Tongji
Smash Journeyman
“Finding Forrester”
Expository Writing
Finding forrester is a movie that I have come to respect. This movie was not what I expected it to be. Normally I am amused by how Hollywood distorts an idea into something that is “good” television. However this movie is different. The movie conveys the reality of what it is to be black and how being “gifted” can sometimes be a burden.
The main character Jamal is the main character and is poor and black. Jamal has a hard life. He attends an inner city high school that is less then adequate to his social needs. Until one day he is discovered by his astounding test scores. He has lived in the Bronx and unlike most of his peers he is extremely well learned. When he is not writing he is spending the rest of his time on the basketball court. Where Jamal has become something of a basket ball star. This is a familiar place for Jamal and his friends. His friends are just like him, except they don’t have an astounding intellect. In this case they dared him to go and break into the “windows” apartment.
The “window man” is the name Jamal and his friends gave to the creepy old man that would always window peep at the boys and their pickup basketball game. In order to stay face, Jamal breaks in the window. While surreptitiously moving throughout the apartment he is caught by “window man.” Scared and surprised, Jamal runs, and forgets his most precious belongings. The next day Jamal realizes that he has forgotten all of his writing note books in “Window man’s” house. Little does Jamal know but this will be the start of a wonderful relationship.
After finally collecting enough courage to confront the “window man” they finally meet face to face. After a heated discussion, Jamal finally gets his note books back. All is good in Jamal’s world until later that night. When Jamal opens his note books he notices that they have been “corrected.” At first glance Jamal looks dismayed however soon he notices that Mr. Window is a likewise mind and is brilliant, because he can help him with his work.
One day later Jamal once again goes to Mr. Windows’s house and for the first time is invited in and finally meets Mr. Forrester. All of this is extremely climatic because of his exemplary test scores is allowed to visit one of the areas most prestigious prep schools. There he meets a nice rich white girl named Clair that shows him around. There he finally meets his new English teacher Mr. Crawford. Ironically they are starting to read a book by William Forrester.
That night Jamal goes to Williams’s apartment and is given his first writing lesson, and a taste for who William really is. William is a secluded man and has somehow been scared by something in his earlier life. He seems bitter about everything especially critics. Over the next few days Jamal spends more and more time at Williams’s apartment. Where he comes to discover that William is the author of the current book he is reading. The next day in class Jamal butt’s heads with Mr. Crawford and receives his first big writing assignment. That day in class Jamal bests Mr. Crawford at his own game, naming famous quotes.
After being kicked out of class and now having Mr. Crawford even more wary of his ever improving writing skills puts him in dangerous waters. Jamal is a talented basket ball player and had tried out for the basketball team the day he enrolled in school. He is there new star and Mr. Crawford seems to think that all Jamal knows about is how to play basket ball and is cheating on his writing papers. Soon Jamal’s worst fears will be realized, but we will get to that later.
All the while during this story Jamal’s relationship with William has been growing. For his birthday Jamal decides to do something “different” for William. Late one night, Jamal surprises William by buying two tickets to the Knicks. However Jamal doesn’t realize what will happen next. While walking towards there seats both he and William are separated and William suffers a panic attack. When they finally re-unite William doesn’t want to do anything but go home. On the trip back Jamal then takes William to Yankees stadium after hours. While standing on the pitchers mound William opens up to Jamal and tells him a little about his life, after this night William now considers Jamal one of his close friends.
The next day Jamal’s world is turned upside down, when Mr. Crawford suspects him of cheating. There he is given an ultimatum, read an apology letter to the class or have the author allow the paper to be written. The paper that Jamal has turned in was a piece that he had written in Williams’s apartment. However unknown to him, the paper that he was using for inspiration was an already created piece written by William. Returning to Williams’s apartment Jamal becomes frustrated with William when he refuses to help him. In my opinion this is the most pivotal part of the movie because William is now finally forced to face his problems.
In the end Jamal finally has to make the choice and chooses his education over basketball. William is watching this truly difficult decision, and decides to help Jamal by reading to his class an apology that Jamal had composed for William.
In the end I think that Finding Forrest is an original and is believable. I found the story extremely heartwarming and defiantly an interesting story. This movie has an interesting moral that I hope is not lost. This movie embodies hope and perseverance, along with the fine art of finding friends. Who was to think that a black boy from the Bronx would be able to be on the same intellectual level as a long forgotten author? There are many elements in this story that need to be taken to heart and are extremely useful in everyday life.
