Tuesday, September 13, 2011

PERIOD 3 - AFTER THE FIRST

After The First is a parable - a story that has a moral or teaches a lesson. To figure out the moral of the film, first ask yourself what lesson Steve's father and mother wanted him to learn? Second, what do you think Steve actually learned? Then decide what the film taught you.

38 comments:

Nicolas Ferretti said...

I think that since the little boy had foreseen hunting as this great activity just from what his father had told him, it was taking away some of his individuality. Also, he is judging it and holding it on this high pedestal, and when it all comes crashing down when he shoots the rabbit, he seems almost traumatized by his actions. He made hunting out to be something amazing, something that he had never done before, and once he finally experienced it, he was less than enthusiastic.

Jenna Kelley said...

I think that the little boy learned to truely believe in himself as an individual. He was so excited to go hunting with his father that through the journey he lost his own identity and only did what his dad told him to do. By his expression on his face, Steve did not want to shoot the rabbit, but he also didnt want to let his father down. He wanted to make his father proud, but I think Steve wishes that he stuck to his own beliefs and didnt shoot the rabbit.

Jenna Kelley said...

I agree with Nick that the whole experience took away from the little boy`s individuality. Steve couldn`t wait to go hunting with his dad that he never thought about the moral aspect of it. He thought of it as just a fun experience, but at the end I think that he wishes he could have taken back what he did. Steve turned the exciting experience of hunting with his dad into something that he now has regrets for.

Dan Terry said...

I think that the hunting provided a great deal of power. Steve thought that that power would be invigorating, a thrill. However, after killing the rabbit, he learned that the power was the establishment of a much more sinister reality: he could take the life of anything as he pleased. It was a reality his father had long accepted, but Steve has yet to appreciate.

Erica Price said...

I feel that Steve was so influenced by his Dad to love hunting the sae wy he did. Steve was quick to assume that hunting would be this amazing thing but when it came down to it, he was not pleased with shooting the rabbit. I feel that the Dad pressured his son too much without taking into cnsideration how he was feeling.

Erica Price said...

I agree with Jenna. I feel that Steve ddn't want to let his father down, and wanted to make his father proud, but he wished he stuck to his gut feeling and didn't shoot the rabbit. I also agree that this situation will help Steve to learn to believe in himself as an individual.

Brian Doran said...

The film taught me to not judge someone or something before you know exactly what or who they are. The little boy was so excited to go hunting with his dad, he made the assumption that hunting was great before he ever tried it. When he took his first at the stump he was still excited, but when he saw his dad shoot a rabbit it disturbed him. When it was his turn to shoot a rabbit he hesitated for a while before shooting and after pulling the trigger he wanted to go home. He was traumatized by taking the life of the rabbit. This shows that your judgement of something before you do it becasue in this case Steve didnt like hunting as much as he thought he would.

Brian Doran said...

I agree with Dan Terry in the fact that the power of the gun gave Steve a thrill and he felt like he had power, however after shooting the rabbit he saw how sinister and cruel hunting was.

Laura Hetherman said...

At the beginning of the movie, through the interaction of the mother and father in the kitchen, I believe that the hunting experience that Steve went on with his father was his moment of turning into an adult. I think Steve's dad wanted him to learn power and control out in the wilderness. At first, when Steve shot the rifle at trees, he felt powerful and alive. Once the opportunity came to shoot a living animal, Steve became hesitant. I believe he only shot the bunny because of the pressure of his dad and wanting to please his dad. After he shot the bunny, Steve was regretful and took out his feelings of guilt on his father. In result, Steve learned that just because someone likes something and wants you to do it, doesn’t mean you have to, because as Steve learned, you may not like it.

Laura Hetherman said...

I agree with Erica when she said that she believed that Steve's dad did not really think about Steve's feelings and if he would feel the same way he did about hunting. Everyone is different and people need to realize that before jumping to conclusions and pressuring people to do things they do not want to.

Evan said...

I was not in class for this assignment.

Andrew MacElhaney said...

The mother wanted Steve to learn that killing is going to be arder than he thinks and he is to young o be killing. While his father wanted to show him that bigger things kill smaller things and stronger people kill weaker things. I believe Steve learned that he is not ready to kill things and go out hunting.

Andrew MacElhaney said...

I agree with Erica that Steve thought hunting was going to be a really big deal but then realized when he shot the rabbit his feelings changed.

Brendan Dolan said...

I think that in this film, Steve did not want to shoot animals; he only wanted to practice his aim. But, when Steve shot the rabbit, he seemed to be influenced by his father’s idea of hunting as a sport. Not wanting to upset his father, he set aside his own morals and pulled the trigger. Only after, did he fully comprehend what he had done.

Brendan Dolan said...

I agree with Laura’s comment. I think that even though someone pressures you to do something, be it another student, coach, teacher, or principal, you do not have to do what they say if you do not agree. You should stand up and do what is right.

Jim Gross said...

When Steven's parents took him on this hunting trip, I think that they, well mostly his father, wanted him just to learn how to hunt and survive partially off of the land. He probably thought of it as a bonding experience for them. When Steven actually went, however, he learned the value of life. He felt what it was like to take a life, and it horrified him. After watching this film I learned not only that I never want to go hunting, but also that just because a prominent figure in your life is advocating something doesn't mean that it's a good thing for you. Everyone has their own set of morals and they follow it to their own accord. You can't force anything on people.

Heather Mannarino said...

I think the lesson the father was trying to teach him about being a man and supporting his family. Steve learned how to shoot a rifle, but also that what he's doing is killing innocent animals which he feels is wrong. What the film taught me was that you need to stand by your own beliefs instead of your friends or even your parents. You can't be anyone but yourself, and this hunting trip was turning him into his father.

