Movie English Assignment #4 -Blood Diamond-

Blood Diamond is based on a true story about the diamond industry in Africa. Here is my opinion of what the title “Blood Diamond” means.

The title, “Blood Diamond” has two meanings. First, in Sierra Leone, several groups were in dispute in connection with natural resources. During that process, to get diamonds, a lot of people died as slaves to find them. It means that their blood is bleeding to get diamonds. Second, especially guerilla fighters, they pay for their weapons using diamonds. These weapons exist to kill people and it means that there are diamonds in Sierra Leone that take away people’s lives. Blood is the source of life. Therefore, it means blood is spilt because of diamonds.

Leonardo DiCaprio played a diamond smuggler in the movie. Throughout the movie you can see that his life undergoes a drastic transformation. Here is my opinion what the transformation is.

In the beginning, it’s natural for Archer, DiCaprio plays, to shot somebody, to kill someone, and to lie. And he smiled derisively, and he was kind of a nihilist. In the end of the movie, he smiled naturally and showed kindness to Solomon, Solomon’s son, and Maddy.  And, he was not a nihilist.

In the scenes Solomon spoke about his son, Archer concerned about it and talked to Maddy about it. He showed the evidences about trading diamonds to Maddy. Before then, Archer used other people to do some and it’s natural for him. However, when Maddy sharpened her wit and got along with a vigilant group, he thanked and prized her. After he talked with Benjamin Kapanay, he spoke his mind and his past. After then, his smile became natural. When Solomon said he didn’t understand Archer’s action, Archer agreed with him, and they laughed. When Archer couldn’t walk more, he gave back the pink-diamond to Solomon. Solomon said he thought that Archer brought the diamond and wouldn’t give back. Archer said he thought a little bit, and laughed. These are the drastic transformation in Archer.

This semester I covered five true stories about extraordinary people who have made a different in their own lives and in the lives of others. Here is what I learned from these movies.

These movies were showed me that any people who have various painful circumstances can change themselves, their own life, people around them, and their situation if they have strong will and never give up. Erin in Freedom Writers has never given up, and she changed her students.  She and the students could change the rule in the school. Coach Carter in Coach Cater also changed his students and made them stronger in their basketball skill and their mind. Chris in The Pursuit of Happyness got the new job and made his life better. He always thought positive and never gave up.  He had a quick-witness and he continued acting for a better life. Erin in Erin Brockovich got new job without knowledge and devoted to winning the law case with a big company about the environmental pollution. Archer in Blood Diamonds showed me that his life underwent a drastic transformation. I learned the importance of having self-confidence and never giving up from these movies.

533/13148

BR02-15: The Frog Prince

"If you promise not to throw me out of the window again..."(p.43)

 The princess in this book is very rude.  Her father, King, said that she has been pampered by her mother and spoiled by her sister.  I don't know whether it is true or not, but she would not keep her word that she would do anything if the frog gave her a golden ball.  And, she throw the frog out of her window.  She was terrible.  When the frog became human, she decided to marry him soon in spite of being another fiance.  She dislike that fiance, but she decided too fast and the prince was a frog thrown by her.  I think she is selfish.
　However, the illustrations in this book are very nice and comical.  Of course, the pictures of the frog are not disgusting.  I want to know your opinion. if you read this book.  Please, try to read this.


Davidson, Susanna. (2007) The frog prince. London: Usborne.

144/12615

BR02-15: The Canterville ghost

"But, however much Washington and the twins begged, she never told anyone what happened in the secret chamber." (p.62)

 This story was written by Oscar Wilde.  Oscar Wilde is famous writer.  I read another his book, Salome.  The story is about princess Salome.  It was a very scarcely story.  Salome would love Jokanaan.  He is the prophet of Judea and he was in the cistern.  He didn't love her.  He didn't see her, too.  Salome wanted to kiss him, but he rejected.  Then she thought to kill him and to kiss to his head, and she did.  I was frightened.
 I thought how scarcely the story of Canterville ghost was before I read the book.  However, the story was not scarcely.  It was a warm story.  The ghost in the story scarce people but he had a reason to do that.  A girl would solve the problem of the reason.
 This book has a lot of good pictures.  The scenes of the ghost being scared of a trick by twins are funny.  You can laugh and feel warm if you read this book, in spite of the name, Canterville ghost.  I recommend that you read this book.


Davidson,Susanna (2004)The Canterville ghost. London:Usborne

180/12471

BR02-14:Christmas around the world

"Children in Syria leave out hay, for the three kings' youngest camel.  In the morning, the hay has vanished and presents are there instead." (p.31)


 Christmas will come soon.  In these days, wherever I go, I can hear the Christmas song and see the decorates for Christmas.  This book showed me the history of Christmas and the customs of Christmas in some countries.  Some of what this book showed are known already.  Others are known yet, maybe.  I could learn about Christmas by reading this book.
 In Japan, Christmas is one event to present someone, to pass the time with lovers, or to eat cake.  And it is not religious event.  In some countries, Christmas is also just a event but customs are not same.  There are many customs in each country.
 Last pages in this book have a recipe to make Christmas cookies from Germany, named Lebkuchen.  The recipe looks easy and the cookie looks delicious.  You can try to make this.  Also, there are many nice illustrations of the scenes of Christmas in each country.  If you read this book, you will be able to enjoy your Christmas more than before, I think.  So, I recommend that you read this book!


