Bang, Bang, You're Dead Movie

Essential Studies Post-Assessment Essential Studies Promise: This course will meet the Essential Studies goal of Thinking and Reasoning. Students will improve their critical thinking skills, quantitative reasoning skills, and creative thinking skills through writing assignments, in-class activities, written exams and observing young children. 1. Analysis Question: The textbook describes the various phases of identity development (). After watching the movie of Bang Bang, You’re Dead, compare and contrast the various phases of identity development to Trevor’s description of how the bullying affected his identity. The phases of identity development compare to Trevor’s description of how the bullying affected his identity by he thinks a girl won’t seem “cool” if she hangs out with him. In the movie, Trevor’s dad gets angry at him for being in the after school play so that means that he can’t work in the dry cleaners for him. These two events are a good description initiative versus guilt. These conflicts interfere with people; therefore, he feels guilty for not being able to be involved with their issues. Another example in the movie is when Trevor gets angry, but his mom takes his and thinks it’s nice that he wants to be involved. His mom says she can take over working. This a good example of basic trust versus mistrust. Trevor trusts his parents to take over. He then leaves and continues with his issues on his own. Later in the movie, Trevor gets his head shoved into a toilet. This bullying affected him by making him nervous to talk to everyone. This is an example of integrity versus despair. Since Trevor was getting bullied so much, he did not want to live anymore. Later in the movie, he ties a rope around his neck, the bullying in the bathroom being one of the reasons for that. Later during the movie, the parents call the school and complain about the title of the play. Trevor gets mad because it is his play, he’s in. During rehearsal, everyone gets mad at each other for taking up space when everyone needs the room for different activities. Trevor’s role in the play is a guy who kills his parents and fights with his classmates. These issues are examples of initiative versus guilt. Trevor feels bad and his parents do not like the idea of him being in a play that involves in such tragic events. Later that day, Trevor and his friends drive recklessly in a car. They take Trevor in a little hidden place in the forest. They drink, and the guy driving took out a hidden gun and said, “this is where we can be ourselves”. Trevor seems nervous about it. He gets scared shooting at first then does it recklessly. This is an example of industry versus inferiority. Trevor is so careless, and he does not care the consequences at the moment. In “Bang, Bang, You’re Dead”, Trevor being bullied made him careless. Trevor’s class watches his Bang, Bang film. He seems nervous when everyone reads that it was filmed, written and directed by Trevor himself. The class watching yell and scream “yeah!” When the shooting in the movie occurs. The film shows the blood created. The class seemed to enjoy the movie at the end. This is an example of integrity versus guilt. Trevor is fearful that the class enjoyed his movie when he was expecting such negative responses. 2. Evaluative Question: In the movie, the principal ended the discussion by stating, “You leave me no choice, but to expel you due to the Zero Tolerance policy.” In addition, the football players were about to be disciplined as well. In your educated opinion, what do you think is the best decision for the school to make regarding the consequences for Trevor and the football players? Make sure your response is justified by what you know about adolescent development (i.e., what is appropriate for adolescents, given their identity, moral, and cognitive development). The best decision for the school to make regarding the consequences for Trevor and the football players is suspension or being expelled. The football players shoved Trevor’s face in the toilet, stuffing students’ heads in lockers, and shoving them into lockers. That is not tolerable in the slightest. As for Trevor, for building a bomb and threatening the football team, should be suspended or expelled as well. Neither the football players or Trevor did the right thing. They both deserve consequences and to not get away with what they did, so they can learn what they did wrong and how serious the situation is. Students at this age should know right from wrong. It’s sad that their conscience tells them what is wrong and right, and they still decided to make these poor decisions. Just because these students like Trevor and others can make their own decisions, does not give them the right to make poor choices on purpose. 3. Synthesis: In the video clip a number of pressures on Trevor were brought to light, as were the possible effects of these pressures. First, list all the positive and negative pressures placed on Trevor. Second, determine from the positive pressures, how that could/would impact Trevor’s future behaviors and development. In the video clip played, the positive pressures placed on Trevor were Mr. Adams. At the beginning of the movie, Mr. Adams was asking Trevor about the drama club to want him to be happy and involved in something after school. He wanted Trevor to at least read the play before deciding. He also wanted Trevor to have a good time with his video project. Another positive pressure on Trevor was the counselor, even though Trevor didn’t want to talk to him. All he wanted to do was talk. Another situation was when Mr. Adams was showing adults at the school Trevor’s video. People thought it was a threat but Mr. Adam’s defended Trevor by saying his film was a fantasy. The negative pressures placed on Trevor started at the very beginning of the movie when the teachers were threatening him for the Zero Tolerance Policy. Another pressure was when his friends were in the car and the guy driving took out a hidden gun and said, “this is where we can be ourselves”. Another negative pressure is when Trevor thinks a girl won’t seem “cool” if she hangs out with him. Another pressured event is when Trevor’s dad gets angry at him for being in the afterschool play so that means he can’t work at the dry cleaners after school. This makes Trevor angry. Another pressure is when Trevor finds old videos of people being mad at him. One kid who is a bully yelled at him. He pushed him up against a wall if he doesn’t sing what he asks him to. That’s a huge negative pressure. Another negative pressure is when Trevor’s parents call the school and complain about title of the play (“Bang Bang, You’re Dead”). One of the most negative pressures in the movie is when Trevor and his friends drive recklessly in a car. They drive Trevor to a little hidden place in the forest. They drink alcohol and the guy driving took out a hidden gun and said, “this is where we can be ourselves”. Everyone wants Trevor to shoot, but he gets scared shooting at first then does it recklessly. Another pressure is at school when Trevor walks into the bathroom and two bullies run up to him and Trevor tries to leave. They put his head in the toilet and flushes it. They then run out of the bathroom while Trevor is still sitting there scared and sad. The last huge negative pressure is when Trevor and his friends says last week his parents saw him with a gun. He says it was a paint ball gun – in a video he says he is sorry. He said his parents said he cannot do anything right and to watch the video tomorrow. Another guy in the car says it can finally be quiet at their house and wherever they are, they can’t deliver the bullet with his parent’s name on it and says after tomorrow. The kids are going to watch what they say and then say they love them…