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 discuss what the film taught you.
48 comments:
I was absent that day.
After watching After The First, I think that Steve's father just wanted to share an expirience with him that him and his son could do together. Although it was apparent that Steve's father wanted Steve to do more than what he was prepared to do. Steve was okay when it came to shooting at a tree stump, but when it came to shooting the bunny, he wasnt emotionally ready to do such an act.
I was absent this day
I think Steve represented a lot of young kids. He thought that he was ready to go hunting with his father but in reality he was not. Killing the rabbit was too much for him to handle. I think this taught Steve that he shouldn't always do things just because another person wants him to. Even though it was his father who brought him hunting, Steve still didnt feel comfortable shooting the rabbit. This taught me that it is important to do what you think is right, no matter what anyone else says, even if the person is someone you love and trust very much. It is important to stay true to yourself.
i was absent for this movie
For me the film just re-inforced the idea that it's important to stand up for yourself and to speak up if there is something you want. In the film Steve's dad was so excited to teach him to hunt because he thought that's what was best for him. However his excitement overpowered his ability to see what Steve really needed, but because Steve didn't speak up it was hard for his dad to determine what he wanted. Therefore the film just reminded me that it's important to speak up when you're told to do something that goes against your values. If you don't you're going to end up doing something you don't want to do.
I agree with Sadie how Steve represented a lot of the younger kids. Steve wanted to do a "grown up" act, but he didnt realize what it would feel like to kill an innocent animal. What was hard for Steve was that he wanted to be like his father, even though his true identity wanted to not shoot the bunny.
It was interesting that Steve's father commented (about killing people in war) that he "was never really sure" if he had killed someone in war. He then tells Steve that "the first kill is the hardest" and that he will "get use to it". I think that if Steve isn't comfortable with it, he shouldn't keep hunting. If it makes him feel morally wrong the firs time, its not a good thing to continue hunting in order to numb himself to it.
I agree with Ali. She brought up that you should speak your mind in situtations that you are not comfortable with and I think that is important to remember because often times we dont feel comfortable with something, yet we dont speak up for what we believe in.
I think that Steve wanted to impress his dad but didn't realize the difficulty of killing a living creature. I think that because Steve is at such a young age it is easier for him to be influenced because his identity is not fully developed yet. His father even tells him that it will become easier to hunt as he grows older. This corresponds to how as you get older you reach a stage where society and people close to you have influenced your decisions and opinions. His mother tried to keep Steve young and innocent but realized that sooner or later Steve would have to experience hunting with his father.
“After The First” taught me that it is okay to have different values and beliefs than what either or parents expect of you or what they believe in. Steve at first was so excited to going hunting for his first time, but after seeing the pleasure his dad had after shooting the rabbits, he became disgusted. I think he was torn between making his dad happy and going against his morals or doing what he thought was right. By the end, he didn’t fully stand up for himself, but he did have the courage to make a comment to his dad, which made his dad stop and think for a minute. This kind of relates to what we were talking about in class when people expect you to act one way and you end up acting that way to fit in even if you lose your identity. Steve didn’t allow his dad’s beliefs to influence him. I respect Steve for what he did and he has taught me to never go against what you believe just because someone else wants you to. It’s not about making someone else happy if it means that you can’t be happy with yourself.
I agree with Jodie. Steve was clearly not ready to shoot an animal but because his father was pressuring him to do it, it was hard for Steve to say no.
I think that Steve's father wanted to pass on the tradition of hunting to his son. His father thinks of the activity as a father son bonding experience and wanted to pass on the lesson to the new generation. The dad spoke fondly about when his dad had taught him to hunt and shared these stories with steve. The mother clearly was uncomfortable with the idea that her won was going to go hunting and wanted her son to remain young and naive. She was right in thinking that her son wasn't ready because Steve was uncomfortable when it came to shooting the rabbit. He was fine when it came to shooting the stump and was excited that he proved that he had a good shot to his father. He clearly wanted to gain his father’s approval by performing well. Steve was uncomfortable when he had to shoot the rabbit but did it anyway because his father was pressuring him to shoot. The dad’s urging was more of an influence than what Steve wanted, which was to not shoot the rabbit.
Watching this movie, I immediately made the connection that his father wanted the "father-son" bonding time. He wanted to have that time where it was doing something a man would do, like hunting. His father wanted him to be totally indulged in hunting, and possibly to an extent the son liked it. He enjoyed shooting the tree but didn't want to kill the bunny. The son didn't really want to kill the bunny but since his dad was pulling him into doing it, he did it. At the end he said "two is enough" to show his dad that he didn't really want to kill animals.
I like what Ali Strand said that his father let his excitement about this bonding experience overshadow what was best for his son. Even though he loves him and want whats best for him, parents aren't always perfect.
I agree with Ali Strand's comment. I think its important to speak your mind because I think it would have made it easier for Steve's father to understand his feelings about the hunting experience if Steve told him how he felt.
