Reaction to class

This week, we watched a new film and had a film discussion in last class on Tuesday. The film was Witness. In the film, John a detective comes to the Amish town and feels culture shock. In addition, John likes Rachel. He is a man who has a strong sense of responsibility. Rachel is a woman who just lost husband, and then they go together step by step. Finally, they fell in love. In my opinion, responsibility is not only really important to men but also to women. A person does not always need his appearance to attract people especially to a man. A man who has a strong sense of responsibility is attractive and popular to girls. If you want to achieve success, you will need responsibility. You should be responsible for your choice which you have made. Responsibility plays a really important role in your life.

Film Analysis Form

Film Analysis Form
Title of Film: Witness Date: 1985
Director of Film: Peter Weir
Actors: Harrison Ford, Kelly McGillis, Josef Sommer
Type of Film：Thriller Romance
Summary and Analysis
There was a woman named Rachel, she was as an Amish. After her husband died, she took her son Samuel to her sister’s house in Philadelphia. When they waited in a train station, Samuel went to the toilet. In the toilet he witnessed a murder. He was a black man and he used a knife killed a man and at that time Samuel hide in a small room saw these happened. Soon, police station came to criminal scene for investigating. Samuel was the only one witness, police John Boke worried that the murderer would kill the little boy, so he took Samuel and his mother to his sister’s house. The next day, John took Samuel to the police station to distinguish same black man. He wanted Samuel can be supposed to recognize the criminal. In a piece of newspaper, Samuel found the murder and pointed to John. In a parking area, the black man appeared and he held the gun intended to kill John. John got two bullets and he was so worried about Samuel and his mother. Therefore, he drove them back home, although he was injured. John could not go back any more, so he began to live with Samuel’s families in Amish. During the life in Amish, he began to know more about the Amish people and loved Rachel. These criminals discovered John at the last. With the Amish people’s help, murderers got the punishment, and John went back to his home. Although he loved Rachel with each other, they had different lives.
Relation to Case Study
In the case study from Unit 12 and in this movie, we see that culture shocks are experienced by the characters in both of these stories. In case study 12, Dita studied in American, but she could not adjust the food and her roommates talking about sex frankly. Eventually, she wanted to give up and went back to her home. When Samuel arrived in Philadelphia, everything was curiosity to him and he even does not know how to use the water fountain. In addition, Amish people should pray before they have meal, John did not know, how awkward he was when he ate hot dogs with them.
Reaction to Film
I enjoyed this film very much because it was very attractive. At the same time, it helped me to know more about Amish people. They live near me in Pennsylvania, but I do not know them before. They use horses as their transports, and they dress old fashioned with black long skirts. They are very nice and friendly, even someone wants to make trouble. They live in their own worlds and few to contact with other people. Thus, when Samuel came to Philadelphia, he was so excited and everything to him is fresh. Amish people are also very brave and smart. When the black man wondered that someone was in the bathroom, Samuel was very smart that he was not discovered. At the end, Amish people helped John catch up the criminals. I will remember this film, although John left and he did not stay with Rachel. John was a hero he protected Rachel and her son. They could not stay along forever caused by culture shock.

comparison

There are two girls, Dita and Masika. Both of them come from different countries and now they moved to America to continue their education. All of them were excited the good chance to study in the United States at the beginning. Dita achieved full scholarship and her target is to get a B.A. degree of communication. Masika love the classes and she wanted to be a competent and effective counselor. However, after they began their American life, all of them felt tired about culture shock and couldn’t adapt the United States environment. Dita couldn’t adjust the new circumstances because her English was not good enough. That caused she couldn’t understand what professor said. And she also didn’t like the food in college cafeteria, it was too bland and fatter than her country Indonesia. Although Dita had some new American friends, she couldn’t join their conversations. Because they talked about the sex that Dita got embarrassed. In her hometown, they wouldn’t talk it so direct. Masika have been in America for a long time. While, she still felt lonely and doubted that she never fit into the culture. Moreover, she even intended to go back the place that she familiar and comfortable. Masika couldn’t fit American culture because she unsatisfied that in the library someone like forcibly occupy a table designed for four. And after lectures, everyone went home immediately. Even if she wanted to build a relationship with her classmates, that was why she felt isolated.
Nevertheless Dita and Masika selected different methods to solve the culture shock. Dita used a negative way to escape the problem. She regretted to come to the United States and thought that coming to North America was a bad decision. Comparing with Dita, I stand by Masika. She was good at summarizing and had a good attitude. She regarded her experience as a priceless adventure. Her positive attitude helped her continue to study in American and found that culture adjustment is a process, not an end. Therefore, we should realize that to be assimilated to another culture we may use our whole life. Even though you just move from New York to Texas, we should adjust different lifestyle. Although Masika thought about giving up, persistence will carve out a way to success.

I have learned in American Culture

This week we learned a new article about Masika, a girl comes from Congo. Now she studies and lives in America. Although she has families in America and she has been here for quite a long time, when she get along with her classmates she still felt isolated. Therefore, she intended to give up and go back to her own country. Fortunately, she has positive attitude that help her face everything optimistic. She appreciates for the experience of American life and thinks it is a priceless adventure. As an international student, I can understand how difficult to adapt a new life with different culture. I should learn from Masika to insist my selection when I missing home or get something in trouble. I should keep braving and cherish the chance of studying in America. As Masika said, these are my wealth I had better to enjoy it and learn to adjust the new life as soon as possible.