Freeman CAPS Blog:3

I was very happy to see that we could write about the UNL haters blog with this chapter.  I just learned about UNL haters this past week in a class, and immediatley got on twitter to look at what people where posting.  I was shocked with what I saw as soon as I got on.  Most of the tweets that I saw were directed towards the Asian population at UNL.  These post to me are very out of line and dont represent the majority of the students at UNL but it made me think about why this particular group of individuals is being targeted, even though they are students at the universtiy like any American student.  I'm not sure if the posts supposed to be a joke or if they are true thoughts about these individuals either way I feel that these posts are done in very poor taste.

I think that this blog is a GREAT  idea and feel that it should be around forever.  While looking at the blog I couldn't help that notice some of the posts had been deleted by the original poster, I was curious to why they would delete the post if it was something that they felt was ok to originally post, or thought was funny, why did the retweet by UNL haters make these people feel so uncomfortable.  One of the main ideas of twitter is to get retweets, so shouldnt of these individuals been happy that they posted something people where paying attention to? Overall I feel like this is just the first step in fixing a problem that will most likely never be stopped, it is however good to see that someone is willing to try and fix a problem that is very prominate in todays culture.  Overall everybody is going to have haters it's how you respond to them.  I think a great example of this is LeBron James. 

CAPS #3 - Sueverkruepp

I am so glad that we have the opportunity to write about the UNL Haters blog from an opportune standpoint.  I noticed that a friend of mine on Facebook had posted about the UNL Haters blog about a week ago, catching my immediate attention.  Although in reality, the people who have been posting these disgusting comments are a very small fraction of our campus, it makes me think a lot about the students who have yet to be called out for their disrespectful behavior...which could end up being a whole lot higher than we want to imagine.  Personally, I am very disappointed by the actions of these students...joking or not, racism, sexism, and flat out disrespect forces our generation one step backwards.  And unfortunately, those who don't agree with hate are taken back too.  

To respond to the linguistic hate that is happening on our campus, our students who believe in respect for all (including those who are different) need to continually step up for those who are ridiculed   This blog in my opinion is awesome, because it teaches all of us -not just those who had statuses posted on the site- that what we say on the internet is permanent   I'm sure that most of those posts have now been deleted from Twitter and Facebook, but with one little print screen from another laptop, the message lives on.  In conversation as well, we need to remove the idea in our minds that disagreement with others will make them not like us.  It is basic human nature for us to want others to like us, and it truly okay to speak your mind, even if it is in disagreement.  Telling someone to simply "be nice" spreads love to those who need it the most.

To truly create a respectful campus climate, we need to first of all, not feed the trolls.  In meme lingo, the "haters gonna hate" and it is our job to build up our students who want to be built up.  Let's provide minority students, women, homosexual students and others afflicted with events where they can be proud to be themselves.  Especially with no stigmas attached.  Where is our fellowship of students?  Husker pride expands far beyond game day, and we need to show the nation that Nebraska is a place for love, acceptance, and peace.   We need to be a campus of "UNL pride" not "UNL prejudice".  

Blog #3: The Power of Language

When I think about the power of language, I think back to the popular U.S. American children's rhyme: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. Growing up, adults would repeat this saying to me as a way to combat the hurtful messages I received from other kids. I used to repeat this to myself and say it to the bully when I was faced with teasing, harassment, or bullying. Looking back, I do not agree with this saying or the advice that I was given in my youth. Words do hurt and can sometimes be more painful than the proverbial sticks and stones. 

The words that we use have power. When we make choices regarding the words and language that we use, we are by extension displaying our social positions. Social positions are defined as "the places from which people speak that are socially constructed and thus embedded with assumptions about gender, sex, sexuality, race, class, age, ethnicity, nationality, region, and religion" (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 245). Through communication we either explicitly, but most often implicitly, note our group memberships and social positions as well as the groups and social positions that others belong to (Martin & Nakayama, 2012). The groups that we belong to hold different positions of power within society and those positions are created and maintained through our communication, through our use of language. 

One way that we communicate social positions, power, and group membership is through the use of labels. We use labels as an efficient way to categorize and make sense of the world around us. We use these labels to not only describe who we are, but to describe those around us (Martin & Nakayama, 2012). These labels are linked to particular aspects of our social identities, many of these aspects we were born into such as sex, nationality, racial/ethnicity heritage, sexuality, etc. While the use of labeling serves an important cognitive function, sometimes labels are used for malicious and hostile purposes. According to Martin and Nakayama (2012) "sometimes people intentionally invoke labels to establish a hostile relationship" (p. 245). These labels are used to intentionally communication messages regarding power, inequality, and social positions. This is where words can and do hurt people.

