He was 'unracist' from the very begining of the film. He just closed-minded person and didn't care the others even his family. He doesn't look like racist but indiffernt except his own job.
I feel that Walt simply grew a better understanding of the cultures he was exposed to. I don't feel that the racism ever really went away, as seen in his will at the end of the movie. Granted, it was in humor, but the fact that Walt still includes comments such as that in something as important as his will, shows us all how jaded he was.
In the movie, as we have realized, Walt was being a racist mostly all the time. However, something caught my attention in one part of the movie where Walt was invited to his neighbors house. At that moment, Walt accepted the invitation and went, but at the beginning the Hmong family were not pleased with him because he was tapping on the small child's head. Moreover, when they started dinner he got along with them and became comfortable around them. This was the moment where i felt he became "unracist". To support my point of view, Walt told them to not eat without him when he leaves. I would like to know if you have a different opinion or if you support my point.
In the movie Gran Torino, Walt's change in attitude towards racism became evident at the end of the movie. Although he did not express that by his own words, perhaps because of his masculan ego, the way he potected his foreign neighbor and helped the family showed that he was not feeling racist towards the foreigners any more. The final prov of his tremendous change was his cuicidal sacrifice that resulted in protecting the family from the danger of the gangs in the area.
Since the story in the movie illustrates a real life situation in some countries, much information can be deduced from the movie. One thing is that some people who act racist towards other cultures lack enough cultural knowledge about them or the situation is that they have gone through a personal problem with the other culture. Asd a result, the may generalize it on every single person coming from that culture. In Walt's case, maybe he was affected by his experience in the war. He lacked the knowledge of human diversities and the fact that in each culture there live the good people along with the ones. However, he did not realize that until he started communicating with the Hmong. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that he was wrong about the Hmong and tried to compensate his previous actions.
Relating the movie to us, I think that this connection betwen the two classes is a great opprtunity to wipe away any ignorance and correct the stereotypes that are made about both cultures. Maybe any one of you have a specific impression about our culture and want to make sure that it is not another stereotype. Obviously, communicating and learning more about each other is a great element for the success of the process. And I would be really glad to contribute in correcting any falsified assumptions about my country, UAE.
No, as i commented elsewhere, i do not think Walt stops being racist anywhere through the movie. I think some of his comments start to become irrelevant but the racism is still there. Use the way he willed his car away at the end of the movie. That was a total racism comment telling the boy he can have the car as long as he doesn't customize it like other boys his age do to their cars. My opinion, the racism doesn't go away
I think that the movie shows a completely two different societies meeting at the same place, which that makes walt become unracist because he is not used to communicate with other cultures. Since walt started to communicate with the other party, he began to switch his thoughts about them, he started to talk with them more and know their traditions, which later made him become unracist.
I agree with Blake on this one. The racism never went away, he was just able to look past it because he found a strong connection between himself and the Hmong family. He even exhibits some racism toward his friends like the barber, construction worker and priest.
Good point Crystufer. I agree with that, he was a racist till the end but at that point where he got along with the family his attitude did change. Do you agree ?
This blog is for students at the American University in Dubai (U.A.E.) and Kettering University (Flint, Michigan, U.S.A.) to discuss the film Gran Torino and related subjects.
Doc that's mean, we as your students,can not answer on this question? =)
ReplyDeleteHe was 'unracist' from the very begining of the film. He just closed-minded person and didn't care the others even his family. He doesn't look like racist but indiffernt except his own job.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Walt simply grew a better understanding of the cultures he was exposed to. I don't feel that the racism ever really went away, as seen in his will at the end of the movie. Granted, it was in humor, but the fact that Walt still includes comments such as that in something as important as his will, shows us all how jaded he was.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie, as we have realized, Walt was being a racist mostly all the time. However, something caught my attention in one part of the movie where Walt was invited to his neighbors house. At that moment, Walt accepted the invitation and went, but at the beginning the Hmong family were not pleased with him because he was tapping on the small child's head. Moreover, when they started dinner he got along with them and became comfortable around them. This was the moment where i felt he became "unracist". To support my point of view, Walt told them to not eat without him when he leaves. I would like to know if you have a different opinion or if you support my point.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie Gran Torino, Walt's change in attitude towards racism became evident at the end of the movie. Although he did not express that by his own words, perhaps because of his masculan ego, the way he potected his foreign neighbor and helped the family showed that he was not feeling racist towards the foreigners any more. The final prov of his tremendous change was his cuicidal sacrifice that resulted in protecting the family from the danger of the gangs in the area.
ReplyDeleteSince the story in the movie illustrates a real life situation in some countries, much information can be deduced from the movie. One thing is that some people who act racist towards other cultures lack enough cultural knowledge about them or the situation is that they have gone through a personal problem with the other culture. Asd a result, the may generalize it on every single person coming from that culture. In Walt's case, maybe he was affected by his experience in the war. He lacked the knowledge of human diversities and the fact that in each culture there live the good people along with the ones. However, he did not realize that until he started communicating with the Hmong. Eventually, he came to the conclusion that he was wrong about the Hmong and tried to compensate his previous actions.
Relating the movie to us, I think that this connection betwen the two classes is a great opprtunity to wipe away any ignorance and correct the stereotypes that are made about both cultures. Maybe any one of you have a specific impression about our culture and want to make sure that it is not another stereotype. Obviously, communicating and learning more about each other is a great element for the success of the process. And I would be really glad to contribute in correcting any falsified assumptions about my country, UAE.
No, as i commented elsewhere, i do not think Walt stops being racist anywhere through the movie. I think some of his comments start to become irrelevant but the racism is still there. Use the way he willed his car away at the end of the movie. That was a total racism comment telling the boy he can have the car as long as he doesn't customize it like other boys his age do to their cars. My opinion, the racism doesn't go away
ReplyDeleteI think that the movie shows a completely two different societies meeting at the same place, which that makes walt become unracist because he is not used to communicate with other cultures. Since walt started to communicate with the other party, he began to switch his thoughts about them, he started to talk with them more and know their traditions, which later made him become unracist.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Blake on this one. The racism never went away, he was just able to look past it because he found a strong connection between himself and the Hmong family. He even exhibits some racism toward his friends like the barber, construction worker and priest.
ReplyDeleteGood point Crystufer. I agree with that, he was a racist till the end but at that point where he got along with the family his attitude did change. Do you agree ?
ReplyDelete