Expository Writing
Finding forrester is a movie that I have come to respect. This movie was not what I expected it to be. Normally I am amused by how Hollywood distorts an idea into something that is “good” television. However this movie is different. The movie conveys the reality of what it is to be black and how being “gifted” can sometimes be a burden.
The main character Jamal is the main character and is poor and black. Jamal has a hard life. He attends an inner city high school that is less then adequate to his social needs. Until one day he is discovered by his astounding test scores. He has lived in the Bronx and unlike most of his peers he is extremely well learned. When he is not writing he is spending the rest of his time on the basketball court. Where Jamal has become something of a basket ball star. This is a familiar place for Jamal and his friends. His friends are just like him, except they don’t have an astounding intellect. In this case they dared him to go and break into the “windows” apartment.
The “window man” is the name Jamal and his friends gave to the creepy old man that would always window peep at the boys and their pickup basketball game. In order to stay face, Jamal breaks in the window. While surreptitiously moving throughout the apartment he is caught by “window man.” Scared and surprised, Jamal runs, and forgets his most precious belongings. The next day Jamal realizes that he has forgotten all of his writing note books in “Window man’s” house. Little does Jamal know but this will be the start of a wonderful relationship.
After finally collecting enough courage to confront the “window man” they finally meet face to face. After a heated discussion, Jamal finally gets his note books back. All is good in Jamal’s world until later that night. When Jamal opens his note books he notices that they have been “corrected.” At first glance Jamal looks dismayed however soon he notices that Mr. Window is a likewise mind and is brilliant, because he can help him with his work.
One day later Jamal once again goes to Mr. Windows’s house and for the first time is invited in and finally meets Mr. Forrester. All of this is extremely climatic because of his exemplary test scores is allowed to visit one of the areas most prestigious prep schools. There he meets a nice rich white girl named Clair that shows him around. There he finally meets his new English teacher Mr. Crawford. Ironically they are starting to read a book by William Forrester.
That night Jamal goes to Williams’s apartment and is given his first writing lesson, and a taste for who William really is. William is a secluded man and has somehow been scared by something in his earlier life. He seems bitter about everything especially critics. Over the next few days Jamal spends more and more time at Williams’s apartment. Where he comes to discover that William is the author of the current book he is reading. The next day in class Jamal butt’s heads with Mr. Crawford and receives his first big writing assignment. That day in class Jamal bests Mr. Crawford at his own game, naming famous quotes.
After being kicked out of class and now having Mr. Crawford even more wary of his ever improving writing skills puts him in dangerous waters. Jamal is a talented basket ball player and had tried out for the basketball team the day he enrolled in school. He is there new star and Mr. Crawford seems to think that all Jamal knows about is how to play basket ball and is cheating on his writing papers. Soon Jamal’s worst fears will be realized, but we will get to that later.
All the while during this story Jamal’s relationship with William has been growing. For his birthday Jamal decides to do something “different” for William. Late one night, Jamal surprises William by buying two tickets to the Knicks. However Jamal doesn’t realize what will happen next. While walking towards there seats both he and William are separated and William suffers a panic attack. When they finally re-unite William doesn’t want to do anything but go home. On the trip back Jamal then takes William to Yankees stadium after hours. While standing on the pitchers mound William opens up to Jamal and tells him a little about his life, after this night William now considers Jamal one of his close friends.
The next day Jamal’s world is turned upside down, when Mr. Crawford suspects him of cheating. There he is given an ultimatum, read an apology letter to the class or have the author allow the paper to be written. The paper that Jamal has turned in was a piece that he had written in Williams’s apartment. However unknown to him, the paper that he was using for inspiration was an already created piece written by William. Returning to Williams’s apartment Jamal becomes frustrated with William when he refuses to help him. In my opinion this is the most pivotal part of the movie because William is now finally forced to face his problems.
In the end Jamal finally has to make the choice and chooses his education over basketball. William is watching this truly difficult decision, and decides to help Jamal by reading to his class an apology that Jamal had composed for William.
In the end I think that Finding Forrest is an original and is believable. I found the story extremely heartwarming and defiantly an interesting story. This movie has an interesting moral that I hope is not lost. This movie embodies hope and perseverance, along with the fine art of finding friends. Who was to think that a black boy from the Bronx would be able to be on the same intellectual level as a long forgotten author? There are many elements in this story that need to be taken to heart and are extremely useful in everyday life.