Sims, Lesley.(2005) Christmas around the world. London: Usborne

187/12291

BR02-13: A Christmas carol

"Merry Christmas!"(p.54)
 I take the class of the History of English Literature.  And I learned about the original author of this book, Charles Dickens.  He is the second person of the most famous author in UK, only after William Shakespeare.  He was not educated enough but he wrote a lot of great works, and they became famous and popular.  Many English words became to popular and to used among people by using in Charles Dickens' book.
 A Christmas carol is one work of the series of Christmas by Charles Dickens.  It became many movies, such as one by Disney, one in which Jim Carry is.  The story is about turning over a new leaf of a greedy and cruel person.  And, after this book was published and read, the word, "Merry Christmas", was to be used among people, I heard.  And Charles Dickens' Christmas series greatly influenced the customs of Christmas.
 This story moved me.  Greedy and cruel person, Scrooge, were changed by being showed his past, his now, and his future.  Reminding my past days are very important to compare with my nowadays.  I can predict my future by it.  It is very useful to change my habit in nowadays.  I think that A Christmas carol show me those.
 This book is not more difficult to read and to understand than the original one.  There are a lot of illustrations in this book, and they help me to understand the story.  Also, Charles Dickens is a very famous in foreign country, so reading this book is useful for you to talk with foreigner.  I recommend that you read this book!


Sims, Lesley (2003) A Christmas carol. London: Usborne

269/12104

BR2-12:The Goose that laid the Golden Eggs

"The moral of the story about the golden eggs is: Don't be greedy or you might lose everything."(p.47)


 I think this moral is true.  My desire is no limited.  If I can do what I want, what I want next will come.  And it will come one by one.  In this story, the main characters, the couple of Tom and Elena, were satisfied with their poor life.  But after they found a golden egg, they couldn't be satisfied with their life.  They want something more expensive one by one.  And they return to the poor life.  It was their normally life, but they had lost everything.
 This story is one of Aesop's Fables.  These always have a moral at the end.  You will think some after you read this book.  And the illustrations in this book are nice and help  to understand this story.  I recommend that you read this book.


Mackinnon,Mairi.(2006) The Goose that laid the Golden Eggs.　London: Usborne

143/11835

BR2-11:The Gingerbread Man

"I have run away from a farmer, a horse, a cow, a little old woman and a little old man and I can run away from you too!"(p.33)


 I didn't understand the mean of this story.  A little old woman and a little old man wanted children, so they made gingerbread man and the gingerbread man run away from them.  Then, a lot of ones who wanted to eat the gingerbread man followed him.  I didn't understand the end.  A little old man and a little old woman wanted children and they made the gingerbread man, which meant the gingerbread man was like a child of them.  And he run away meant that a child tend to run away from parents.  At the end, he was eaten by clever fox.  It meant that a child who was innocent in the way of the world was a sacrifice of the clever adult.  I thought these and were scared of this story.  Of course, I don't know if the means are right.
 However, the illustrations in this book are very comical and nice.  You can enjoy reading the story with the illustrations, if you read this book.  I recommend that you read this book!

Mackinnon, Mairi.(2006) The Gingerbread Man. London: Usborne

174/11692

BR2-10: The Dinosaur Who Lost His ROAR

"Sid just grinned and stomped on his way."(p.22)

 This is a story about the dinosaur who has loudly roar, named Sid.  He likes scaring other dinosaur.  I think he doesn't mean to anything to hurt others, but, as a result, Others who are scared by Sid become angry and Sid doesn't mind about it.  I don't know which is better, doing anything to hurt or not to hurt.  And, at the end, his loudly roar is useful and he is thanked by others.  As a result, his roar is useful, but he used it to be naughty.  I hope he notice that his roar is useful and he will be thanked if he use it to help others.
 In this book, there are a lot of nice pictures.  The scenes that Sid try to scare others describe his voice comically.  You will understand easy because of the illustrations.  The story is very simple but I think a lot.  I recommend that you read this book.


Punter, Russell.(2007)The Dinosaur Who Lost His Roar. London:Usborne

157/11518

BR2-09:The Castle That Jack Built

"This story is about Jack, a castle, some gold, a dragon, a wagon, a witch, a troll, a frog, a girl, and a prince."(p.2-3)



 You will be able to know what the story is about by above sentence.  This book is about them.  If one character comes to the story, another character will come to the story.  On the other words, one thing leads to another thing.  For example, Jack leads the castle that he built, the castle he built leads the gold that sat in the castle, and the gold sat in the castle leads the dragon who stole the gold...  The story goes rhythmicaly.  But the sentences don't say about the story.  Story goes on illustration.  I could enjoy it.
 This book has nice illustrations.  I said you have to read the story on the illustrations, but they are very comical and nice, so I think that you will be able to enjoy it!  I recommend that you read this book!



