The Great Debaters Essays

The “Great Debaters” is an inspirational drama based on the true story of the small, Texas, African-American Wiley college debate team. It was directed by Denzel Washington, produced by Oprah Winfrey and starred Washington and Forest Whitaker. The movie dramatically and visually addresses the cold reality of racism. It goes beyond its predictable plot though because the young debaters did not just argue about topics; they asserted themselves as human beings during the time of the harsh reality of

The Great Debaters is a movie based in a real history written from the memories of the well-remembered Professor Mel Tolson, who was considered one of the best Afro - American poets in the decade of the 30’s. Mr. Tolson was a professor in Wiley college located in the city of Marshalls, Texas. Wiley College was created by the black community and for the black community. The need of the black community for a place where its’ children could obtain a quality higher education motivated the creation of

REACTION PAPER “The Great Debaters” is a film based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College in Texas, set in the 1930s. It centered on Tolson and his debate team's fight against racial discrimination and their struggle to achieve equality with whites. In a world where men and women of color were subjected to persecution and discriminated against, achieving recognition in any field seemed impossible. This is why the film attracts viewers in the first place - to demonstrate

the Jim Crow South, suppressing the progress and idealisms of influential African Americans. However, a few were brave enough to tackle the oppressive grasp of racism through powerful speeches. The debate team from Wiley College in the film The Great Debaters, directed by Denzel Washington, utilized the power of words to heroically fend off the despotic nature of the southern hostility towards African Americans. Among the members of the team, James Farmer Jr. is the epitome of heroism that lead the

“The Great Debater” directed by Denzel Washington, presents an aspiring film on educational and emotional beliefs. The story involving the Wisley College debate team included four intelligent students, and one amazing professor. Mr. Melvin Tolson portrayed a character of a strong educator, and a social activist. The students who made up the debate team are known as Samantha Booke, who is young, beautiful, and the first female to make the team that is aspiring to be a lawyer. Then there is James Farmer

The Great Debaters resembles the true story of four debaters (Samantha Brooke, Henry Lowe, Hamilton Burgess & James Farmer) of Wylie College lead by the visionary professor Tolson. Different historical issues such as the Jim Crow laws in the south, federal assistance, racial segregation, and even communism are debated during the movie. The movie depicts development from amateur apprentices to word debaters in an era of hate and fear in the United States as well as other nations on the globe. The

Sonika Rathi Period: 9 Topic 1: Movie Topic Intro Movie Name: The Great Debaters Prominent Stars: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, and Denzel Whitaker Basic Setting: The setting took place during 1930’s at American South, Wiley College Texas. During this time period Jim Crow law as well as lynch mobs was very common against the black. Type of film: Drama based on true story Topic 2: Plot Summary • Professor Tolson

lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important.” In the Jim Crow South in the 1930s, the setting of the film The Great Debaters, directed by Denzel Washington in 2007, King’s words were particularly relevant. James Farmer Jr., the main character of the film, argues King’s point in the final debate about civil disobedience between Harvard and Wiley College. Although the Wiley debaters rely effectively on the strategy of ethos, the keys to their victory are the strategies pathos and logos. Wiley College

The film “The great debaters” is a Denzel Washington directed biographical drama released in the year 2007. Set in the 1930’s the movie very vividly depicts actual events of black segregation, race induced oppression and the injustice that was meted out to them, along with it the hardships endured by the black community. As the name suggests, the movie shows the story of the Wiley College debate team who went on to become the best debating team in the 30’s. Wiley college predominantly a black college

After seeing The Great Debaters, I had many diverse feelings, because despite being a white person, my roots are African. I cannot imagine my beloved grandmother living at that time frightened and suffered in the part of the white people and the government. Despite being a film where the harsh reality of the 30s where that black people suffered mistreated, racism, discrimination, exploitation, oppression, and abuse. In this movie, we can find many teachings like pacifism and discipline. The pacifism

Excellently directed and exceptionally performed by Denzel Washington, “The Great Debaters” shines an authentic light on the social and political trials of African Americans in the Jim Crow South of the 1930s. However, with trial comes triumph as Wiley College gains momentum with its nationally successful debate team. Arguably the most memorable point made by Professor Tolson (Denzel Washington), is his stance on how to crush racism and discrimination. He urges his students that it is necessary

In the film "The Great Debaters," Samantha, the team's only female member, encounters various additional challenges that she must overcome. These challenges come from not only her gender but also from expectations and stereotypes set in society. Throughout the movie, Samantha shows resilience and determination as she confronts these obstacles head-on. Three significant challenges she faces are societal expectations, sexism within the debating community, and the fear of speaking up. One challenge

The Great Debaters 1) What does Dr. James Farmer, Sr. mean when he said, “When I was a child I spoke as a child, but when I became a man, I put away all childish things?” Focus, drive, and passion, comes from maturity and growth. Children are still learning to come into themselves as emerging young adults. One attribute of becoming an adult, is being capable of solving your own problems. Children often look to others to do this for them and I have seen many adults struggle with putting these

Thomas Jefferson addressed the differences between blacks and indians in order to justify the superiority of whites over the other races. Jefferson’s description of the difference in skin color, character, and mental/artistic capability especially emphasizes the racist undertone. Thomas Jefferson was a Republican who eventually went on to become President in the beginning of the nineteenth century. He frequently encountered issues with indians and blacks, which led him to identifying their differences

The Great Debaters In December 2007, Denzel Washington decided to make a film of a true story about a Professor, Melvin B. Tolson, who created a team of four Afro-Americans to debate on issues concerning the freedom of blacks in the United States. The debate was firstly against teams of black universities and secondly white universities; however it happened in the 30s. I like the debate theme because of its subject, which was the struggle of segregation among blacks in the United States and the

law at all.” He claims that just laws are meant to protect all citizens; whereas, unjust laws that discriminate Negroes are not laws to be followed, thus raising awareness of racial discrimination by using emotional and logical appeals. In The Great Debaters, Henry Lowe appeals to the audience’s emotions during a debate about Negro integration into state universities. To challenge his opponent’s claim that the South isn 't ready to integrate Negroes into universities, he affirms that if change wasn’t

In the movie “The Great Debaters” director Denzel Washington based his film off the Jim Crow South Era that was a true event that took place around the 1930’s. Denzel Washington who plays the debater coach (Mr. Tolson) went far & beyond to keep his debate team focused and inspired in a time where they endured a tremendous amount of hardships and racism daily. The debate team represented Wiley College, a small-town college located in East Texas with little to no recognition at all. This team consisted

The Great Debaters is an intriguing film set in the 1930s about a professor that goes by the name of Melvin Tolson who teaches students from Wiley College, in Texas, the fundamentals of debating. During this day in age, if an African American didn’t “stay in their place” they would be ridiculed for such insane behavior. One can only imagine how difficult it must have been for them to get through a debate without caring if they had crossed the line on a touchy subject. But through it all this debate

In the movie,”The Great Debaters”, the main character James Farmer Jr. discuss about the unjust laws in America. According to his closing argument, it was acknowledged in society for citizens to protest against unfair laws. Farmer debated with Harvard an Ivy League University as a small college about the civil disobedience and their moral weapon in the fight for justice. He protested about the segregation of black men, reasoning that there are no laws protecting the black from the white. This was

Although today our government provides financial support for those without means, this wasn't always true. Back in the 1900’s around the time of the Great Depression a pressing question was should our government pay to help those less fortunate or should it be left up to charities and local communities to support those less fortunate? Two big debaters of this question were President Herbert Hoover and later President Franklin D. Roosevelt. They each had different views. Hoover believed in charities