Catherine Mandrell
4/20/11
English 100
A major theme in the movie is the question does Arnold have integrity? I have very mixed feelings about Arnold. I think that at times Arnold has integrity but at other times he lacks integrity all together. Thomas and Arnold set off on a journey to release Arnold’s ashes. The film begins by showing a house fire where Victor’s father Arnold, rescues Thomas as young boy from a house fire, which killed his parents. Thomas considers him a hero and idolizes him. Arnold was like the father he never had. He taught Thomas things and helped him grow as an individual. I think that Arnold stepped up and took responsibility, which showed integrity.
Victor who was the son of Arnold suffers from Arnold’s alcoholism, domestic abuse, and eventually desertion, both hates his father but also has a large love for him. This bitter resentment leads to Thomas and Victor growing up together and fighting with each other. We find out that Arnold, drunkenly one night, shot off a firework into the living room window, causing the fire in Thomas’s house which consequently killed Thomas’s parents. Thomas never finds out about this and I think that this shows great integrity from Arnold. While some may argue he was not being truthful and that lying could wipe out any kind of integrity that Arnold could carry, I however argue that he did it for the best.
I feel as if Arnold never told Thomas what really happened because he knew it would devastate him. I think that it took a lot of integrity because he could have easily come out and said it. I think that he didn’t want Thomas to resent him and instead took him under his wing to make up for it. That also shows a lot of integrity. He could have just let Thomas live his life with out anybody there to help him. Just thrown off what he had done and forget about it. Instead he helped Thomas and let him into his life. When Arnold was alive, he would go to Thomas sitting on the bridge near the falls, and they would both go out and get something to eat. Arnold and Thomas were like father and son, bonded by the heroic act of Arnold saving his life.
I think that Arnold also has another side to him, which greatly lacks integrity. I think that relying on alcohol to solve your problems is one of the most ignorant and selfish things a person can do, especially when you are affecting the people you are supposed to care about and love. He lacks integrity every time he picks up a bottle. It shows a sign of weakness. I think that his alcoholism is one of the main reasons people see Arnold as not showing any integrity. I think that leaving his family was one of the worst things he could have done. Arnold’s impact on Victor made him the bitter person he was. The role of Victor highlights an emotional journey. All caused by his father. Victor is able to come to peace and shed his hatred of his father when he embraces his own cultural heritage.
I feel as if maybe if Arnold changed his ways and stopped the heavy drinking he could have mended his relationship with his son.
MORE TO COME!
Hi Catherine -
ReplyDeleteFirst off I agree with you that at times Arnold does the right thing and at other times he does the wrong thing...its a hard judgment call on whether or not he does have integrity.
I think your thesis statement is, "I have very mixed feelings about Arnold. I think that at times Arnold has integrity but at other times he lacks integrity all together." Maybe you can add a bit more detail of why you feel "mixed feelings" within your thesis statement.
I felt like you provided great evidence of why you feel at times Arnold has integrity and other times you feel he does not within your body paragraphs, which helped to support your thesis statement.
The only other suggestion I would have is to elaborate more on your conclusion.
Great job!
Thank you,
Sarah Baker
I couldnt be more in agreement with the statement you pointed out and your feelings that Arnold has integrity at times and lacks at others...I beleive that integrity it doing the right thing even if no one is looking !!! I also believe that not doing the right thing costs you on the inside!! Have a great day!! and thanks for the reading!!
ReplyDeleteThe way you develop your first paragraph which describe the movie in short is interesting and I really like the way you linked Arnold with his integrity. However, I had little hard time figuring out the real thesis statement of the essay. I think essay should be specific because the question about the essay is whether Arnold has integrity or not. Here you wrote that you have mixed feeling but I think your feeling should be specific. In your second paragraph you wrote that Arnold showed integrity by not telling the true cause of Thomas’s parents death, here what I think is Arnold is lacking integrity because form my understanding of integrity if you hide a truth you don’t have integrity at all. Truth should be brought forward without worrying about the consequences in mind in order to obtain integrity.
ReplyDeleteSo far so good. I would only suggest a little bit more critical thinking. Maybe the definition of what Integrity is and examples that support the definition would help. Everyone has a different opinion on the meaning of integrity. In my opinion, Arnold would have had integrity if he would have manned up and took responsibility for his actions. Great start on the essay.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys! I really appreciate the help.
ReplyDelete