...The Great Debaters was a very powerful and inspirational movie. Watching Denzel, known as Mr. Tolson, lead his debate team to such high success in a time and place where black success was so heavily denied inspired my own academic success. The ability for a group of young children to be victimized by such racism and such denial of basic freedoms and have the capability to rise above and succeed against not only fellow black colleges, but white colleges as well. It was truly a movie of motivation to show how desire, dedication, and perseverance can prevail even in the toughest of times and the toughest of circumstances. During the time, Negro hate and racism was heavily practiced particularly in the state of Texas where Wiley College existed. Not only was the government enforcing unjust laws, they were denying any sort of freedom of speech which all Americans have the right of. In a country where we are all born as free men and are all granted rights as citizens, Blacks were an exception. Is this not unjust? Is this not a crime violating the constitution of this country? In the state of Texas, negroes were being lynched and tortured because of the rise against the status quo, and here we had a group of college students civilly disobeying the law. How can a man born in the U.S by law being given rights granted by the constitution be lynched and burned on the stake with no justice? These men have the same rights as any other white man and this group of students that joined together...
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...THE GREAT DEBATERS Based on a true story, the plot revolves around the efforts of debate coach Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) at historically black Wiley College to place his team on equal footing with whites in the American South during the 1930s, when Jim Crow laws were common and lynch mobs were a pervasive fear for blacks. In the movie, the Wiley team eventually succeeds to the point where they are able to debate Harvard University. This was their 47th annual debate team. Released in 2007, Denzel Washington’s The Great Debaters was presented to the world in order to tell the story of Wiley College’s debate triumphs. While certain facts were altered for the sake of creating the film, such as the final debate being between Wiley College and Harvard rather than USC, the story of the Wiley College debate team has been a model of and for the Urban Debate League (UDL) Movement. The movie begins with a scene following Henry Lowe that is simultaneously overlaid with a speech given by Dr. James Farmer. The speech is directed at incoming students and covers topics such as maturity and discipline, preaching that “you must do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do” (4:08) Henry is attending a party at a barn where he finds himself in a fight with another man at the party. He threatens to kill the man when he pins him to the ground. At the last moment, Melvin Tolson, a professor and director of the Wiley College debate team, stops Henry from harming the man...
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...The Great Debaters Based on a true story set in Marshall, Texas, in 1935, The movie captures the degradation of racial segregation. Using the example of segregated Wiley College's debate team, the script shows how African-Americans had to claw their way inch by inch toward social inclusion. The team struggled for the opportunity to debate white schools and, finally, based on their incredible string of victories, to debate and to defeat Harvard while a national radio audience listened in. “The Great Debaters” is also a morality tale (an archetypal narrative that is fundamentally didactic or prescriptive and relies heavily on both a morality (a conception of what is good or right), which is usually implicit, and a didactic moral, which is usually explicit.), Yet it is very different. Its message is that there is another way; that hard work, enterprise, preparation and perseverance pays off. It shows how “the system” can be changed without resorting to Mafia methods. The inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi is cited. The film’s script speaks eloquently against violence in the scene where the motoring Wiley College debaters accidently come upon a lynching and are lucky to escape from the mob with their lives. The movie portrays the poverty and ignorance of many dirt poor white folk that had nothing of their own except the mistaken belief the color of their skin elevated them to superior status. There’s an electric scene in which James Farmer Sr. runs over a white farmer’s pig and...
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...Aaliyah Perry The Great Debaters The Great Debaters is a true story of the Debate Team consisting of four students and their professor from Wiley College, in Marshall, Texas. As an all-black school, Wiley College during the 1930’s trained young minds to believe in themselves and to use their educated minds to change the hearts and minds of society, to establish peace, and maintain human dignity, tolerance and acceptance for all people. No matter the color of their skin, origin of their birth, language they speak, or their occupational role in society. The story of The Great Debaters takes place at a time in America’s history when things were starting to change for both Whites and African Americans. The moral call for freedom, equality, and justice for all was beginning to resonate throughout the country. The students, James Farmer, Jr who was only 14 years old, Henry Lowe, and Samantha Booke, learn to lead through civil discussions using their minds as weapons and not violence. Under the direction of English Professor Melvin B. Tolson, these three students become the Wiley College Debate Team of 1935-36. This film also shows an understanding of how Professor Tolson sees these students potential as individuals and as a team. Progress is made one victory at a time. Under the intense and encouraging guidance of Professor Tolson, the students learn to speak with clarity and confidence. They learn to evaluate their own limitations. Defeat becomes an opportunity by which they...
