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.
42 comments:
I believe that Steven’s father wanted his son to be like him, and get involved in shooting and hunting. His father wanted him to enter manhood by going on his first hunting trip. He wanted him to learn the lessons that he was taught as a kid, “it’s just the food chain”. His mother did not want him to go on the trip because she thought that he was too young. Steven learned that he is not like his father in the sense that he cannot just kill a live animal and shrug it off as nothing. He learned that he does not feel good about committing violence by killing animals.
I believe this story has good morals and discussion behind its topics but, I can’t imagine why we are continuing this activity after being called out for partaking in it without asking why previous to starting.
Steven was so excited to go on the hunting trip and Stevens father was excited too. But when it came down to the actual killing of the animals Stevens mood change. Stevens father this was the rite of passage after killing an animal to become an adult and true hunter. But Stevens age proved that he wasn't strong enough to kill the animals and not feel morally bad about the act of violence.
I agree with Ryan when he said in Stevens fathers eyes hunting and killing animals is the way to enter manhood. Also how he wasn't able to shrug of the killing of the rabbits and it didn't feel good committing that act of violence.
Within families, there are different activities and hobbies that are passed down, which parents tend to expect that their children will enjoy it as much as they did. In many cases, they do enjoy these activities and do appreciate the tradition enough to pass it down, although it cannot always be expected that everyone will enjoy it. In the kitchen and once he ended up shooting the tree stump, Steven seemed interested and proud of himself for his accomplishment. Once he was convinced by his dad to actually shoot the rabbit, the reality of what the hunting life was like was not enjoyable anymore and you could tell he felt guilty for his actions, and feeling like he may have let his dad down.
I agree with Sean when he said Steven’s age proved he was not ready for hunting animals, and that his mom was right along. Although he might never be ready regardless of his age, because he might always feel too guilty about killing animals.
Steven's father wanted his son to take follow in the footsteps of himself and his own father, to hunt. Initially Steven was stoked for the hunting trip, with the realization that he would be firing a real gun. After he felt that first kick of the gun and he shot the branch, Steven was on a natural high. However, once he saw his father shoot another living animal, he was devastated and had an internal conflict about whether or not he too should shoot the rabbit. Not wanting to disappoint his father, and his father's father, Steven shot the rabbit and immediately regretted. This shows the difference between people, as some are able to kill an animal and its not a big deal to them, where others don't have the guts to pull the trigger and end another animal's life.
I think that Steven's father wanted him to learn how to be a man by hunting. His father wanted to show him the love he has for hunting. Only Steven felt upset over the killing of animals. Showing even though he was excited about hunting for the first time, it turned out to be something he hated. Steven learned that he doesn't like everything his dad does but he still killed the bunny, knowing that is what his dad wanted. The film taught me how parents/others might think something is fun and worth doing but really it isn't what you thought it would be.
I agree with Ryan saying that his father wanted him to learn the lesson that he did as a kid and it was him entering manhood by going on his first hunting trip.
I think that this goes down in many families now where the mother does not agree with what the father thinks is best but i think the father just wanted steven to step into man hood a lot faster than his mother but steven did not feel the same his father wanted him to.
I agree with ryan steven didnt know if he was ready or not the rush of being able to shoot a gun was what really motivated him so that is why he wanted to go until he really shot the rabbit
I think that the movie showed how the definition of violence could be expressed in many other ways such as verbal and the hunting sport. And how ironic that war is going on and people want peace but they are going around and hunting and teaching their children how which is another form of killing
I think that the mother and father like most couples have very different view on this topic of teching steven to hunt. The father thinks of it almost as a right of passage, while the mother disagrees. At first Steven is very excited to go hunting and fire a gun, but after seeing an animal get shot, his attutude completely changes. This teaches us that while some people, like Steven's father, can kill and feel nothing and others like Steven have more attachment to whats being killed. I don't think Steven was ready for something like this.
Just like Anthony said Im not sure why we are answering this after we were called out for not doing something without an intention. Yes I understand there was a message behind the movie but Im confused on why were are doing this.
Steve learned that he could not stomach killing innocent animals. We could tell by the exprission on his face and the time it took for him to actually shoot the gun. His father wanted him to learn how to hunt and he wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. His mother didnt want him to go because she believed he was to young.