Steve's mother and father wanted him to realise the concept of life and death and how powerful it is to take a life. Steve at that young of an age felt the power of taking a life and was negatively effected by it. I am "pro-gun" and feel guns are needed and it is our right to own and use them. For such a young child it was a challenge to deal with the responsibility of life taking, but there are others who are fine with it. Steve simply didn't have the killer instinct unlike his father. It is totally normal to feel what steve felt after taking a life, and you can't blame him under such a traumatic event.
After watching After the First, I think that Steve's parents wanted him to learn about how powerful death and especially killing an animal is. At first, Steve was excited but it was only about shooting the gun, but then he realized how substantial the killing of the bunny was. Immeaditely after he killed his first bunny, he was shocked at what he had done. He learned his lesson to how powerful killing an animal is just after only killing one. THe film taught me to respect the weapon that you are using to kill the animal but also to respect the animal that you're killing.
His dad was trying to teach Steve the power of killing and how it affects somebody's beliefs and feelings. Since Steve didn't feel right about doing that, he prooved to himself that this wasn't the right thing to do. I don't think children should be exposed to killing animals. This will lead to them thinking it's okay to doing this later in life.
After viewing the film “after the first” I believe that Stevens’s dad wanted him to grow up and become a man through hunting. But Steven was not ready to take a life from someone because after he shot the bunny he was emotionally scared. His father thought that Steven was grown up and ready to take the next step in life but Steven seemed fragile and was obviously emotional scared from his first kill.
After watching After the First, I felt a little disturbed only because I am against the hunting of innocent animals. On the other hand, I don't think the father was trying to upset his son, he was just trying to create a new experience for him and his son to have together. Since the father was so passionate about hunting, he wanted his son to share the same feeling. Steve actually felt bad when he shot the innocent rabbit and did not get the thrill that his father got when hunting. After watching this film I felt even more strongly about the killing of animals, and felt sick to my stomach and disturbed at the fact that people actually do that for the thrill of it. I do not support it one bit.
I agree with Rachael that Steve should stop hunting. He was uncomfortable about the trip and thought it was morally wrong to shoot the animal. If he continues to hunt the feelings of guilt will eventually pass and he will become hardened to killing and will no longer have feelings of remorse.
I agree with what Taylor said. The son didn't get any pleasure out of killing the bunny and he didn't like how his dad got pleasure of killing a bunny.
In the film After The First, Steve's parents wanted him to learn the concept of life and death. I think Steve learned that death is a pretty hard to cope with. This film also relates to post traumatic stress disorder in how when soldiers return from war they can be depressed and how it relates to Steve and how he was all sad about killing the rabbit what affect it could have on him.
I think that Steve’s parents didn’t have the intention of teaching him a lesson, his dad just wanted to have something in common with his son. He wanted to use hunting as a way to connect with Steve, just like his dad did with him. However, Steve’s experience hunting shows us that if you don’t feel comfortable with something , you should speak up.
I think that in "After the First" Steve's father is trying to show Steve how to portray the stereotypical "man" who hunts and kills. His father believes that this is an important step in teaching his son how to grow up to be a strong man. He thinks that Steve shouldn't be affected by killing innocent animals. HIs mother seems to be worried about her son going to use a powerful weapon, but she doesn’t stop her husband from bringing Steve. This article taught me that it is important not to force yourself to do something that you are not comfortable with even if someone you look up to does it. Steve obviously didnt want to shoot the rabbit but because his father was telling him to, he did.
I agree with Tim. My first reaction to seeing the film was that the hunting trip was suppose to be a father-son bonding trip. It must be hard for his father to see that they don't have the same intrest in hunting.
As I was watching After the First, I noticed that the kid was excited to shoot the gun, but when it came to killing the rabbit he was hesitant. I think that this shows that he didn’t really believe that it was right to kill it, but he did it anyways because he wanted to impress his father. Afterward, his father realized that it was wrong to force him to shoot the rabbit, and tried to comfort him. I think the father just wanted to share something that he loves with his son, but didn’t realize that he might not share the same morals as him. This story shows that it’s important to respect the morals of others, and to not pressure people into doing something they are uncomfortable with.
After watching After the First it was clear that steve was very excited to fire the gun. He however didn't seem aware that they were out there to actually kill rabbits and was not ready mentally at all. His father was very excited when Steve got his first kill and Steve was in shock with what he had done. Steve's father was just remembering his excitement when he got his first kill and assumed his son would feel the same way. This shows that you do not have to have the same views and your parents and that you are your own person.
The story “After The First” teaches the lesson that it’s important to stick up for yourself. Because it is hard for him to go against what his father says, Steve decides to shoot the rabbit. I think that Steve’s mother wanted him to learn to stand up for what he believes in. Steve shoots the rabbit because he knows it will please his father. I think he actually learned that going with the group is easier even if it goes against his beliefs. Steve would rather go against his own values and lose his identity than feel like he doesn’t fit in. He realizes that he would rather feel like he belongs to a group than to be independent. This film has taught me that even though it might be easier to go with the group, it is not nearly as important as sticking up for what you believe in and stick to your own morals.
