Abi 23

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friends → stable relationship/ connection Religion Wants to continue going to church Mother prayed for him → keep the connection to his mother alive, loyalty not belong Struggles throughout his life to be accepted by his peers and later by the society as whole Peer group Different interests: prefers reading instead of doing sports Considered as strange: nobody wants to talk to him, called "scary Larry" Tried to fit in/ catch attention: still rejected, excluded Ostracized by local population: after Cindy Walker's disappearance → cannot imagine ever being accepted, lost hope Father Fathers disapproval, no father figure/ role model no love, affirmation, support Behaves violent, makes him be violent No stable family situation/relationship to develop, grow → wants to make him proud, be approved (garage) → instead he is afraid of him Name Uncle Colin Carl Ott Ina Ott Silas Jones Public Wallace Stringfellow Relationship to Larry Doppelgänger": both are considered soft & feminine Doesn't accept differences, disapproved by his sons traits, dissatisfied by physical disabilities/ shortcomings Wanted him to be more sociable, do things "normal kids" do Larry is afraid of him: violent, alcoholic Barely talks to Larry, shows no interest Loving, caring mother Supportive Used to be close friends in secret (black/white) Spent a lot of time together Got into a fight because of Carl → end of friendship Silas avoided him in any way: Larry called him, avoided knowing him Bullied in school for being different Outsider Larry tried to find friends/ fit in/ get attention → failed, alienated, was rejected Visits Larry, sometimes, "friends" Only person, except the police and people passing by, who doesn't avoid Larry's area Relationship between Silas & Larry Parallels: Struggle with parental relationship Mother: loving, caring, close relationship Father: lack of father role ● ● Differences: Youth: Different part of society Larry: unpopular, unsocial Silas: popular, courageous ● Suffer from prejudices/subjected to stereotypes Larry: white nerd Silas: poor & black ● Adulthood: social standings Larry: outsider, loner Silas: person of respect Friendship: Started to talk when Larry's father took Silas/mother to school Silas shows interest in Larry's hobbies (reading) Were friends in private (black/white) Played in the barn, fishing ● Larry's father forced them to fight End of friendship when Larry calls Silas "Nigger" Silas avoided Larry completely Doesn't answer his calls Denied to know him/ they have a past Started to protect him/ tell the truth Find out they are half-brothers Silas tries to make things up Start to talk again Larry keeps distance to Silas, Guilt Silas: Friendship: Betrayed Larry: Cindy Walker Not telling the truth → ruining his life Going out with the girl his friend likes Private friendship - Avoided Larry in school, only met secretly Embarrassed knowing him Mad at him Didn't forgive him Stopped contact, never answered him - Ignored/ denied knowing him Didn't give him the rifle after Larry asked for it Destroyed friendship Redemption Took care of Larry's chicken, house Told the truth about Cindy Told Larry to not confess Confessed his part Tried to make up Searched for contact again Larry Ott Character Role: Age: Home: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 41 year old, white Lives alone in rural Mississippi in his parents house His father died, mother lives in nursing home Occupation: spends his mornings doing chores, feeds chicken, goes to work ● Family: Friends: Interests: Character Traits: Looks: Got bullied in school, outsider, misfit Books are his only "window" to the world member of several book clubs olive skin, straight brown hair Unsocial, isolated Timid/ shy Childish (holds on to past) Self-conscious Smart/ knowledgeable Caring, helpful dutiful Silas Jones Character Role: Home: Job: Family: Friends: Childhood: ● ● Character Traits: Social, outgoing, likeable/ role model Grown-up Self-confident ● moved from Chicago to Chabot constable, sole law enforcement officer Alice Jones, doesn't know his father → Carl Ott popular, likeable, girlfriend (Angie) moved with his mother to Chabot (from normal to poor), lived in a small hunting cabin ● Open Caring, helpful Smart/ knowledgeable Ambitious, dutiful