I agree with Sean. Steven couldnt stand the guilt of killing the animals, and I also agree that Steve's father was doing this as a right of passage.
Both Steve and his father were excited to go on the hunting trip. Steve was excited because he would finally be allowed to use a gun and his father was excited because his son was learning the lessons that he was taught as a kid. Steve’s mother felt that Steve was too young to go on this trip and she was right. As soon as Steve witnessed a killing he quickly changed his mind and realized that he was not like his father. Steve was very uncomfortable about using violence towards animals.
I agree with Sean in that Steve’s father saw this trip as an opportunity as a rite of passage for his son. His father felt that shooting an animal would help Steve enter manhood, but he was wrong. Steve could not handle killing an innocent animal and immediately regretted killing the rabbit he shot.
Steve learned the hard way what hunting really entails, killing animals. At first he was really excited to go hunting with his father, but then after seeing him shoot and kill a rabbit he became a bit apprehensive. It was even harder for Steve to pull the trigger himself, and when he did you could tell on his face that he did not like the decision he made. I think this hunting trip relates back to Steve asking his father if he had ever killed a man as they were driving to the woods, and at the end his father said it gets easier after the first time. It is disturbing to me that someone could become desensitized to killing a living being.
In response to Anthony Phillips,
I agree with what you said and I don't understand why we did not ask what the purpose of this activity was, especially after we reflected on the story in class. I do think, however, that the story gave an important message about war and how killing someone has become so impersonal.
I feel as though Steve judged the aspect of hunting way too quickly. He thought that it would make him feel mature and grown up, however once he started he realized he wasn't able to feel right about killing an animal. I think this is a reflection on society today and violence on a much larger scale and shows that people today don't think as much of killing as they should. This should apply whether it is an animal or a human.
After reading my classmates' comments, I agree with parts of Ryan's post about how Steve's dad just wanted his son to be like him and he thought that it would just be an innocent activity, but it turned out to be the opposite. I also completely agree with what Anthony had to say. I think it was slightly confusing to be criticized for not asking "why" before watching the film, not really being told, and then having to reflect on it after.
I believe that the movie just shows us how we get desensitized over time. The line "It gets easier" shows that there was a time when the father felt the same way about hunting as steven, but he's killed so many animals, that he doesn't care any more.
I agree with Anthony, because Mr. Gallagher told us not to do it, and yet here we are doing it.
“After the First” was a very unique, interesting film that was slow pace but managed to capture the attention of the class. I believe this was a very useless film in terms of relaying messages or even for the customer’s enjoyment. After doing a short activity relating the film to the transformation between childhood and adulthood; I realized the objective of this clip. However, that being said, the clip was not good by any stretch of the imagination and in no way succeeded in its objective. Throughout the film I was expecting a serial killing 12 year old rather than an event showing the switch into adulthood. Overall my opinion is this film was poor in its goal and quite strange in its overall delivery.
I disagree with both anthony and van dam because he was talking about future films.
This story taught us that not everyone is the same. In this situation, Steven thought he could be just like his father and be a hunter, but then learned he could not cope with killing innocent animals like it's nothing. Everyone has their own opinions that they are entitled to and in this case, steven did not want to be a hunter like his father
steven's father wanted him to learn how to hunt and be a man. when they went hunting and his dad killed the rabbit, steven learned that hunting wasn't all that he thought it would be. at first i didn't really get anything from watching the movie because i didn't know why we were watching it, but then at the end when steven's dad said it gets easier after the first, i realized that the reason we were watching it was because his dad killing the rabbit was kind of symbolic of the nazis killing the jews.
Steve's father wanted to be able to enjoy something with his son. He believed that his son would fall in love with hunting just like he did. His father thought that his son would be just like him even though in many instances that is not the case. His parents wanted Steve to learn what it was like to use a firearm and how dangerous it can be. His father was in the war and he felt it was appropriate to teach his son what he learned. Steve ended up learning how difficult it was to kill a living thing. It takes tremendous mental strength that very few people have to do something like that. The film taught me how that killing is an awful act and something that I could never do. I should never be so quick to judge because Steve was and it ended up ruining his day.
