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.
24 comments:
The lesson, or attitude, Steve’s mother and father wanted him to learn was that of a stereotypical thick skinned, “tough guy”. With his dad having gone through the war and killing people himself, aside from being an honorable act, allowed him to grow this thick skin, and not even consider the discomfort shooting an animal would bring Steve. Steve in excitement to bond with his father didn’t actually want to kill anything, but just wanted to do something boys learn from their father. When Steve hit the stump on the first shot he felt his father’s pride and didn’t want him to look down on him if he spoke up when his father shot the first rabbit. When it came down to Steve shooting the rabbit he knew he did not want to but out of fear his father’s rejection he does it and regrets it immediately afterwards. This is when he speaks up, and learns the lesson to stick with what you feel is right. When his father asked him about feeling the same “rush” when hitting the stump, he clearly didn’t feel it. He shouldn’t have gone against his beliefs to in fear of rejection. I learned that a passive quality like this is one of the major things wrong with today’s youth. People go against all values, morals and standards to fit into a crowd. They fall under peer pressure and degrade everything they stand for, for example hazing at fraternities and sororities. Another type of situation that this could apply to is when someone gets involved with the “wrong crowd” and they are pressured into doing things they are uncomfortable with like drugs and going places they don’t feel safe. This emphasized the importance of staying true to your gut and what you feel comfortable with and what you believe is right. You cannot go against your values to please other people because the only thing you’ll walk away with is shame and regret.
I think the moral of this story was you really cant make a judgement on something before you try it. In the beggining of the film Steve was really excited to finally go out hunting with his dad, something he had never done before. Once he got out there though and saw what it was actually like, he felt very differently. I think that steve learned a valube lesson that you can't go judging something by what other people tell you or what you think something is. You can't let people pressure you into doing something unless you know you want to. This lesson not only applies to this film, but to the daily lives of people everywhere. Instead of making judgements on what you've been told, try it out and make your OWN oppinion. I agree with Natalie on the fact that Steve shot the rabbit even though he didn't want to because of the pressure he was feeling from his own father.
I agree with Natalie that while Steve's dad wanted to teach him how to become a "man" and act tough, his mother wanted to shelter him as much as possible knowing the reality of their actions; which was essentially murder.
Steve should not have become so excited about hunting, just to be like his dad, when he didn't understand the truth behind the actions. While initiatially he was estatic to go off in the woods with his dad, just like his grandfather did with his father years ago, he didn't understand what accompanied killing the rabbit and the guilt he would feel. After shooting the first rabbit, he instantly became disenchanted and no longer wanted a part of it, even though his father said it would get easier with time. Steve learned the realities of taking the life from anything, whether man or animal, and the guilt that accompanies it.
The film taught me not to jump to conclusions about activities just because others are participating in them. Steve was so excited to go hunting, just to be like his father, but once he found out what it entailed, he was no longer interested. People shouldn't follow the actions of others just because people they respect are partaking in them, but should take the time to learn about what they are doing, and making their own moral decisions, before they simply follow everyone else.
Steve’s father wanted Steve to learn how to shoot and become a man. Steve’s father considered hunting a rite of passage and he was eager to share his love of hunting with his son. Steve’s mother was very against hunting. You could tell that the idea of killing made her very uncomfortable and she didn’t want her son to like it either. I think Steve actually learned that hunting was more than shooting a gun; it was also about killing a helpless animal. He understood the magnitude of his actions once he saw the dead bunny, killed by his gunshot. I learned that it is easy to desensitize yourself from the severity of something, like shooting and killing an animal. The father didn’t think twice about killing the bunny, but Steve hesitated and was clearly upset about what he had done. I also learned though, that hunting isn’t just killing animals, but it is a pastime and an activity where fathers and sons can share experiences together. I agree with Natalie that you have to realize what is right and wrong and go with your gut. The boy didn’t do this initially but stood up to his dad once he understood that he had taken the bunny’s life away.
