Shantana Burrell 11/14/2014 Machine Gun Preacher The movie Machine Gun Preacher was a very great movie. The movie teaches lessons about sacrifice and selflessness. In the beginning the movie seemed like it would be just about killing, sex and drugs, but as the film progressed it proved otherwise. This movie also shows us what it means to be transformed. Watching this movie opened my eyes up to what is going on in Africa. I mean I knew that a lot was happening in Africa, but I didn't know it was that severe. Sam Childers experienced his first conversion after his best friend Donnie gives a hitchhiker a ride. The hitchhiker threatened Donnie’s life with a pocket knife. Sam panicked and stabbed the hitchhiker multiple times and threw him out the car and left him for dead. Sam was …show more content…
Sam uses the fact that he has been changed by God to preach to people that are how he used to be before he was changed. In this movie we see Sam as the redeemer. A person who redeems is a person who brings goodness or honor to a person thing. In the movie we see Sam first redeeming himself. I think he redeemed himself by bringing goodness to himself; he stopped doing the bad things he used to do. He also redeemed the kids in Southern Sudan from the LRA. If it wasn't for Sam and his help many of the children that survived because of the orphanage would have been dead or rebels. Sam also redeemed his friend Donnie because of Sam’s change it caused his best friend Donnie to try to change and be better. It was Sam’s change that got Donnie to go to church. Sam’s change also caused Donnie to take a break from the drugs and it also caused him to take a break from robbing people. Sam was a redeemer for all his friends that have stories like the one he had in the past. He was a redeemer for them because he showed them that just because you may be doing wrong now doesn't mean God cannot change you and save your
But life is not a fairytale. Standing there lonely, having no job is our Sammy. This is when Sam realizes his path, the true way to become mature. The moment when “Lengel sighs and begins to look very patient:” Sammy, you don’t want to do this to your mom and dad” (Updike) hold him back a little bit, we can feel the regret in his heart. But he cannot go back anymore, decision has been made. He gives up his last chance; from now on, he’s on his own. Sammy finally understands that it is responsible behavior but not playing “adult-like” game that will make him a true
This lead to one of the biggest questions from the movie, how did he become that way? Hirschi’s Control Theory is a theory that states “that social control depends on people anticipating the consequences of their behavior”(Macionis 248). It was shown in the movie that Sam had a complicated relationship with his family, so his past is a big reason as to why he acts so deviant in the future. On of the four types of social control is attachment. Attachment is family, friends and school relationships. Sam was first introduced as one of Benny’s friends “crazy cousin”. It was clear that he did not enjoy having Sam around. This can reveal that Sam has a weak relationship with his family as a whole because he wasn’t even living with his parents. This would lead Sam to acting deviant without worrying about what they would think of him. It was also later revealed that Sam was kicked out of school based on his actions. Sam never had to worry about his family or school once that relationship broke off. Another type of social control is involvement. Involvement can mean many things, but it’s basically about holding a job, going to school, or participating in a sport. The character of Sam, as stated before, was kicked out of school. So, he didn’t have school keeping him away from deviant behaviors. And then there 's the reveal that Sam can’t write or read well. Sam had made an attempt to get a job at a movie store, but he would 've had to do an application, which required him to write. He was shown to be scared and nervous after he attempted at write on the form. Sam had little involvement in anything because he was a poor writer and reader, which lead him to act more deviant. A final reason as to why Sam acted so deviant, was because had little opportunity in life. He was self conscious about that fact that he couldn 't write, so he never made attempts to move up in the world. He
No, Sammy isn't a very heroic character. His actions were foolish, immature, and judgmental. He doesn't think maturely and he has a teenager's mind. Sammy is selfish because he only cares about what he thinks.
