a loser. Since the opponents can’t judge the consequences, we can have a strong faith in ourselves. The great debaters show us the beauty of languages. These words can be a weapon even more powerful than people can imagine.
Reflections on those favorite lines
The light of the film ---- words are weapons
The Great Debaters describes a story about the black people’s struggle aggainst racial discrimination and segregation.Instead of revealing the theme of it through the black people’s violent fight against the white, the director chooses the debate as a medium,because he knows that words are weapons , they can be more powerful than violence.There are maቤተ መጻሕፍቲ ባይዱy inspiring debates in this film and the content of each debate reflects the black people’s persistent struggle under pressure of racial discrimination .Debate gives them the chance to speak out what is in their mind. Meanwhile,this film allows others to know more about the black people’s condition. In this film black students not only debate for honor on the stage,also they yell with open arms for freedom, equality and human
• Henry: smart, fearless, rebellious(反叛) •Samantha: the first woman ever to make the team, articulate • James: 14-year-old, righteous • Hamilton: dutiful(忠实), pressured by his family to drop out when Melvin’s radical(激进) political organizing comes to light
There is no rule of law in the South, not when Negroes are denied housing, turned away from schools, hospitals. St. Augustine said: “An unjust law is no law at all.” which means I have a right, even a duty to resist with violence or civil disobedience(温和抵 抗). You should pray I choose the latter. ------James
Great Debaters: Henry Lowe Samantha Booke James Farmer
• Wiley College , 1935
• Racial Discrimination(种族歧视)
• Black School , Debate Teams
• Melvin Tolson, Henry, Samantha,
the professor of Wiley College which is a school of African Americans---As a knowledgeable man, he tried to do what he can do for the African Americans. On one hand, he secretly organized the union members to fight against the unfairness put on them by the whites. On the other hand,he set up the first team of debaters of the school which consisted of four students, hoping they can defeat their opponents by their powerful words, and he trained them very strictly.
Although his fierce teaching method was not always approved of and he was even arrested once, he firmly believed the power of debate and words and never gave up. And the final results turned out that he was right and his efforts were not in vain: his debate team defeated the winner team of Harvard eventually.
one scene
The scene impressed me most is that when Dr. Farmer went out for panic with his family, he was insulted by the whites. On the way to the place for panic, he drove over a pig by accident. Unfortunately, the pig belonged to a white man. So Dr. Farmer made a sincere apology and showed his willingness to pay for it. But the farmer raised the pay on purpose and asked Dr. Farmer to pay him 25 dollars. Though Dr. Farmer’s monthly salary was only 17 dollars and his family was in need of the money, he accepted the farmer’s requirement. However, it did not end. The farmer tried to insult Dr. Farmer by throwing the check to ask him to pick it up and ordering him to move the pig onto the car as if he were a servant. We may consider it ridiculous that a professor should be insulted by a farmer like this. But it did happen at that time when the blacks had no social position in front of the whites. What was worse, the blacks might be killed without any judgment of the law. At that time they can do nothing but to give in. The racial discrimination that the blacks were inferior to the whites and they should be treated unfairly frightened me. I do believe that no matter what color your skin is, you are equal to any other people and you should fight for your own rights.