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  • Essay / Main Themes of the Movie Finding Forrester

    Finding Forrester features several different themes throughout the movie, all with a deeper meaning behind them. Some of the most obvious themes are writing, racism, and sports, but what about the other, more hidden themes? Within the story there are less identifiable themes such as self-acceptance, racism, emotional strength, and family. The film, written by Mike Rich, incorporates several ideas that are up to us to discover. In the story, writing is obviously one of the most prominent themes, appearing throughout the film. The writing themes contain the theme of self-acceptance. At first, Jamal is hesitant to admit that he is a good writer. He never really opened up to anyone about it, not until Forrester ended up reading all of his notes unintentionally. Forrester helps Jamal accept his skills as they are, and helps him grow and develop his talents, leading Jamal to openly express his passion for writing. The theme of racism, which is reflected in how Jamal is mistreated by his teacher Crawford, who assumes that Jamal's writing cannot be that good and that he must have plagiarized. Although it is never said directly, it is implied that this was because Jamal was black and only one of the white kids in the school could actually have that level of intelligence in writing. Early in the film, Forrester also challenges Jamal by mentioning Jamal's race and why Jamal can't let that matter, because it doesn't. Family is the theme that isn't really noticeable until the end of the film, when it's clear that Jamal and Forrester have established a deeper bond than just mentor and student. Forrester had lost his family and become withdrawn, and Jamal helped him remember what it was like to feel love and trust for someone. Without this sense of family, Jamal would never have been able to claim his writing for this writing competition, because without Forrester's permission for the introductory paragraph, Jamal could have been kicked out of school. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The goals behind themes are an entirely different idea. This takes the themes to a whole new level of understanding; it’s about understanding why the topics were even brought up in the first place. I think Mike Rich was trying to reach his audience on a deeper level, for those who could relate. Among its many themes, its purpose seemed to tell people that they shouldn't let what other people think control them. A person should not give up, and even if some people try to discourage them, they should not give up. I also see that the author of the film is against racism and doesn't think it should be a barrier for people. Through Jamal's acceptance and excellence at prep school, we can see that Rich might also value education, even if it means being in an unfamiliar place. From what I can see of Jamal and Forrester's relationship, I can tell that the movie was also about letting people know that family is important and that they have a deeper connection with someone. Without them, a person might not even be able to advance in their skills or truly move forward in life once faced with challenges. The most obvious point I can take from this movie is that a person should live up to their full potential, even though it may not be "cool" to some people, if that's the thing they love, then it shouldn't matter. Little.