How does Silas... ...belong Peer group Friends in Chicago Assimilates quickly in Chabot, accepted by peers Baseball star, popular Moves to black majority town → never had issues to find friends, fit in, accepted by society ● Secure place in society Moved back to Chabot after College Responsible job Girlfriend Figure of respect → created roots & identification ...not belong Family Difficult relation to mother Doesn't know who his father is → missing father figure, role model After moving to Chabot Doesn't feel like home for him, was torn away Bad conditions: no electricity, gas, water Chicago: nice home → became used to it, feeling of belonging, strong roots ● Ethnicity Needs to face racism, prejudices Makes relationships difficult: Cindy, Larry → makes it hard for him to feel like home Name Alice Jones Friends Cindy Walker Angie Relationship to Silas Her ex-boyfriend is a criminal → didn't like Silas → made them leave Chicago Works hard to improve the quality of their lives She supported him in every way that's possible - Silas only spend little time with her - Popular in school Never needed to fit in → mostly black kids, doing sports Had good/ close friends in Chicago His secret girlfriend Betrayed Larry for her Disappeared after they met in secret Silas girlfriend - Keeps distance to her, physically and mentally Doesn't tell her the truth about his past until later → tried to improve Introduction: The thriller movie "Gran Torino" was directed and produced by Clint Eastwood and released in 2008. It is set in Detroit, Michigan, and depicts the character development of the two main characters Walt Kowalsky and Thao Vang Lor through the development of their friendship, the escalation of gang violence and Thao's process of growing up. Detroit: ● ● GRAN TORINO ● Known for its car factories Used to be sign for prosperity Lot of people emigrated: less workers, more poverty Companies outsourced to cheaper countries Broke down houses, left/ abandoned buildings Poor people, poverty Dangerous: gangs killing people Gangs: Association of three or more persons Most have a common name, signs, symbols Reasons to join: have a good time, find identity, security, companionship, sense of belonging Types of activities: social, delinquent, violent, drug activities Most gangs tend to be violent, fight against other gangs Motifs ● Racism Discrimination, prejudices Masculinity Manning up, stereotypes, behaving manly Religion Different traditions, cultures Names Distance vs. Closeness Violence/ Gangs Gun violence/ shootings, Guilt & Redemption Walt's lifelong guilt: war Family Distance, closeness between members/ relations Language Use of language Symbols Gran Torino Masculinity, traditionalism ● Gun/ rifle violence Gangs Violence, guns, cultures Cancer Illness, death Silver star medal - Guilt, redemption, war Walt's development Beginning Racist Embossed by his pride/ patriotism ● Thao's development Beginning ● No social bonds Only some superficial relations Wants to be respected, keep distance ● Self-conscious: Submissive, shy, small No future visions: No job, doesn't go to school No social bonds: Loner, no friends, not integrated in American society End ● - More openminded towards other cultures, religions Accepts them, discarded racism ● Found a friend in Thao/ the Vang Lor's Warms up to more people (Father Janovich) Sacrificed himself for them Realizes he has more in common with them than with his family End Self-confident Asked Yona out, stands/ speaks up for himself, brave, makes own decisions, aggressive Walt got him a job Found a friend in Walt Father figure Close connection → doesn't find complete belonging, but confidence & direction through Walt Walt: ● - - - GENDER IDENTITY Thao: ● Behaves typically masculine Former soldier Aggressive & racist Owns a gun Blue-collar- job - Sue: Not manly enough Passive, shy Does womans work Strong young woman Self-confident Not shy in open confrontation Very intelligent Doesn't accept masculine superiority Stereotypical masculinity ● ● Self-confidence & bravery Superiority & determination Dominant, authoritarian Protect & defend yourself/ others (owning a gun), solving conflicts alone Hard physical work Walts aim: "Manning Thao up" 1. Acquire basic handyman skills 2. Get a job 3. Speak like a "real man" Process: 1. Thao worked for Walt: