Crash+-+Karen+Drodge

Crash - Karen Drodge

 “Moving at the speed of life, we are bound to collide with each other.”


Link to **//Crash//** website: []


 * __ CRITICAL EXAMINATION OF THE TEXT __**

Whether you like or dislike the film, you would most likely agree that it is controversial because it focuses on racism, and racism is controversial. It won three Academy Awards in 2005, including Best Picture (even beating out //Brokeback Mountain//, which was favoured to win), and received rave reviews from many film critics. Many critics, however, felt that while the movie was aimed at exploring racial stereotypes, the movie itself inadvertently stereotyped many races – blacks, Asians and Persians – and while it did raise a lot of issues around racism and social injustice, it didn’t offer any solutions to many of the complex issues it explores. Here are two reviewer comments at opposite ends of the scale, the first offering a harsh critique of the film: // "Not since 'Spanglish' --which, alas, wasn't that long ago -- has a movie been so chock-a-block with risible minority caricatures or done such a handy job of sanctioning the very stereotypes it ostensibly debunks. Welcome to the best movie of the year for people who like to say, 'A lot of my best friends are black.'" (Scott Foundas, a critic for LA Weekly) // At the other end of the spectrum is a rave review by none other than Roger Ebert: //“Not many films have the possibility of making their audiences better people. I don't expect “Crash” to work any miracles, but I believe anyone seeing it is likely to be moved to have a little more sympathy for people not like themselves. The movie contains hurt, coldness and cruelty, but is it without hope? Not at all. Stand back and consider. All of these people, superficially so different, share the city and learn that they share similar fears and hopes. Until several hundred years ago, most people everywhere on earth never saw anybody who didn't look like them. They were not racist because, as far as they knew, there was only one race. You may have to look hard to see it, but “Crash” is a film about progress.// (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)

It is precisely because this is such a controversial film that I would choose to use it as text for teaching in an English classroom. It is jam-packed with issues and themes that can be explored in so many ways, and because it focuses on racism and social justice, it is an excellent resource for developing critical thinking skills and exploring complex cultural issues that exist in our backyards – in Canada, and Toronto in particular. For me, one of the most compelling reasons to use the film as a text in an English classroom is because the film shows the characters reflecting on their actions and learning from them, which is the foundation for personal growth and character development, and something that I would like to encourage in my own students. Another positive is that the film is Canadian - Paul Haggis is the writer, producer and director - although the setting is Los Angeles. In fact, the film’s genesis is from Paul Haggis’ own carjacking experience while living in L.A. Finally, although it is a complex, controversial film (which will be discussed further in the “Challenges” section below), I believe the benefits of using this text far outweigh the disadvantages. Two thumbs up from me!


 * __ FILM SUMMARY __**

This film is about a series of chance encounters that occur in the lives of a racially and socio-economically diverse group of citizens of Los Angeles over a few days. The accidental encounters, or ‘crashes’, that occur, although random, have the effect of changing the lives of the people involved. All become victims and perpetrators of racism, either directly or inadvertently, and the experiences they undergo serve to teach us lessons about life in a large, diverse city. The movie indirectly illustrates that most people feel resentment against members of other social, cultural and economic groups, either through fear or prejudice, and it documents the consequences of those feelings. The characters in the film, because of their prejudices, are blind to who the people really are that surround them. The characters who ‘crash’ into one another throughout the film come from range of racial, cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. They include a housewife and her District Attorney husband, two police detectives (also lovers) and a rookie, an African-American director and his wife, a Korean couple, a Persian storeowner, a Mexican locksmith and two black car-jackers. The film’s message is one of tolerance: living in a socially, culturally and racially diverse society is complex and brings out the best and worst in people and the daily interactions between us can show us that we are not that different, and that we have a shared humanity.

**__APPROPRIATE GRADE LEVEL(S) /COURSE(S)__**

Because of the complexity of the issues and the sensitivity of the subject matter, I would use this in a senior level English class (ENG3U or ENG4U). I would argue that it could be used in both Applied and Academic level English classes, but in different ways. It would be up to the teacher to determine a) whether the film would be appropriate in a particular class, depending on the maturity and perhaps the mind-set of the students and b) how to manage the viewing and subsequent critical analysis of the film. There is definitely enough material to allow a teacher to adapt the lessons to match the skills and abilities of the students at different levels. Although the focus here is the application of a text to an English class, this film could also be studied in other subject areas, particularly social science, given some of the themes relating to social issues.

**__MAIN IDEAS/ISSUES/TEACHING POINTS__**

This film has so much to offer in terms of teaching points. It features compelling characters, controversial social justice issues and thought-provoking conflicts, and an intense, action-packed storyline. Some teachers may be hesitant to use it because it is controversial and discusses issues that many of us are uncomfortable discussing, particularly the social, racial and cultural inequities present in North America. Also, it is a dark film containing many violent, graphic images, and that may be another drawback for some teachers. However, if a teacher is willing to take the risk, there are many benefits to taking on such a project.