Recently, I was introduced to a tumblr that draws attention to the power of labels - http://unl-haters.tumblr.com/. According to UNL Haters (n.d.) , "Nebraska is no place for hate! We expose tweets from haters here, especially those which were deleted." I've been following this tubmblr for about a week now and have been shocked by some of the things that I have been reading, especially the tweets from former Comm 211 students. The tumblr even make the local news last night on KOLN. Your task for this blog post is simple. Read the tumblr and tell us what you think. How do you respond to this linguistic hate that is happening on our campus? How can we as a campus address this hate by creating a truly respectful campus climate?

Fuehrer - CAPS #2 - Anna and the King

     The Preceding video is the trailer for the movie Anna and the King which came out in 1999. The movie is about the King of Siam and a widowed schoolteacher from England, Anna Leonowens. The movie takes place during the 1860s. I choose this movie not only because it had several cultural patterns that I could explore, but it is also loosely based on actual events, which make it all the more interesting. The three patterns that I found most compelling in Anna and the King were ethnicity/nationality, gender/sex, and class. The patterns in this movie are demonstrated in an extraordinary tale of East meets West.
     In the movie all three of these cultural interactions seemed to intermixed and play off one another. As soon as Anna meets the Prime Minister, Chao Phya Kralahome, it is apparent that there is a difference between how Siamese and English people view sex and gender.

Anna - "Can you please explain to me why you call me 'sir'?"

Translator - "Women do not stand in the presence of His Excellency."

This very short exchange between Anna and the translator demonstrates that the Siamese do not view men and women as being equal, rather they believe that women are second rate and should bow to men and do as they are told. During the exchange between Anna and the Prime Minister we also get a glimpse into the ethnicity of the Siamese people.

Anna - "Can you please convey to His Excellency that my purpose here is as tutor to the king's eldest son, that is is not necessary to ask any more personal questions." "Please."

Prime Minister - "In Siam, sir, it is custom to first ask questions of personal nature to be polite."

Anna - "Mr. Prime Minister, I meant no disrespect."

Ethnicity is derived from the cultural traditions of a people, in Siam, at the time, it was a cultural custom to ask personal questions. This was seen as polite gesture to the Siamese, and as getting too personal with someone you just met to Anna. 

     One thing that I found very interesting in the movie was Anna's seemingly unwillingness to let go of her own ethnicity even as a guest in another country. I think this feeds into the stereotype of English as being "snobby or snotty." 

Anna - "Don't bother unpacking, Moonshee. It's only for one night. We shall all be settled to our satisfaction, or we'll be leaving as soon as possible." "In the morning i shall go directly to the King. A monarch who refuses to keep his word is uncivilized, unenlightened, and frankly, ungrateful. There are principles at steak here. Having a proper British household with some privacy is one of them."

This little monologue by Anna shows that while she is in a foreign land and part of another culture she is unwilling to give up some of the luxuries she is used to being from England. She believes that no matter where she is she is entitled to have a "proper English household." 

     Differences between how Anna and the Siamese view gender and class become very apparent when Anna first meets the King. She is given instructions about the traditions of the Siamese when presented to the King.

Prime Minister - "When presented to His Majesty, you and son will remember to touch forehead to floor."

Anna - "Your Excellency, although we have become better acquainted with your customs, we have certainly not forgotten our own."

Prime Minister - "Then how will you greet him?"

Anna - "With the utmost respect."

Before meeting the King, Anna believes that she should only have to adhere to her own customs regardless of those of the Siamese. At this time most people were not accustomed to travelling to such diverse countries, or being exposed to cultures based on a different idea of what it means to be polite and honorable. This lead to many moments such as when the Anna meets the King. Before Anna meets the King it would appear that she will not get the chance, but Anna finds this unacceptable. 

Prime Minister - "It appears sir must wait to meet His Majesty another day."

Anna - "No, I do not think so. Come along.

At a time when is not, according to Siamese tradition, approach the king Anna does just that. During this time she demonstates great bravery and undermines the tradition of the Siamese this shows a lack of respect to them, though I should assume that from Anna's point of view she was and even greater disrespect for being kept waiting three weeks to meet the king and then almost missing the chance. During this first meeting the king will admire her boldness, but scold her for her irritating superior attitude, that he finds most unbeautiful. Upon meeting the king's children Anna is shocked to find out that she will not only be teaching the eldest son, but all 58 of the king's children. I'm sure it must have been shocking for Anna to find out that the king had not only 58 children, but 28 wives. Anna comes from a culture that believes marriage should consist of one man and one women. I found it very interesting and kind of humorous that the king thought Anna was surprised that he did not have as many kids as the emperor of China, that shows a key difference in how the two cultures view family and what is considered to be part of a family. 