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...“The Great Debaters” Communication is the activity of conveying information through the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, visuals, writing, or behavior. The ability to communicate effectively is necessary in all aspects of life, especially when debating a subject. In the film “The Great Debater”, speech preparation, delivery, verbal messages and interpersonal communication played a vital role. Through the use of these skills, the Wiley College debate team achieved success. Speech preparation and organization were essential to the characters debates. Preparation began with a resolve and which side of the argument they stood. Once established, the students began their speech research, gathering facts, primary and secondary sources, examples and quotes. Organization of the topic was analyzing both sides of the argument in order to be prepared for their rebuttals. Organization also helps to analyze the information and make sure all points are supported. Practicing delivery and how the speech would flow, whether in chronological order, using past events, or quotes from famous people to prove their point was also part of their organization. Delivery, verbal messages, and facial expression were important for the students to appear credible. Through volume, tone, clarity, pace, and word choice, they were able to articulate their points effectively. Word choice was kept simple, clear, and relative to the topic. They were taught clarity...
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...In the movie The Great Debaters the father son relationship between Sr. James Farmer and James Famer Jr. also between Melvin Tolson and Henry Lowe. When it comes to fathers and sons usually each of them wants different things for each other. In this case be have the best of both worlds. Sr. James Farmer and James Jr. have a pretty normal father son relationship, the father wants his son to be the best he can be. While also keeping him distracted by the real world around him, all of the bad things that are going on. For example when the pig farmer pulls out a gun as a threat to kill Sr. James Farmer for killing his pig unintentionally, without paying him. Also when James Jr. followed Mr. Tolson into the woods into a random barn, and saw a bunch of farmers gather together to end the democracy. These are things that Sr. James Farmer did not want his son to see especially at only an age of a fourteen year old. James comes running to his father to tell him the great news about him making the debating team and his father does not seem to be all excited about it. Sr. James seems to be more worried about his son getting his schoolwork done. James Jr. suffers from his father imposing him, near titanic presence of his scholar father. Sr. James had had a big influence on James Jr. for a number of reasons. One because he was a very successful man. James wanted to grow up to be just like his old man. As the movie goes on the relationship between Sr. James and James...
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...After watching The Great Debaters based on a true story which was inspired in 1935 by Mr. Melvin B. Tolson. The Great Debaters is a very powerful movie, not only thru the words and speeches that were given but thru the context and storyline of history the movie allocated. Public speakers have the ability to change the world and others aspect on the world itself with the key essentials such as being credible to what they are supporting, stating official facts and showing interest and being dedicated to the change they hope to see in society. The Great Debaters portrayed each essential with certainty. Samantha Hall, Henry Lowe, and James Farmer Jr. all presented exceptional debating skills and superb speeches in which Mr. Tolson instilled into...
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...are portrayed through two different movies of two different eras of American history. Remember the Titans centers around an integrated high school football team in Virginia in the 1970’s. The team has to figure out how to bond together as one in order to overcome racial adversity of the south in the 1970’s. The Great Debaters takes place in Texas during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Three black college students on a debate team, along with their coach Professor Tolson, travel the road debating more and more prestigious colleges, while developing as young educated black men (and women) in the racist 1930’s south. Character development is both films plays a vital role. In Remember the Titans, the relationship formed between Gary and Julius, and Boone and Yost symbolizes the White/Black differences coming together and actually forming stronger friendships then that of two of the same races. There were also the supporting roles of characters that helped integrate the football team such as Louie, Rev, and Blue who were the very first players who were able to set color aside as it has nothing to do with neither football nor the quality of a man. In The Great Debaters, the growth of Henry Lowe and the relationship between James Farmer Jr. and his father are crucial to watch. Henry Lowe starts off as a misguided young man who responds to conflicts with walking away and surrounds himself with alcohol and women. By the end of the film Lowe has matured, taken the reigns of his life...
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...Remember the Titans vs. the Great Debaters Modern Urban World Torrence The differences Whites and Blacks, as well as their comparisons, are portrayed through two different movies of two different eras of American history. Remember the Titans centers around an integrated high school football team in Virginia in the 1970’s. The team has to figure out how to bond together as one in order to overcome racial adversity of the south in the 1970’s. The Great Debaters takes place in Texas during the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Three black college students on a debate team, along with their coach Professor Tolson, travel the road debating more and more prestigious colleges, while developing as young educated black men (and women) in the racist 1930’s south. Character development is both films plays a vital role. In Remember the Titans, the relationship formed between Gary and Julius, and Boone and Yost symbolizes the White/Black differences coming together and actually forming stronger friendships then that of two of the same races. There were also the supporting roles of characters that helped integrate the football team such as Louie, Rev, and Blue who were the very first players who were able to set color aside as it has nothing to do with neither football nor the quality of a man. In The Great Debaters, the growth of Henry Lowe and the relationship between James Farmer Jr. and his father are crucial to watch. Henry Lowe starts off as a misguided young man who responds to...
