“The Great Debaters” movie presents the obstacles of African American people during the Depression era. The Wiley College debate team is a perfect example of being persistent despite all that was going on around them. They were able to block out the noise and remain focused on their goals.
Focus is one of the primary themes in this movie and while speaking to the freshmen class of Wiley College, James Farmer Sr. briefly touches the subject with a speech. During this speech he stated, “they must do what they have to do, in order to do what they want do”.
The context in which he says this in is to warn the class to steer clear of self pity. He warns them to not sit back and think of the reasons why they have been put in the position they’re in. Handling your priorities and staying focused will allow you to relax and worry less about things you once had to keep your head on a swivel for.
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In one scene, James Farmer Sr. is pictured on a drive with his family. On the way there, he accidentally hits a hog owned by two white farmers. James Sr. quickly gets out of the car and apologizes for what he has done. Despite his remorse for the situation, the white farmers taunt him again and again in front of his family.
Due to the racial injustices of the times, he is forced to stand there and take the verbal abuse because he is black. Andrew O’Heir, executive producer of “The Salon” describing what transpires in this scene states, “This well-dressed college professor — a “town nigger,” as one of the white men puts it — must shuck and jive, must “yessuh” and “nossuh” a couple of overall-clad illiterates, must tolerate being addressed as “boy”, and must pay a grossly inflated price for the dead hog. The penalty for doing otherwise? We don’t need to spell that out.”
In this situation Farmer had no rights and things could have “gone left” rapidly. Therefore, the quote “they must do what they have to do, in order to do what they want to do” seems appropriate. If they stay prioritized and do what they have to, they increase their chances of living a successful and productive life.
Throughout the movie James Sr. is presented with various events where overcoming adversity plays a major role. Unfortunately, it does not stop with him. Every colored person gets a form of an hatred act performed on them or various racial slurs thrown at them for being the color they are.
It is anything but hard to depict what life was like for black people during the Jim Crow era in the mid 1930s. James Farmer Sr.’s main goal is changing the future. Despite all that he and his people are going through at the moment, he knows and believes the younger generation is key to making change.
In the movie James Farmer Sr. states, “I believe we are the most privileged people in America because we have the most important job in America, the education of our young people”. Through the many counts of adversity they face everyday, the African American people have been given the task of educating the children of tomorrow. This by far makes them the most privileged because they have the opportunity to greatly change society for the better by advocating the importance and awareness of the obvious inequality present.
The “young people” he speaks about is the impressionable young generation being affected during the Depression era. Without knowledge and awareness of the vicious things happening around them, they become more susceptible to allowing those things to continue to repeat itself or even worsen.
In the movie, James Farmer Sr. states “education is the only way out of ignorance. The way out of darkness, into the glorious light”. The education of these young people dictate the outcome of certain events of today, tomorrow and the future; Which makes the education of those young people the most important job.
Segregation during this time was very much alive and well. Many whites could not even fathom breathing the same air as a person of color, let alone attend the same academic institution. Having interracial debates seemed like a task deemed nearly impossible. However, for three black debaters and their determined coach, it was nothing less than within arms reach.
In the movie, the [put name of school here] debate team is depicted as the first colored institution to debate an all white school, the first institution to have a female on the team, and beat the undefeated prestigious Ivy League school, Harvard. Through hard work, dedication, persistence, and prioritization, they were able to beat the odds.
Throughout the movie the audience is able to see the growth of James Farmer Jr.’s character. In the beginning he is seen as this young man who is passionate, driven and charismatic. He is enjoying life regardless of the madness happening all around him. One particular event causes a major change within his character.
The particular scene shows the debate team along with their coach traveling on a dirt road only to come across a lynching. White men, women, and children gathered around to watch the mutilation of a lynched black man.
After the white men identified the group to be black, they pursued to capture them also and possibly perform the same exact act. Although the debaters got away, James Jr. had a front row seat to the life he actually lived. He became more outspoken and more aware.The youngest of the debate team became woke.
The most compelling part of the movie came towards the end when James Farmer Jr. was battling against Harvard and spoke up on his experience of driving through the lynching. Based on his expressions and fear burning in his eyes, it was obvious his father had done well with shielding and keeping him safe from the madness.
During his last debate against harvard, he spoke with passion, anger, and hurt. This was most compelling for me because seeing his character change from kiddish to activist in a matter of time showed me the effects that witnessing and living through all the hatred during that time could have long lasting effects that either make or break you. In James Farmer Jr.’s case it broke him, only to build him up and make him.