     There are many other differences between the groups as the movie progresses, however, they do come to understand and accept each other, and even grow closer as individuals.
Reference
Tennant, Andy(Director), and Meerson, Steve (Writer), Anna and the King, 1999(Motion Picture)

CAPS blog #2 Interpretive Approach on "Crash"

      The assignment for intercultural communication and relating a movie to the interpretive perspective grabbed my attention as soon as I saw “Crash” listed as one of the movies. This movie is actually one of my favorites and I thoroughly enjoy it. The movie does a tremendous job of bringing all of the sub stories together and intertwining the lives of everybody into one big picture.  “Crash” depicts and plays heavily on stereotypes for a wide range of characters. It identifies well with the belief that an interpretive approach is not easily predicted nor predetermined (Martin & Nakayama 60). There are also ample opportunities and connections to many, if not all of the cultural patterns. There are a few specific themes/incidents in the film that stick out in my mind and give me goose bumps, even before re-watching it. I think it is beyond a great example of cultural identity. 

The first cultural pattern and almost constant theme is Anthony as Chris “Ludacris” Bridges. He plays heavily on the racist theme or his race/ethnicity. He demonstrates this in many scenes in the movie. More specifically, towards the beginning of the film, he speaks to his friend Peter Waters (played by Larenz Tate) about how windows on buses are only there, “. . . To humiliate the people of color who are reduced to riding on it”. He is in the business of stealing cars. More comments from him include, “We’re black and black people don’t tip”, as he’s referring to his experience at a restaurant and how the white people received more cups of coffee.  This continuous pattern appears to reveal the strong beliefs of African Americans and the way they are treated by society. It fails to reveal Anthony's reasons for having such a strong view of why he feels so strongly about his race and discrimination. My guess is he was raised that way. Later, towards the end of the movie, we see a softer side of Anthony when one of his customer’s wants to purchase Cambodian people that were in the back of a van and he drives them away and lets them free. His friend, Peter Waters, is in a way, the voice of reason. He tries to do the right thing, even though he is involved with criminal activity, which brings me to the next cultural pattern.

Peter Waters are an African-American who, in my opinion, just seems like has hung around the wrong crowd or group of friends and gets himself in compromising situations. He has a good heart and tries to be ethical. He is also a Catholic and carries a mini statue of St. Christopher. He uses the suction on the bottom of the fixture to stick to the dashboard of cars him and his “partner”, if you will, Anthony, steals throughout the movie. He is hitchhiking one night, and Officer Tom Hansen picks him up in an unmarked vehicle. They get to talking and he comments on the country music playing. Officer Tom Hansen acts unenthused when Anthony mentions loving ice-skating. This is not seen as a typical sport that African-Americans enjoy. Officer Tom Hansen feels insulted and pulls over the car. He asks Peter to get out. Peter later puts his hands in his pockets and the officer tells him to put his hands where he can see them.  Peter says, “You want to see what’s in my hands? I’ll show you what’s in my f****** hands”. As soon as he goes to reveal what was hidden, Officer Tom shoots him. Right before Peter takes his last breath; his fist unclenched to reveal the statue of St. Christopher. The scene depicts the conclusions one may jump to base on what he or she has been taught or from past experiences. It’s almost a life lesson to never be so sure or to not make assumptions. 

 The third and final pattern that I can remember from the film and later refreshed my memory with is the “crooked cop”, Officer John Ryan, played by Matt Damon.  A vehicle is pulled over by John Ryan and his partner, Officer Tom Hansen, (Ryan Phillippe) and is suspected as stolen. The people inside the vehicle, Cameron and Christine (played by (Terrence Howard and Thandie Newton) were engaging in a sexual act while driving. Officer John Ryan asks them to step outside the car and begins searching Christine. He inappropriately touches Christine and threatens to convict them.  As if the previous scene is not intense enough, later in the movie, Christine and Officer John Ryan meet again. 