Sims,Lesley (2007) The Castle that Jack built. London: Usborne

140/11361

Movie English Assignment #3 –The Pursuit of Happiness & Erin Brockovich

In the movie, “The Pursuit of Happiness”, Will Smith told his son to “never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something”. Here is my opinion of what he meant by that and why he said that.

He meant to encourage his son and to correct what he said little bit before. And, not only that, he also meant to encourage himself, because he was trying to his internship at a famous stock broking company. He didn't have any job and earn any salary. The situation was so challenging. So, he said “If you want to do, you go to get.” to his son and himself. Therefore, I think, he meant to want his son to be like him. For example, he has never given up the challenging situation and continued effort to get the better situation. He wanted his son to be like that, and told his son by saying the comments.

In the movie, “The Pursuit of Happiness”, Will Smith showed up for an interview for an internship position at a famous stock broking company wearing regular clothes and covered in paint. Here is my opinion of why he showed up like that, why he got the internship position and what I would have done in that situation.

The previous day, he painted the wall in his room. The owner of the room told him to get out the room because he didn't pay the rent and the wall would be repainted. So, he promised the owner to paint by himself and asked to live in the room. When he painted the wall, the police officers came to him, and he was brought in because of his illegal parking. Eventually, he released in the morning in the interview day, so he showed up like that.

He talked to one of the interviewers for the internship twice. And, he solved Rubik’s Cube in front of the man. He tried to show his intelligence in his way. Then, in the interview, he had a ready wit when the interviewer asked him “What do you think if he employed the man not wearing shirt?”  And he made the interviewers laugh. Then, he got the internship position.

I would have done nothing in that situation. I would have despaired of the situation, and given up.  Perhaps, I wouldn't have been to the interview for the internship position like his clothes. Of course, it is rude for the interviewers, but I wouldn't go like him. I would have been negative, and couldn't have had a ready wit. However, I want to be like him. I would try to do my best in that situation.  Also, I want to be like his phrase, “When I don’t know the answer, I say I don’t know. But I know how to find the answer.”

In the movie, “Erin Brockovich”, Julia Roberts who played Erin in the movie, got a job at a small law firm. Here is my opinion of how she ended up working there and which I agree or disagree with her approach to getting the job.

In the beginning part of the movie, Erin took the interview to work at a hospital. On the way to her house, she was crashed by a sport car. She visited a small law farm to bring in a lawsuit against the crash. The lawyer in the law farm and Erin thought they would win with the lawsuit, but it ended in their defeat. Erin threatened the lawyer with the defeat. Then, she started working there. I disagree her way to get the job. She had a bad mouth, and it was one of the reasons for their defeat, but she threatened the lawyer with that. I disagree that, but I agree her mind to get any job in any way.  She needed money to live with her children and had debt. She had to work, and she didn't miss the chance to get a job. I agree her effort to get the job.

In the movie, “Erin Brockovich”, Julia Roberts talked about life not always turning out the way we expect it to. Here is my opinion of what she meant by that.

I think she meant that everyone can’t know anything in the future. When I am in a good situation, I wouldn't expect a bad thing happened after. And I can’t know how long the bad or good situation continues. It’s the mean of her words about life not always turning out the way we expect it to.

She was Ms. Wichita, but she did little thing in the position. After that, she wasn't any good position, and didn't have any good work. Also, she didn't get married with good husband. It’s one of the examples of her words. Then, in the movie, she got along with George, and he was a good man. And, she got a good job to do something for a lot of people. It’s second example. The harder she worked, the worse the relationship with children and George was. And George went out. It’s third example.

Both movies are true stories about people who were able to overcome extreme financial hardships. Here is my opinion of why the protagonists of these two movies were able to win over their circumstances.

The protagonists of these two movies were able to win over their circumstances because they have self-confidence. They always think they can do. In the interview for the internship position, Will Smith said “When I don’t know the answer, I say I don’t know. But I know the way how to find the answer.” The words show he believes himself, and he thinks he can find the answer. When he was in a difficult situation, he had never given up and said any negative words. Also, when Erin threatened the lawyer to employ her, she said to him if he judged she was a useless person, he would fire her. The words show her self-confidence.

 They also have strong feeling for their past. Will Smith thought he would have been in better life if he had bought and sold the scanners, but he couldn't. Then, he thought a stockbroker would be better.  And, he tried the internship position. Erin was Ms. Wichita, and she wanted to do something for a lot of people in that position, but she couldn't. When she investigated the lawsuit about carcinogenic chrome, she must think the job would be for many people suffered by it. Both of them had any regret for their past position or doing, and they would do something they couldn’t do in the past.

1116/11221