- There are multiple rhetorical strategies to get across various messages in the film: interviews w/ survivors, archival video and still photography, documents, classroom Q&As, and even dramatic readings by African American celebrities. How do these various ways of telling a story work together?
- How do the two texts--Deliberate Speed and Kristen Green's book--work together? How are they in dialogue with each other? Do they contradict each other in any way? How did watching the film help you better understand the book if at all?
- Kristen Green, in her book, asks the questions: "But what has the county ever done to repent?" (249, for closing the schools) and "[C]an anything [any reparations] ever be enough?" What do you think? Does Prince Edward owe anything to the children, now adults, who were kept out of school? Does the US government?
- In the film, how engaged do the various kids seem to be regarding this history or racial inequality in general? How did you react to the kids' various comments?
- Both Kristen Green and Peter Gilbert are white. Does it matter that they're telling this story? Do you think this book and/or film would be different if an African American author had told the story? Should certain stories be off limits to some writers/artists or do all topics belong to all of us?
- On p. 268 of Prince Edward County, Elsie, speaking to Kristen, suddenly says, "Oh, I forgot you're white!" What do you think the significance of this statement is? On the opposite page, when Kristen starts crying and says, "I'm sorry white leaders closed the schools, and I'm sorry my family didn't treat you better when it happened," why does Elsie avert her eyes without responding? Why is this the last line in the book?
Monday, May 7, 2018
With All Deliberate Speed
With All Deliberate Speed (2004), the documentary by Peter Gilbert, examines the fight to defeat "separate but equal" which played out in several of our nation's school districts including Prince Edward County. Some questions I have:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I believe Elsie said, "Oh I forgot you're white!" because she doesn't think Kristen really understood what they went through because she didn't had to endure being out of school and the fact that her family had a huge role to play in it as well.
ReplyDeleteI believe Elsie averted her eyes without responding when Kristen began to cry because maybe she felt like crying too and she knows Kristen's crying and being apologetic wont change what had happened when the schools closed. It change Elsie's life forever she never had the opportunity to be the mom she wanted to be to Gwen.
I really don't think Elsie said that to be mean, maybe she forgot she was white becasue Kristen is not her parents or grandparents. From personal experience it is possible to see people differently after a life experience. I wish we all could come to terms with race. I hope race will be less taboo and more open. We will never prosper until we meet on common ground. I say this with the understanding that everyone has the right to their own beliefs.
DeleteI don't think she was being either, it may have been a sarcastic response as well. Kristen being white was so interesting in what Elsie or other blacks had went through and she remember that Kristen's grandparents wasn't at all concerned about how she or her daughter was coping when the schools closed.
DeleteThe people that were affected were able to tell their stories how the school was closed their struggle, strength and determination to fight segregation though the help of civil rights lawyers despite threats bombing and lynching of freedom fighters and also supreme court judges were taken their time to prevent segregation but the naacp lawyers did not rest until segregation was declared "unconditional " and closed public schools as a result denied blacks education while white attended school
DeleteI believe Kristen's apology wasn't enough for Elsie to forgive what has happened. Although Kristen's apology was sincere, those who hurt Elsie (white leaders) never really acknowledge the devastation they caused by their actions. Blacks in Prince Edward County, like Elsie, suffered emotionally and psychologically when white leaders closed the school doors. I think Kristen put the excerpt of a resolution passed by the prince Edward county after the epilogue to show this is one of the biggest things the county has done to show regret for their actions.
ReplyDeleteElsie may not have forgiven them but she always stood by them. When I say them I mean Kristen's family. To attend a funeral service in a church that not only didn't allow your kind but had your children arrested for singing on the stairs speak volumes. This book gives me a sense of family, all those kids that were locked out became siblings of some sort. I get the feeling of togetherness from the black community which leads me to wonder about the poor white peoples kids.
ReplyDeleteYou make a good point Natasha, I wonder why Elsie is so loyal to Kristen' s family. Maybe she feels an attachment to them and a remembrance of her daughter when she's around them, what do you think? I'm not sure how the white's would cope, most were rejected from other whites for even being associated with blacks or sending their kids to integrated schools, I remember in the film today, when one white person stood up for integration, he was constantly harassed and threaten, and when he died only 3 whites attended his funeral. It was probably hard for the poor whites to come together after integration. The blacks, however, had a strong foundation based on justice, love and peace, which allowed them to come together and be family.
DeleteUnfortunately, I do not believe anything can be done that will make black people in Prince Edward County feel any different about the situation. I do think the government can offer resources in that community that will help them heal. I also would love to read about the community coming together because offering money to those locked out will not change a thing if life in Prince Edward County remain segregated in a way.