Realizing the girls were gone and his so called heroic gesture was done for nothing; he stared back into the store. Staring back, he saw Lengel take his place at the cash register. Lengels face became dark and his back stiffened; Sammy compared it to looking at someone that got injected with iron. After quitting, he has a lot of regret because it dawned on him, in the last sentence. He said “…my stomach kind of fell as I felt how hard the world was going to be to me hereafter.” The question sometimes at the end of a story is what happens now? Why not before, when he was standing in the store, think harder? Sammy was only wanting to impress the girls and did a selfish act and quit his job, not thinking of his future after walking out. Why not finish the day instead of making another person complete the job you left behind? There are many questions that the narrator left us but no answers given. The only thing the narrator leaves is for one to foreshadow, which leads up to the question of whether it was a selfish act to quit, or a sacrifice. It was a selfish act that will make his life difficult after the story ends. Another question was if Sammy cared about the girls’ dignity? The answer is no because he had regret afterward, when the girls vanished. The author, John Updike, believes it was a sacrifice because he states, “he sees him [Sammy] as a typical, well intentioned
Sam serves as the secondary protagonist of the show, and fits into the “geek” side of the cast. Sam does not fight with his identity as his older sister does, but he does grapple with his self-confidence. This eventually leads him to want to change his looks. After going to a store and being told by an employee that a jumpsuit is going to be the new trend and Sam looks fashionable in it, Sam purchases it and wears it to school. This perfectly demonstrates the concept of the looking-glass self. The looking-glass self is what we see ourselves as based upon what we think others think of us. Sam struts into school in the jumpsuit believing he looks good because the man told him he did. However, it looks terrible on him, and Sam gets made fun of for the whole day at school. Sam fell into the the salesman’s trap and paid the price for thinking too highly of himself just from a simple compliment from someone
...Sammy let his desire for the girls get in the way of rational thought he unintentionally made a decision that ended up becoming more unfavorable than imagined and not in his best overall interest.
I chose this particular documentary because I am African-American and have personally experienced this issue with myself, my sisters and my daughter. Currently in the African-American community you see that there is a lot of unrest. We see this playing out in the media with the violence that is happening and question how to bring awareness to the issues and to make this better. I feel that this ties heavily to our self-worth and the love and respect that we must have and demand amongst ourselves first.
These temptations, many times, often lead to an increase in the chances of George, Rameck, and Sam's character cracking. For these reasons it made it hard for them to stay on the right track in life and to deviate away from what they were being raised in and to become better than that. Positive influences in their lives prevented them from succumbing to the calls of the streets and of the accepted norms. People such as the karate teacher who helped build self confidence and respect. Unfortunately for Paul he did not have these positive role models in his life to keep him focused and eventually got involved with drugs. He was a senior in high school with graduation just around the corner. Everything was going for him, he was on the Varsity football team, was heading off to college in a few months, and more importantly he wa...
Sammy was indeed caught between the two worlds that collided one day in the A&P, and he chose to pursue the one that was not his own. He was able to do this when others were not because he understood both worlds, his attitude toward each were completely different, and his actions were drastic enough to cut him free from the bonds that his world had on him. With two paths to choose from and only one to follow, Sammy took the path less traveled in that small town by the sea. He was, to use his own analogy, a wolf in sheep's clothing.
...arts off being immature, gazing at the girls as they meander around the store. But, as time goes on he begins to grow up and realizes that he does not have to be like everyone else and begins to make his own decisions. He starts by feeling sympathetic for the girls and not just looking at their appearance. Then to stand up to his boss and telling him he doesn't like the way he treated the girls. Finally Sammy goes on to quit his job and take a stand for what he believes is right, not what others think is right for him. This shows his growth to mature and make his own rational decisions no matter what consequences may arise.
...p and you are not happy with where you are in life, and truly want a change. With Sammy he always wanted to quit but never had the guts to stand-up and go through with it, mostly cause he did not have that free thinking mentality like the girls. Even though when he finally did walk out of the store and the girls were not there, he had no idea what was next in life, but he did know that he was free to make his own decisions. Sammy no longer had to take Mr. Lengel’s nonsense, or stick around and watch Stocksie become manger. This was his time to stop being a push over and pave the path to his own future. His parents may have been upset, but this gave him an opportunity to stand up for his own actions and be confident in his choices he had made, regardless if they were for the right or for the wrong. Sammy was able to press forward and start a new chapter in his life.
Now that Sammy has chosen to become a juvenile delinquent, he realizes "how hard the world was going to be" for him in the future. He has left a life of safety and direction for one of the complete opposite, and he must be willing to accept the responsibilities of his actions, no matter the consequences.
Guns have a long history in the United States. Guns are used for self-defense but they are also used for hunting. Since guns are a part of the American culture, it is almost impossible to get rid of all the guns in the country. However, by training people how to use the guns properly, give people the right mental care, and limit the people who can have guns could stop school shootings in America.
Not only does this movie deal with the issues of society, but it points to biblical scriptures that help lead us in the right direction. The biggest lesson that this film taught me was that if I put my complete faith in God, then no matter what happens, he will provide, watch over, and take care of me. I learned that expressing belief in God is not enough. I have to live everyday believing and trusting him and I have to show my trust and faith through my actions and my words.