I believe that Steve’s father is trying to pass on what his dad taught him. He is trying to share a special moment with his son. Steve’s dad really enjoyed hunting. When he shot the rabbit it seems to have no effect to his disposition. On the contrary Steve’s mood completely changed. He went from loving to shoot the gun at the stump to hating all that power. The fact that his father was so excited when he killed an animal upset him. I think Steve really learned about himself that day. He learned about his morals and who he is as a person. This movie reminded me a little bit about the Holocaust, the fact that people could murder someone every day just because someone told them to. Clearly the Holocaust and hunting are completely different concepts but the idea behind them can have similar traits.
I agree with Tim in saying that the father intended there to be father son bonding time, and that the act of killing a rabbit wasn't intended to be so traumatic.
Steve’s father in the story “After the First” was excited to take his son hunting, and anticipated it would be a good father- son bonding experience. Steve was looking forward to the hunting trip, until he saw his father shoot the bunny, and how happy he was with himself. Steve started to realize that although hunting was something his father had enjoyed, it was not something that Steve wanted to partake in. I think this story is important because it shows the struggle between impressing other people and changing your morals, and staying true to yourself. I think this is a struggle a lot of kids face today, for example some kids may feel pressured to apply to certain colleges that their parents want them to attend, even though they aren’t where the kid wants to go.
I agree with Jacob. His father was just trying to find a connection between the two of them and have some father son bonding.
I believe Steven's parents didn't intend on teaching him much through hunting besides basic survival. After the experience, Steve learned how much he hated hunting harmless animals. He seemed to have felt a great deal of guilt and stress after shooting the rabbit. This film taught me that people do not fully understand what they are engaging themselves in until it is happening; such as war.
After watching "After the First, I found this film to be powerful at points because his father had wanted to share this experience with him just as his father did with him. When he fired the gun for the first time it was exhilarating and he loved it, but when it came down to actually pulling the trigger and killing the rabbit something inside of him was saying don’t do it but he father cheered him on to do it so he did. Personally I don’t know what it feels like to take the life of an animal but I could feel Steve's pain. I know that he didn't want to do it.
I agree with what Jodie said. I think that Steve was not emotionally prepared to shoot the rabbit. He was really torn between impressing his father and sticking to his morals.
I agree with Tim. Steve did not want to kill these animals at all. He expressed this feeling after his dad made him kill a rabbit himself. I think Steve has some wisdom beyond his years and is not afraid to show the world who he is as a person.
I agree with Vanessa's post. I think one important lesson to be learned is to stick up for what you feel is right. When someone intimidating and older is telling you to do something that you dont feel is right you shouldnt fall into the peer pressure, especially when you are hurting/killing another living thing.
I agree with Vanessa's post that mentioned how it is easier to go with the group, rather than sticking up for your morals and beliefs. Many people want to be accepted and are afraid of going against what the group believes.
I thought that the documentary, 'After The First', was interesting. At first I didnt get how the film would be related to the course and how it would make an impact on anyone the way I believe it was meant to be seen. It was obvious that there was violence involved but I did not really understand why we were watching this film until the very end. I feel that the film was very effective for the course because of the line 'it gets easier after the first time' because it is very relatable to the course. I feel that this film was an effective way to show the point that murder can become second nature after a point.
I agree with Olivia on this one because im not the kind of person to go out an kill animals. Also I don't think his father really intended to emotonally hurt him. He just wanted to experience hunting with his son just as he did with his father.
After watching After The First, i came to realize that Steve's father was looking for a way to bond with his son. Just like he went hunting with his father at a young age, he thought he could share the same experience with his own son. At first Steve was excited to go hunting,but after he saw his dad shoot the bunny he wasnt ready for that emotionally.
I agree with mike that he shouldn't do anything that he is uncomfortable with.
I agree with Greg that she Steve was going out with his father he thought that he was going out to have fun and then when he killed the rabbit his whole train of thought changed completely.
After watching "After the first" I came to a conclusion, I don't have a right of passage in my family. In the movie Steve's parent's ideals are like the sun versus the moon. Steve's mother is the cliché over the top nurturer, who feels no matter how old her son becomes he will always be her baby. She also exibits the demeanor that comming of age cannot be forced. Moreover, she questioned entirely wheather her son was turely mature enough to go hunting in the first place.Conversly Steve's father believed the opposite. Steve's father was "passing along the tourch" to his son. When he was 9 he had his first experience with his own father and had revealed to Steve that he was in "the war" and that he was more than qualified enough to go hunting in the first place. The over laying message ," you're not a man until you go hunting with your father or at the very least spill blood. Steve, despite his parents methodistic life lessons came to a conclusion on his own. A man, "someone who is willing to make his decisions on his own regardless of who may agree, and if mistakes are made lets not the flaws, define him as a whole but teach him gradually throughout life".
I agree with Jodie, forcing a child who isnt emotionally ready to take a life to do so can be terrible. After all it's exposure like this that can create serial killers..... no one wants that on their concious esecially not a fater.
I agree with Veda about how Steve just wanted to impress his dad killing the rabbit. A lot of times as kids we do things to impress our parents even though it's something's that we dont want to do.
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