Heather Mannarino said...

I agree with erica. He's father never considered his son's feelings on the matter and became focused on making steve like himself.

Aidan Dolan said...

I think that the movie “After the First” had another assumption that we did not discuss in class. Steve assumed that he would be shooting for practice. He was very excited when he shot the tree trunk, but not when his dad shot and then killed the rabbit with a knife.

Aidan Dolan said...

I agree with Erica that Steve’s Dad pressured him too much. Steve was a kid. Pressuring someone to play baseball would be wrong too. But, hunting is not something that a kid should be even allowed to do.

Kate O'Donoghue said...

I think that this movie really shows assumptions people make and the steps in people's lives that will change them forever. Steve's father assumed that Steve was ready to go hunting because he was already 12 years old and his first time was at 9 years old. Steve assumed that he would be very excited and love hunting just because his father does. But yet, he was traumatized when he killed the rabbit. This is also a major stepping stone for Steve because he is going against his own beliefs and doing what his father wishes when he shoots the rabbit. It teaches Steve to stick to his own beliefs

Kate O'Donoghue said...

I agree with Dan that this power was too overwhelming for Steve while his father has done this so many times that he has learned how to handle it. His father says that the next time will be easier, but thats not necessarily true for everyone. I think it scared Steve that he had so much power in his hands and felt like he had the ability to kill something.

Jesse Blackwell said...

This film really taught me not to judge people or things very much because everyone is going to have a different response when experiencing things. For instance Steve's dad sort of assumed because he loves hunting so much Steve would as well and this turned out to be false. Also Steve sort of assumed that he would love hunting and killing would not affect him when it turned out it did. I think overall this film reinforced the idea of not judge things until you try them because everyone reacts differently to things.

Jesse Blackwell said...

I agree with Nick's idea that Steve put hunting on this high pedestal without even knowing anything about it then when he actually experienced it and it turned out to be different that had a great negative affect on him.

Dan Terry said...

I agree with Jesse that everyone has different responses to different events, and those reactions must be respected and appreciated. I also agree with Brian Doran in his agreement with me. Good choice, Brian.

Caroline Dennett said...

I think that Steve's father wanted Steve to experience a bonding activity with his father as a man and the thrill and power of hunting. However, his mother still wanted to shield him. She made her feelings clear by telling Steve's father that she thought he was too young to be using a gun to kill something and know the power of taking a life. Steve was originally very excited to hunt but when it came to actually shooting the rabbit, he realized that hunting is not just a fun activity but involves taking a life. I think the film's message is that we shouldn't be pressured into doing something we don't want to do, despite what people say.

Caroline Dennett said...

I agree with what Dan said about the sense of power achieved through killing but also the grim reality of taking a life.

Anna Petrunich said...

Steve was not prepared to kill a live creature, and nothing really could prepare him for that. At first, he was just excited to hold something as powerful as a gun. Steve also wanted to be like his father in that his dad had experience with guns, as he had been to war. Steve admired his father for being able to control such a powerful weapon. Steve's excitement soon turned to shock when his dad killed the rabbit becuase he had more power then he relaized: he could take away someone's life. When it was his turn to shoot a rabbit, he seemed torn in his decision of whether or not he should shoot. The pressure to please his father was probably too much for him so he chose to kill. What he felt after he shot the rabbit probably made him realize that with all this power, he needs to be responsible, which is a lesson one learns with the right of passage to adulthood.

Anna Petrunich said...

I agree with Caroline in that Steve was looking forward to this trip as a bonding experience with his father. However, when Steve's father tells him to pull the tigger, it may have had the oppoisite effect of bonding, and may have caused a separation between the son and his father because they have different opions on hunting.

Tom Rafferty said...

The film taught me that people value different things and you can cause harm if you assume people value the same things. I also learned that you should not think you will enjoy something that someone else values and when it actually comes to do it it may cause you harm. Just because someone values something does not mean you have to value it to.

Tom Rafferty said...

Brendan, I agree with you. I think that his dad had a big influence over him and if his dad was not with him he would not of shot the bunny.

Matt DeRusha said...

I thought this movie was interesting. The boy was so excited to hunt, and he loved the power the gun gave him. This changed once he saw his father shoot the rabbit, and when he shot the rabbit he instantly despised hunting. I believe that the boy's perspective on hunting changed dramatically at that point.

Matt DeRusha said...

I agree completely with Caroline Dennett, that Steve only killed the rabbit because he was pressured by his father. I agree that you should never do something just because someone pressures you into doing it.

Tyler Haberkorn said...

I think that Steve went into hunting thinking it was a very exciting event and that he would love it just as his father does. But when he realized that hunting meant taking somethings life he did not like it. It seems that he only shot the rabbit because his dad was telling him to. Bad things happen when people don't do what they know is right. Steve knew he shouldn't shoot the rabbit but did so anyways because that is what he was told to do. He should have stuck to what he believed in and not shot the rabbit.

Tyler Haberkorn said...

I agree with Jenna that he did learn to be an individual in the movie. I think he did it the hard way though and should have stuck to his morals, that way he never even would have been upset because he shot the rabbit. I also agree that he was doing it to make his father proud, he wanted to do what his father did and not be his own individual.

Seungju Chung said...

From this film, the young boy Steve was so excited about hunting before experience the hunting. His father loved hunting and usually did it. Steve believed his father what he said. So Steve thought maybe, the hunting is fun activity to him. However, after Steve shoot the rabbit and it died, it came as a shock to him also he struck at what he did.
When he saw the dead rabbit with blood, he realized that it's not right to do that. And he changed his mind.

Marina Lucas- Santos said...

I was absent the day you guys went over this.

caroline graham said...

i was absent. i was on a college tour for three days without interenet