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...wrong when pragmatic implicatures are not used/understood—pragmatics/morphology) • Kenneth Branaugh’s Much Ado About Nothing (comedy: a sample of Shakespearean English—pay attention to the ways in which language has changed in the past 400 years—history of the English language/diachronic linguistics /phonology/lexicon/syntax/semantics) • Kenneth Branaugh’s Hamlet (tragedy: as above—history of the English language/diachronic linguistics/phonology/lexicon/syntax/semantics) • Driving Miss Daisy (comedy/drama: class differences in language use and pragmatic implicature—sociolinguistics/pragmatics) • Bridge on the River Kwai (drama: learning to communicate across a language/culture/power barrier—sociolinguistics/discourse analysis) • The Great Debaters (drama: using language to inform/persuade/manipulate—semantics/pragmatics/discourse analysis/rhetoric) • My Fair Lady (musical: about standard accents and class structure—sociolinguistics/phonetics) 2. Attend class the day the TA is teaching (TA—take attendance!). 3. Working in your small groups (we’ll figure out groups in...
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...Samantha Booke from, The Great Debaters, is a persistent African American Woman with society working against her in every possible way.Three of these challenges are race, gender and education. The reality is that she is more than just a movie character, she is Henrietta Bell Wells and the challenges of society apply greatly to both herself and her movie counterpart. Race has always been a depressing barrier between nations and communities. As an African American in Texas during the 1930s was more than likely the worst time to be that race. Racism was at its peak with lynching, intolerance and high tension between authorities and the people. Henrietta goes through numerous trails such as facing a white audience that doesn't listen because of her race. As well as being chased by a lynch mob in the dead of the night. This is an extremely difficult battle for Henrietta against society and it would be for anyone. However, she is able to prove herself and show the colleges and others that your race doesn't affect what you can do and who you can be. Today, sexism is not as prevalent as it was back in the time of the debaters. Women were expected to achieve nothing more than housework and be wives. Henrietta made it obvious that she was not going to settle for that sort of life, neither was she going to be forced to....
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...university? Explain. 10. What is the vision and mission statement of the college or university? 10. What is the school best known for? 11. What is the schools mascot? LSU: the tigers, UT: the cougars, Wiley: the tars. 12. What are the school colors? LSU: gold and purple, UT: scarlet red and albino white. Wiley: royal blue and pure white. 13. What do you want to major or study in college? LSU: Pre law UT: pre law Wiley: pre law 14. Did any celebrities attend this college? If so who? LSU: No one, UT: lil Wayne Wiley: no one 15. Why would you attend this college or university? LSU: because… I really don’t know I just always wanted to go there. UT: Because it’s Houston c’mon now. Wiley: because off the movie the great...
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...In a scene of the movie The Great Debaters, Dr. Farmer was driving along a road and hit a hog. He steps out of the car and offers his entire monthly salary of about $25, while the hog wasn’t at all worth near that amount. Dr. Farmer had children in the car, he was black and it was the 1930s. At this time, many people were prejudiced against blacks in the South, without even knowing the underlying reason why themselves. The men that owned the hog proceeded to humiliate him after he continues to be apologetic for his mistake and his generous offering of $25. Dr. Farmer acted a certain way because of multiple reasons while he handed over the money: he wanted to act generous and forgiving in front of the kids to set a tone, and he also wanted to act apologetic to...
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...The nation’s most serious health problem is ________. 2. Question : Repeated use of a drug or alcohol to the point of periodic or chronic intoxication that is detrimental to the user or society is called ________. 3. Question : The 1973 Supreme Court decision of ___________ reaffirmed the position that obscenity is not protected by the First Amendment. 4. Question : Prostitutes’ Education Network claims that there are more than _______ American women who have worked as prostitutes. 5. Question : Attorney General ___________ ordered the bare breast of the statue Spirit of Justice in the Justice Department’s Great Hall to be covered. 6. Question : What percentage of college students are binge drinkers? 7. Question : Fetal alcohol syndrome refers to ______________. 8. Question : A tactic among debaters is to attack the opponent personally when they can’t support their position by reason, logic, or facts. This is called _______. 9. Question : The idea of the globalization of the economy would be measured at what level of social life? 10. Question : Addiction has been called a ______ because continued abuse of a drug causes changes in brain function that drives the addict to compulsive seeking and use of the drug. SOC 402 Week 1 Quiz Purchase here http://chosecourses.com/soc-402-week-1-quiz Description Grade Details 1. Question : The nation’s most serious health problem is ________...
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...the Report of the Debates in the Convention of California, there were many prominent arguments made by the debaters regarding whether or not to prohibit free blacks from immigrating and settling in California. The debate was shaped by racial and economic differences and the principles of a citizen’s rights and freedom. The first issue debated was related to economic issues. Many of the debaters believed that brining slaves to California would do nothing but “degrade white labor-free to disturb the social and political harmony of the state” (Browne, 145). In the end, bringing slaves to California will disrupt economic success to Californian citizens. Emancipated slaves would create competition for labor, increase monopolies of capitalists,...
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