I think one of the lessons the film teaches us is about connections between a father and son. The father wants to take Steven out to go hunting in order for him to finally become a man and because his father did the same with him when he was younger. Son’s do not always grow up to be like their fathers. Steven is excited to go with his dad because he knows what the hunting mean’s to his father. After hunting and killing his first rabbit Steven soon learns he doesn’t actually want to be like his father. I think he realizes hunting isn’t his thing like it is his fathers.
I think that Steve’s father was trying to make his son similar to what he was like as a child. He compared himself to Steve and said he started shooting when he was a couple years younger than Steve. Steve’s mother was just nervous that Steve was too young for this experience.
After watching this film, I realized I have never really watched hunting through media or in real life. I think that I would have felt similarly to Steven, had I shot a rabbit. I do believe that his dad was right when he said it gets easier after the first time. However, I think there was a reason Steven felt remorse towards killing just for sport. I feel that people should not let themselves become desensitized to shooting living beings. I feel that the larger the animals people begin to hunt, the more potentially confident they may feel towards killing people in combat.
I agree with Annie King. I think that Steven's dad did think hunting was a right of passage. I think that Steven himself felt it was a right of passage and a thing "men" do. This is why he did not trust his mother's opinion on the matter.
I think that Steven's father was trying to teach his son how to become a man. Steven's father told about how his father took him hunting and that was his process of becoming a man. Steven was excited about the hunting trip and couldn't wait to take the next step in his life. Then when it came down to actually killing the animal Steven second guessed himself. I think that Steven learned that hunting was not for him. This film taught me that everyone has their own way of "becoming a man" and that you shouldn't feel pressured to take someone else's process if it isn't for you.
I agree with Jon when he said that this happens in many households. I agree that parents don't always have the same opinion on what there children are ready for.
I personally think that Steve’s parents wanted him to be just like his father, and to learn how to hunt and be independent. When put in the situation where he must actually kill an animal, he is struck with the humanity of being responsible for the death of another living being and was overwhelmed with both guilt and fascination. He learns through experience about the intense responsibility that comes with holding the fate of a life in his hand. This film provoked much thought about the existence of a universal rite of passage, and the psychological repercussions of taking a life.
In response to Jack's comment,
I agree that Steve's parents thought that hunting would be a way for Steve to "become a man" in a way, and that it did not at all turn out the same way that he thought it would.
What this film was showing us is that Steven was so eager to go shooting with his father and once he saw his father killing one and he got the chance to kill one his mood changes quickly. The film showed that Steven wanted to be just like his father but once he saw the killing he wanted to stop, but his father then told him that it gets easier after the first and he simply had no say.
In the short film, “After the First” a big lesson came by both the parents and kids view on hunting. The parents thought that he was going to be okay with the whole fact of killing an animal. They thought of this experience as a growing up experience, the young boy was going to have fun and it would show he is mature. However just because he was twelve years old he was not necessary okay with the hunting. This also was not something that came easy to the boy. The family was quick to judge that he would love it and have the best day ever. However, the boy found it heart breaking and cruel to do such a thing. This shows that you should never assume anything. Although you may like to hunt the person next to you will most likely not have to same passion even if they are from a similar family and background as yourself.
In response to everyone that did not answer the question because they were told to always know why they were doing something first. I wish I had thought of that before I started to type. First I wondered, why did I do this assignment and stay up late to do it. Then I realized that I learned a life lesson from it and I was glad I analyzed the peace. Therefore I was not doing this assignment because I had to it was because I wanted to. Also we have the right to say as little or as much as we wish therefore we have that power that made this even more my choice and decision to reflect on this article.
Steven's father wanted him to learn what he called the circle of life so that Steven could better grasp his view on life as he was about to grow into a young man. Unfortunately, the lesson came suddenly and harsh to Steven, as he was shocked to discover what man is capable of doing to the life of another being. Steven instead learned and was scared of the fact that we all have the power to hurt another's existence whenever we want to. Steven hated having to kill something and began to resent his dad for enjoying the activity so much and for having such a history with controlling life and death.
I agree with what Kevin said about how we get desensitized and used to bad things through age and experience. I think was another important lesson that Steven didn't expect to learn, and it caused him to look at his father in a different light.
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