The lesson Steve’s mother and father were trying to teach him was to formulate his own sense of morality. If he had never been put in that situation and just formed his opinion of killing other living things based on what his father hyped it up to be he may have ended up becoming desensitized to killing. The equivalent of this in current times is the desensitizing of children to violence due to its depiction in video games and movies.
What Steve learned from this expedition with his father was that he what he really wanted to do was to just shoot his father’s gun and did not feel right about taking another animal’s life, but like his dad said “it gets easier over time.”
The moral that I pulled from this film was that you shouldn’t form an opinion based off of someone else’s, even someone in authorial position. It is also dangerous to make a decision due to pressure from others, because you may end up regretting that decision later.
In response to Natalie’s post…
I agree with Natalie that the method Steve’s father was using to bond would be considered by most to be a little unorthodox. I also agree with the fact that the pressure put on children by outside factors can have a detrimental effect on who that child will grow up to be.
I Believe Steve's mother wanted him to learn the value of life, whether it be a person or an animal. While I believe his dad was not necessarily trying to teach Steve any particular lesson, but treated the hunting trip as more of a right of passage and it was something of a tradition to his father. I believe Steve actually learned the value of life and how taking it away from another person (when his father had to kill during the war) or animal is extremely ethically, morally, and visually disturbing. The film taught me that aggression is not learned but is an instinctual trait.
In response to what Molly said
I agree Steve was very excited to participate in an activity like hunting with looking at the real world consequences of his actions and that hunting may involve killing another living creature
In this film Steve was so happy and excited to go hunting but he really did not think about what he was doing. His dad made it seem like the best thing but his dad was used to it Steve was not so he just assumed it was the best.The dad wanted to teach him all about it. While the mother did not really agree with this she didn't want hom to learn young and did not her husband to take him. She thought it would change him. After Steve went he realized that it was not that great and it was cruel killing animals. He really did not want to do it anymore, and his attitude changed.
I agree with what Sean said and how the mother wanted to teach him the value of life but the father was not really trying to teach him a life leason.
The contrast of Steve's initial feeling towards hunting and how he felt after killing the rabbit shows that every individual is different. The father was demanding and persistent that Steve should kill the rabbit and that it would become easier after he has killed several animals. The mother, on the other hand, was very hesitant to let her son participate in this trip. Steve was affected immensely in a negative way which goes to show that you cannot assume others will feel the same about a subject, like the father did, until he tried it out for himself.
Steve's emotions changed as the day went on. It was easy to tell that he was very eager and excited to go hunting with his father. His father probably convinced him sometime before that day that hunting is a family tradition and something fun to do. But once Steve saw that he and his dad were going to be shooting rabbits his facial expression quickly changed. His father had no problem with doing that as his aggresion is simply an instinct. It took his father's convincing to make Steve shoot the rabbit. Steve most likely regretted doing that to the rabbit, but had no control over the situation because of peer pressure from his father.
To what Sean said,
I agree with Sean on all parts of his comment, especially on how Steve's mother wanted him to learn the essentials to life while his dad just wanted to tech him how to hunt.
I agree with Natalie's point about acting under peer pressure. Espeicially since Steve's father was a respectable role-model figure for him he trusted his lead and requests to shoot the rabbit. However, it was not for the best interest of Steve because he was very guilty of his actions. I think this can be seen in the broader scheme of things when people of authority can influence those who do not have as much power.
Steve’s father and mother wanted him to learn how to enter the rite of passage and grow up. However, entering the right of passage was a lot harder for him to do because of his different take on morality. Steve learned that his expectations didn’t match the reality of what took place, which made him understand that he was more sensitive to killing a creature than his father was. He wasn’t as keen about looking for his father’s approval anymore because of his different views. The film taught me to stick to my beliefs instead of just always going along with everyone else’s ideas. I’ve been a vegetarian for quite some time and it wasn’t easy for me to stick with my beliefs when everyone disapproved and tried to sway me from my morals. This video makes me understand that what I did was worth it because I became a stronger person for sticking with my views.
I agree with Sarah's take on not judging something before you try it. If Steve didn't go hunting he would have thought he was missing out on something, even though in reality he saw no joy in it. We shouldn't try to impress people by going along with things and should instead just stick to our values.