Christine is turned over inside of her car that has just crashed. Gasoline is leaking from her vehicle.  The officer on the scene to save her, is who in the past, had molested her. She shrieks in fear and immediately knows who he is. She cries for anyone but him. He ends up cutting her seat belt and saving her life, moments before the car blows up. The scene is extremely intense, and makes me teary-eyed every time.  It really does make you think. This man recently molested Christine, and the next thing you know, he’s rescuing her from dying. It reinforces the interpretive approach in that predicting behavior is not a goal. 

“Crash” is rich with culture and stereotypes. Every situation is interlinked and has a background story, a lot like real people in real life. I feel like it is a definite classic and can be watched over and over again and each time something new can be noticed. I knew as soon as I saw the title listed for this assignment, without a doubt it was the best choice for me to write about.

                 

References

Crash. Dir. Paul Haggis. Perf. Sandra Bullock and Don Cheadle. Lions Gate Films, 2005.

     Netflix.com. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://movies.netflix.com/WiPlayer?movieid=70023961&     
     trkid=1464504&locale=en-US>.

Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2012). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed.). 
     Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

CAPS #2

     Well I'm supposed to write about three cultural patterns that I see while watching a movie. Ok well where do I start, because in "A Time to Kill" there are so many. We have racism, we have ethnicity (or what those characters believe to be so) and then we have the old "a woman is less than a man" cliche.
      The whole movie is about racism, but there are specific parts that demonstrate it a little more than others. Parts like when lawyer "Jake Brigance's" window had a rock thrown through it with a note calling him a "niggar lover" or most importantly the reason for the whole movie, the rape of "Carl Lee Hailey's" adolescent daughter, simply because she was a little black girl. I might be a little off with this next part but this is how I see it. I believe that there is a little bit of what I see as ethnicity in what the movie shows through a KKK clan. These men are shown throughout the movie in there different meetings and plots against "Mr. Brigance and his team. I see them as an ethnic group because they believe themselves to be its own culture of people. Last but certainly not least we have "men versus women". Mr. Brigance first demonstrates this when he declines "Ms. Ellen Roark's" help stating that he can handle it but ask his friend "Mr. Harry Vonner" for his help.
     Ok so with all of this being said, how does it all tie into intercultural communication, well let's start with racism, which is the most obvious one. This dates back to the times of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Although its not as evident it's still there. People just don't know how to relate to each other without seeing a skin color and that causes problems. I believe that the Klu Klux Klan is a part of intercultural communication because I believe that this group believes itself to be its own culture. To them there is nothing to talk about as far as they are concerned. What they say and how they do things is the absolute right thing to say or do. Now we get to the men versus women. Men have always seen women inferior to them and "A Time to Kill" only mimics those thoughts. Men have always felt like women are here to compliment them so what would be the need to talk about anything. Well these are my thoughts and words about intercultural communication and how it is shown in "A Time to Kill".

Sueverkruepp - CAPS #2

As I was initially reading the outline for the second assignment, I was overcome with joy, knowing that I had an excuse to make room in my schedule to re-watch one of my favorite movies, Slumdog Millionaire.  However, this time, I appreciated the opportunity to analyze the depth of the characters and their cultural traits from the interpretive approach.  Applying textbook knowledge to real-life (or based on real-life) scenarios helps one to really see why intercultural communication is so important to understand in society today.  The interpretive approach aims to help one understand and describe human behavior based on three main assumptions: human behavior is subjective, it is creative rather than predicted, and culture is created and maintained through communication.  (Martin & Nakayama, 2012, p. 60)

The story of Slumdog Millionaire begins with the protagonist Jamal, competing on India's version of the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire.  Long story short, as Jamal reaches the 20 million rupees (one million dollar) question, he is taken away by police, because they believe that a boy from the slums like him would not ever be able to get so far without an education.  The story progresses with flashbacks from Jamal's life, that describes how Jamal had learned each answer.  As a child, Jamal's mother was killed in the Bombay riots, which forced him and his brother Salim to flee for safety.  Jamal, Salim, and their new friend Latika are taken in by a group of gangers that make them work as street beggers.  They quickly learn that many of the children are blinded by the gangsters to appear more less fortunate to make more money.  The three attempt to escape, but Latika is recaptured, and forced to work as a prostitute over the next few years, before Salim and Jamal save her.  When the boys are older, Salim decides to go and work for a drug lord, and forces Jamal to leave him and Latika alone.  As they grow into adults, Jamal finds himself working at a call center, and wants nothing but to reunite with Latika (whom he loves) and his brother.  He is able to reunite with Salim, but not Latika, who is again captured by Salim and his group of gangsters.  Jamal then comes up with his idea to go on the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show to attract the attention of Latika.  Salim lets Latika go (a decision he makes without consent of his drug lord partners) and after years of being apart, they finally get to be with one another.