**__Social Knowledge__**
 * Community – the idea that we are all connected and inter-dependent
 * Loneliness and longing – if we are isolated, we find ways to connect or ‘crash’ into one another
 * Socio-economic class – the unspoken barriers that exist between classes in modern American society
 * Privilege – ‘white’ privilege and inequity
 * Power differentials – how it is used and manipulated at various points
 * Intolerance – the inability to tolerate difference
 * Fear – fear of difference
 * Isolation/segregation – between social groups and between individuals
 * Respect – respect for others who are different
 * Rules, laws and ethics – written and unwritten, formal and informal, right and wrong
 * Racism, prejudice and stereotyping as social problems/issues
 * Integrity – how one negotiates the world and deals with others
 * Good and evil – how those lines are blurred in the film
 * Morality and Immorality – another grey area of the film, again dynamic and changing

**__Topic Knowledge__**
 * Gender studies – male/female relationships, gender inequity
 * Sociology – racism, stereotypes, prejudice, social conformity and alienation, group behavior, social control, oppression, class structure
 * Psychology – understanding individual behaviour/motivations/fears
 * Philosophy – morality and immorality, good and evil, ethics
 * Economics – poverty and wealth
 * History – historical roots of the diverse cultures in America

**__Cultural Knowledge__**
 * Racism
 * Cultural stereotypes
 * Prejudice
 * White privilege
 * Group behavior and individualism
 * Societal segregation
 * Materialism

**__Textual Knowledge__**
 * Narrative: The film revolves around the personal narratives of the key characters, these stories could be compared against the characteristics of narrative fiction
 * Theme: The film is rich in themes/issues that could be further explored
 * Genre: Again, the film is a drama, but a more in-depth analysis of the dramatic elements could be done
 * Chronology/sequencing: The film takes place over a very short period of time, but many events unfold. Students could look at how this technique is effective in creating intensity and dramatic effect (Think “24” – the TV show – short/intense action)
 * Plot: The plot is complex, action-packed and suspenseful.
 * Characterization: The characters are complex, multi-faceted and flawed – fascinating and deeply human
 * Symbols: There are a variety of symbols that could be explored further
 * Metaphor: The concepts of ‘crash’ and ‘collision’ as metaphors for human encounters

**__MAIN ISSUES/CHALLENGES__**

This film is rated “R” for language, violence and sexual content, which is definitely a consideration in using this film in an English class, and many teachers would choose not to take this on because of this fact alone. As I stated earlier, this film study would be appropriate for senior classes, at least if the entire film were shown. Another major issue, and one that has been commented on by reviewers and academics who have provided analyses of the film, is that the film’s foundation is one of white supremacy; that is, issues are presented from a ‘white’ perspective. While this is one of the compelling reasons to critically analyze the film in class, it also entails addressing this issue with a class, and speaking openly about ‘whiteness’ as the dominant and supreme cultural perspective in North American classrooms. And what would naturally follow from this is having the students explore this concept of ‘white privilege’ and consider to what extent they (white students) could be defined as ‘racist’ from this lens. For those students who are ‘non-white’, this would also be a difficult exploration, because they would then have to grapple with what that means for them and how they would redefine themselves in that context. Clearly, taking on this challenge is controversial and risky, especially for a high school teacher.

Related to this is the exploration of stereotypes and how they inform our beliefs, thoughts and actions, and again, discussions around these issues can have far-reaching effects beyond the classroom. A teacher would have to navigate these issues very carefully, and ensure that students are able to manage these complex and controversial issues.

Finally, the film explores many philosophical concepts, such as morality, good and evil, ethics, which could be troublesome for students, particularly those from social, cultural or religious backgrounds that conflict with some of the mainstream beliefs or ideas expressed in the classroom. Having addressed these concerns, these very issues are some of the reasons the film is such an excellent educational text, because it does address issues that are relevant to teen students today.

**__POSSIBLE ASSIGNMENT/ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED TO TEXT__**

It is difficult to select one or two specific activities for this text because there is so much rich material that could be explored. However, I would choose this text primarily for its ability to engage students in critical literacy skills, and the activity outlined here focuses on those skills.

__ Assignment: “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” of White Privilege __ __ (based on the article by Peggy McIntosh – see bibliography) __

The assignment I chose to highlight here addresses the key issue in the film: racism. It explores how racism is portrayed in the film, and beyond that, causes students to reflect on racism in their own lives – in themselves, their families, their peers and their communities. This is very similar to an activity I was required to do in one of my York classes last fall, and I found it personally challenging and enlightening, and it forced me to reflect on my own life and the specific ways in which I see white privilege and racism reflected in myself and others.

