My goal is to use films to complement the objectives of teaching Ethnic America. When we begin studying each ethnic group, we look for answers to these questions from the book:
-
1.When did most members of the group come to America?
-
2. How did they come?
-
3. Why did they come?
-
4. Where did they settle?
-
5. What are the divisions within the group?
-
6. What is the dominant religion?
-
7. What successes have members of the ethnic group attained in politics, business, higher education, and sports, music, and entertainment?
Ethnic America says little about what might be called cultural contributions, such as foods. Thus the study of each ethnic group begins with each student writing anonymously on a sheet of paper what comes to mind upon hearing the name of the ethnic group. All responses which reappear at least once are recorded on the board.
Now is where the films come in. Family and cultural dynamics are still missing from our study of ethnicity and without them we will have a rather sterile unit. These two critical aspects of ethnic experience are best taught through films. It is one thing to read about Protestant-Catholic tension among the Irish and about Irish-Italian tension in Boston in the mid 19th century. It is another thing to watch these themes develop in the movie “Far and Away”.
It is one thing to read about Jewish Americans’ remarkable business successes. It is another thing to watch this happen in Barry Levinson’s “Avalon”.
Telling students about stereotypes of Italian-Americans is easy to do, but seeing the character of Lorenzo the bus driver brilliantly juxtaposed against that of Sonny the local mob underboss in “A Bronx Tale” is far more powerful.
Lecturing on the African-American struggle for civil rights is important, but watching that struggle unfold in “The Long Walk Home” may have an even greater impact.
Finally the statement “Different members of the same family succeed in different ways” takes on real meaning through “Mi Familia”.
Films do have pitfalls. The reviews which follow will point out both the weaknesses and he strengths of these and other films.