I think that Steve's dad wanted his son to go through a "rite of passage" like he did when he was a boy. He wanted him to learn how to hunt and handle a weapon. His mother may have wanted him to have the experience, even though she didn't really seem to want Steve to go. If she truly didn't want him to learn about hunting, she would have done more to prevent him from going.
Steve learned that hunting is a lot more serious than he first thought. When he was shooting at the tree stump, he seemed to enjoy it and liked spending time with his father. After the first rabbit was shot, his perception changed. I think that seeing the impact of a weapon on a living thing made him realize what the purpose of hunting actually is (to kill an animal), whereas he originally thought it was a cool thing that older kids/adults did.
The film taught me that your perception of what happens as an adult can be very different than what actually goes on. For Steve, witness the rabbit's death was a lot more significant than learning to shoot the weapon. This also showed me that you need to know the full story of what happens before making a judgement on it. Steve thought that hunting would just be fun, but I don't think that he seriously thought about the consequences of using a gun on an animal until he witnessed it.
I agree with Sarah F. when she said that peer pressure can make people do things that they might not be okay with. Steven's father definitely pushed him into shooting the rabbit, even though he didn't seem to be okay with it. I think people need to be more aware of when others are pushing them to do something that they don't want to do.
Steve’s father considered his hunting trip with his son a rite of passage and wanted him to grow up. Originally, Steve was enthusiastic and thrilled when he first picked up the rifle, loaded it with his dad, and shot the stump of the tree. Steve’s initial reaction of wonder, excitement, and anxiety turned to horror, disgust and guilt. His decision to kill the bunny was enacted by his father who kept peer pressuring him to shoot. After he shot the bunny, he felt immediate guilt and was scared. This scene exemplifies how fragile Steve is and how his childlike innocence is stilling being presented. The last scene of the movie ends with the father stating, “it gets easier after the first time,” which has a lot of underlying meaning. That last statement illustrates to the viewers his desensitized and presents the theme of the movie: don’t be so quick to judge.
I agree with Sarah when she stated that you shouldn’t judge something before you try it or know the full story.
I agree with Ben, on how his parents were trying to teach him how to formulate his own sense of morality. But I also think that they wanted him to learn the lesson of not judging a book by its cover. Yes Steve was excited to go hunting because of the joy he saw his dad get of out it. As the movie showed; Steve quickly understood the consequences of hunting and killing. Steve’s father wanted him to follow in his foot steps and become a hunter. Where his mother wanted to keep him sheltered from the violence in the world and reality of killing and animal or human. His father used the hunting trip as a “rite of passage” for Steve because of the affect it on him as a kid. It goes to show you that a rite of passage is different for everyone and has unique to each person. I learned that is it humans have a instinct of aggression to us like can sometimes make us desensitized by the action of killing just like Steve’s father had said it gets easier after the first.
The lesson I think Steve’s father was trying to teach him was hard work. He wanted Steve to experience what it felt like to spend all day trenching around in the woods looking for food. I also think that this was a hint to Steve on how to be a man, and toughen up, from this father. I think that Steve’s mother wanted him to learn the lesson of how to value life, and there is not a need to go into the woods and hunt if they already have food at home. I think that the hunting experience was a wake up call for Steve, he wanted to be so much like his father and be able to hunt but his soft side and morals kicked in once he actually realized that he was killing an innocent animal. I think he learned that he doesn’t need to hunt to be a man. Just because this is how his father sees manhood does not mean that that is the only way Steve, himself can become a man.
I agree with Sean, in that his mother was trying to teach him the meanings and values to lives of animals and it this lesson can also be construed into the values of life of humans.
I think that "After the First" teaches a lesson not to jump to conclusions in life. The boy was so excited to go hunting, but after the full experience he realized it was not for him. The father had pushed for this experience and even the wife felt herself felt unsettled by the idea.
I agree with Emily that Steve's father was trying to teach him a lesson in life about growing up and being a man. Steve's father saw hunting as this initiation.
I was absent this day.
out sick
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