__ Pre-film discussion __ : Students would be given a list of general questions around the issue of racism in society as a starting point for the exploration of this issue.

__ Personal journal __ : Students would write a 1-2 page journal entry expressing their general feelings about racism in society – the parameters would be wide at this point because I would want the student to discover for themselves their role in racist activity and not prompt them to write from a first-person perspective at this point.

__ View film: __ During the film, students would take notes on issues related to racism that are revealed in the film.

__ Group discussion/character analysis __ : Students would be assigned a character to discuss in their groups, including an analysis of whether or not they felt that character was a victim or a perpetrator of racist behaviour (Note: this is a key point in the film analysis because at one point or another, the major characters all display racist tendencies, yet don’t recognize it in themselves. The main purpose of this discussion is for students to come to this realization through their group discussions, and start the self-reflection process).

__ Teacher/class discussion __ : Each group would ‘present’ their character analysis and we would discuss the issues as a whole class. At this point, the issue of all characters being both perpetrators and victims of racism would be discussed in some depth.

__ Reading: __ “Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”: Each student would read the article. The teacher would then present some ‘examples/models’ of how they see white privilege in their lives, both by others and through their own actions (It is important for the teacher to be honest and open here, to create a sense of honesty and integrity in exploring the truth. Otherwise, the impact of this activity would be lessened.

__ Individual writing __ : Students would then: Write a list of ways in which they believe white people are privileged in their own setting – school, family, community, etc. AND/OR Keep a record of observations of ‘white privilege’ in their environment over the next few days/week.

__ Media/representation __ : Students would then be required to present their results and/or their own perspective on the issue of ‘white privilege’ in the creation of a media text (a poster, a collage, a song, etc.). I would not necessarily have students present these because the ‘sharing’ may cause them to be less self-reflective. However, I would do so if I thought the class was one that could manage such frankness, and would benefit from that shared experience and insight.

**__ CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS __**

__ Oral Communication __
 * Listening to Understand: identifying purpose, using active listening strategies, using listening comprehension strategies, demonstrating understanding of content, interpreting texts, extending understanding of texts, analyzing texts, critical literacy
 * Speaking to Communicate: interpersonal speaking strategies, non-verbal cues

__Reading and Literature Studies__
 * Reading for Meaning: Using reading comprehension strategies, demonstrating understanding of content, making inferences, analyzing texts, critical literacy

__Writing__
 * Developing and Organizing Content: Identifying topic, purpose and audience, organizing ideas
 * Using Knowledge of Form and Style: Form, voice, diction, sentence craft and fluency
 * Applying Knowledge of Conventions: Spelling, vocabulary, punctuation, grammar, proofreading

__Media Studies__
 * Understanding Media Texts: Purpose and audience, interpreting messages, evaluating text, audience responses, critical literacy
 * Creating Media Texts: Purpose and audience, producing media texts

**__CONCLUSION__**

What started out as a personal narrative about a disturbing crime against Paul Haggis became the winner of the “Best Picture” Oscar in 2005. This fact alone speaks to the power of //Crash//, because its nomination and subsequent win were mainly as a result of word-of-mouth discussion and recommendations about the uniqueness and intensity of the film. There was, and still is, no shortage of opinion on //Crash,// and that is what makes this film such a ideal text for teaching in a senior English class. The film is a perfect fit for a media studies unit, and it provides the ideal backdrop for a range of activities exploring film as a literary medium, and for developing the inter-connection between that medium and the lives of the students studying it. The film lends itself to debate, discussion, inquiry and reflection, and it is the perfect vehicle for the development of critical literacy skills. As a final word, the decision to study this film does require some careful consideration because of the many sensitive, controversial and often unspoken issues it raises about us – teachers, students, parents, communities – and how we choose to live our lives.

**__ REFERENCES __**

Ebert, Roger, Review of “Crash”. 2005. //The Chicago-Sun Times//. Website: []

Ebert, Roger, “In Defense of the Year’s ‘Worst Movie’”. 2006. //The Chicago-Sun Times//. Website:[| http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060108/COMMENTARY/601080310]

Hobbs, B. “Collisions Over Social Issues in the Film ‘Crash’”. 2006. //[the] English-Blog// [.com] []

Kempf, Arlo. “On the Souls of White Folks: Notes on the White //Crash// Conversation” in CRASH __Politics and Racism: Interrogations of Liberal Race Discourse__. Howard, Philip S. and Dei, George J. Sefa (eds.) 2008: Peter Lang Publishing: New York.

McIntosh, Peggy. “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”. // Peace and Freedom Magazine, // July/August, pp. 10-12. 1989: Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Philadelphia.