car, household 2. Got him a job as a construction worker 3. Taught him how to talk to others, manly Successful?: Gained self- confidence: asked Yona out Stereotypical femininity Weakness, submissive Quiet, sensitive Inferior Dependent on men ● Got a job Able to face hard physical work Got more aggressive, brave, wants to solve conflicts violently Use of language Hmong family: generation conflict Sue: bilingual, adaptable, integrated Thao: bilingual, needs to talk like a "real man" → lack of use of language shows inferiority Older generation: do not speak English Hmong gang: speak English as rebellion against older generation Guilt Walt: ● ● ● No close relationship with sons Doing cruel things in Korean war Escalation of violence of Hmong gang (Sue's rape, shootings) Feels soiled, does not want Thao to suffer from vicious circle of violence too Rejected most people - Walt: only speaks English racist & insulting language presented as a sign of masculinity ● Uses special language to communicate with friends → solidarity Racial, ethnic slurs, provocation, sexualizes/ objectivized women Redemption Competitive speech style Act of self-sacrifice Redeeming former sins Saving Sue & Thao from further violence Confession Tries to make things up Warms Opens up towards others: Priest, Hmong family Walt Kowalsky Character Role: Hometown: Detroit Job: Family: Friends: Character Traits: Typical white American: conservatism, patriotism, racial prejudices ● ● ● ● ● ● ● worked at car factory 2 sons, grandchildren no close friends, just people he knows ● Ex soldier, fought in Korean war, traumatized (PTSD) Haunted by his guilt of killing innocent people Elder: outdated, stereotypical, critical towards "modern America" Alienated from the world around him Owner of a Gran Torino Self-confident, self-reliant Racist, shows disrespect Protective, caring, dominant, bossy, bitter, serious, frightening Thao Vang Lor Character Role: Hometown: ● Age: Culture: Family: Character Traits: Detroit 16 year old Hmong culture Big family, no father, female-dominated household Interested into books Self conscious (beginning) Helpful, does what he is told to, submissive Smart, knowledgeable, thankful, modest, kind, understanding Shy, small, timid, not respected How does Walt... ... belong ● ● Country Patriotic, proud American House Connection to Dorothy, loves her Dog: Daisy Neighbors Starts to build a connection to them Hmong culture Belongs to the people, accepts it ... not belong Family No close connection Friends Only superficial relations Neighbours Racist towards them Community, Society Only part of one: catholic Doesn't want to participate Doesn't support the "modern America" → "the last one of his kind" Family Feels more connected to his neighbors Name Family Sue Thao Name Family Sue Gangs/Friends Realtionship to Walt Always disappointed of them: how they behave Lack of understanding & interest Son works in sales of foreign cars: disappointment from Walt Granddaughter only shows interest in materialistic things: who will get the Gran Torino ● ● ● ● Started to talk, protected her from gang Nicknames symbolize respect, friendship: "Wally" Bridges gap between Walt and neighbors She invited him to family events, teaches him their culture Protected him of the gangs Was unsure about him first, not manly enough for him Process of manning him up He needed to work for Walt → started to talk, become friends Build a bond, connection Walt as father figure & role model for Thao Realtionship to Thao Not close Different degrees of integration/ assimilation to American society: generation conflict Very religious, traditional: caught between cultures Cares for him Bullied for being feminine, not accepted by them Violent towards Thao How does Thao... ...belong Sue His caring/ lovely sister ● Materialistic things Books, gardening Walt - Close connection Father figure Manned him up ● Job: construction worker Future plans, security ...not belong Culture Caught between cultures - - ● ● Not accepted as man in Hmong family Considered a failure in US society Peer Group Family: no close connections Friends: not integrated, loner Doesn't want to be part of gang Not adapted/ integrated to American society Lack of direction No job/ hobby No future vision Culture More integrated no close feeling of belonging to a specific one