ReplyDeleteElsie was mean because she probably forgot she is white and kristen is not her mom and dad. In life, we could be different to other people in our life experience. Also kiriten didnt want to apologize to elise because kristen was hurt and she was to emotional to the situation about what happen with her and elise. In prince edward county, elise suffered when they close the school down and prince edward regret it because of his action.
ReplyDeleteEdward county think that segregation will reamin the same because of people race and they make black people different from their problems. However, children were locked out from their community and white people were poor too. Therefore, elise never became a mom for gwen because she couldn't have a child anymore and she was sick too.
ReplyDeleteThe U.S government and especially Prince Edward county, should provide financial and emotional reparation. The suffering African-Americans endured was life-lasting and their generations still suffer today. The administration never gave enough, like Kristen said in her book, the white leaders are like children, they think sorry alone is enough. It's not.
ReplyDeleteThe rhetorical strategies Kristen used in her book was all relevant and important. They worked very well together because she managed to use a medium to fill in every activity that took place with the time gap before, during and after the schools had closed. I believe this helped us to understand and learn more the effect it had on the county and its people first hand instead of "hear say."
ReplyDeleteThe film "With All Deliberate Speed" and Kristen's book corroborate each other in the sense that some of the important facts Kristen wrote in her book was just played out. I love the fact that they showed videos of actual people and their family that had been affected and managed to pull up videos and articles of them going back and forth with the court to get them to segregate the schools. Watching the video helped me to better understand the book because sometimes while I read the I would get very confused, so the video made it much clearer and more understandable for me. I'm more of a audio learner.
ReplyDeleteI personal believe nothing can be done to repair what took place decades ago. Yes, a lot of individuals lives had changed dramatically since then. I don't support these individuals or relatives affected to be financially rewarded. I do support them being emotionally helped. The change was gonna happen some point in time, if it had happen now people would have still been affected. That's just the price we have to pay for fighting for equal rights, its just our time to make use of their success so their fight won't be in vain.
ReplyDeleteI believe that emotional help isn't enough. Financial compensation is deserved because the individuals of colored families and even poor white families can never have a normal life because of the schools closure. Most can not read or write, due to the closing of the schools. Also their illiteracy can effect the jobs they are eligible for and also effects day to day activity like reading a receipt from the store or filling out a form, something we do almost instantly. The life-long pain and suffering these individuals have to deal with because of the unfair actions of others should be atoned for.
DeleteClosings of the schools is an excuse for some to say they can't read or write but its not the reason. I say this because one can be literate without a proper education. You just need determination to get what u want/deserve. Not being able to attend schools was a white man's way to hold us back, so we can become their maids but others found it necessary to attend schools outside the county. I understand that many people couldn't financial afford to attend the private schools but yet am sure they could have afford to have children...
DeleteThey could also seek help from under people in the black community who was literate to help them know how to read and right, than to be waiting on financial compensation. Nothing comes easy, they don't deserve a hand out.. go get that diploma
In the film a few of the kids felt uninterested about the events that took place in the past. Can't really blame them because they are not living in the past, it is called the past for a reason. I personally feel they should focus more on the future because some schools are still mostly segregated and students might feel the stories are useless because they don't see the change. Teachers need to put more emphasis on why this story needs to be taught to their generation, the same way Ms. Delaine said a "History unknown is a history repeated". I believe this statement is true but it has to be more persuading.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter to me who tells a story as long as no educated guess is used. The fact that they used various types of rhetorical strategies so that the story can be all truthful is good. Kristen and Peter wasn't sharing too much of their opinions but more of the facts that took place because of this strategy, who telling the story doesn't impact the stories outcome.
ReplyDeleteYes Stephanie I agree! Once the facts were stated which she did by well-researched, interviews etc. It shouldn't matter who the writer is, The truth was told!
ReplyDeleteI think Elsie did not say anything when Kristen said she was sorry because there is nothing that can be said to repair the damage already done. Elsie was never able to be a mother to her daughter, she so badly wanted to be with her daughter.
ReplyDeleteIn the film I noticed that one of the kids said that she really didn't care for what happened in the past. I understand that when your a teen you really don't see how the past has affected the present. Students should definitely learn about the past. In the film they discussed that if we don't teach the students about what has happened in the past it leaves room to make the same mistakes in the present and future. I believe this is true. If we don't educated ourselves or children we will make the same mistakes and history will repeat itself.
ReplyDeleteI noticed that one of the kids said that she really didn't care for what happened in the past , it didnt matter to her. I get that when you're child you really don't see how the past shapes the future Students should definitely learn about the past. but if we don't teach the students about what has happened in the past , how are we supposed to prevent the same things to happen again. What could elsie really say to kristen? nothing could ever be changed. and Kristen was a baby at the time. if anyone should be sorry it should be the mom or grandma
ReplyDelete