• Class is one of the major intercultural differences in the movie.  Jamal's time spent at the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire signifies the brash differences between the communication of the rich versus the poor.  The show's rich producers are dumbfounded that someone like Jamal could reach the top in the show, and assume that he is cheating despite no signs.  He couldn't be a genius they believe, he's from the slums!  The game show illustration lines up with the interpretive approach's belief that human behavior is creative rather than predicted.  If Jamal had followed the basic of idea of someone from the slums, there would be no way he would have gotten past the first question.  It was destiny for him.  

• Gender is an intercultural difference in the movie.  Latika is the main female character in the movie (of few women to begin with) and her character as a women is viewed as "secondary" or "minimal" to many of them men in the film.  Women are not viewed as having much worth, other than for their sexuality, which she is exploited of while she worked as a kidnapped prostitute.  Although she is quiet and humble, she is still strong, reinforcing that human behavior is subjective.  

• Slumdog Millionaire also highlights the cultural ethnicity in the movie.  Much of the movie shows drastic scenes of poverty (especially while they are children) and what the Indian children choose to do to maintain a sense of who they are.  Music is a release for them.  As Jamal, Salim, and Latika turn into adults, they gradually see what money can do, and for some it is good, and for some, it is evil.  But through it all, their love for one another (between Jamal and Salim, and Jamal and Lakita) is able to reunite them as a common unit.  

Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2010).  Intercultural communication in contexts (5th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.

Boyle, D.(Director). (2008) Slumdog Millionaire [Motion Picture]

Interpreting "The Spanish Apartment"

            Though this sounds like a tremendous generalization, I’m fairly certain that anyone who has ventured into a foreign country has engaged in some sort of interaction that might qualify as an interpretive approach—assuming said traveler did not quarantine his or herself inside the hotel room for the duration of the stay. Even without the goal of understanding communication, we automatically begin to learn about cultural identities and patterns the moment we start conversing with individuals whose life experiences differ dramatically from our own. Not only does the interpretive method provide intimate details from respondents’ experiences, but it’s also the method most likely to result in friendships as a byproduct of the communication (Martin and Nakayama 61). For this reason, I was thrilled to learn we’ll be adopting this approach in our semester projects for cultural observation.

            To reinforce the notion of interpretive study, I chose to re-examine a favorite film of mine, L'Auberge espagnole, or “The Spanish Apartment.” This adorable comedy follows the story of Xavier, a young French man who travels to Barcelona, Spain to work as a prerequisite for a prestigious job in France. The roomies he acquires have ventured from countries as distant as Germany, England, Italy, Andalusia, France and the US for various purposes, and as a result, the movie contains dialogue in a handful of languages. Thank goodness there’s subtitles! 

            In any event, the movie presents a wonderful image of intercultural interaction and the mishaps that occur when communication is misunderstood. The three cultural identity patterns I’d like to discuss are as follows:

            1. Ethnic identity:

Martin and Nakayama note that ethnic identity refers to both “ideas about one’s own ethnic group” and “a sense of belonging to a particular group” (192). As the film’s actors represent a handful of different regions and ethnicities, ethnic identity plays a key role in the presentation and dynamics of the characters. Each of the roomies self-identifies with their particular region and cultural group—especially when it comes to language, so there are some unique challenges posed in their communication. For instance, answering the telephone becomes hilariously difficult. In the following clip, Wendy, and English writer, attempts to answer the phone for Xavier. Notice the translations of messages posted by the phone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCGuwifAgDE&feature=related

            2. Sexual identity:

The students who occupy the Spanish apartment are all unmarried and relatively young. These conditions prompt various relationships and affairs to spring up, which implicitly incorporates notions of sexual identity. The fact that the sexuality of the characters is fluid and a non-issue conveys the message that labeling one’s sexuality is less important than pursuing relationships that make us happy. In the following clip, Wendy’s boyfriend, Alister, surprises her with a visit, which is problematic because she’s currently entangled with her American lover. This scene shows the comedic collaboration of the roommates who want to prevent Alister from learning Wendy’s secret. Their solution is to allow Alister think that the American is Wendy’s brother’s lover…despite the fact that the brother is incredibly heterosexual. I apologize for the length of the clip, so feel free to skip around to speed things up.

                        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwDfJjsb4z0&feature=relmfu

            3. Gender Identity:

Xavier’s experience in the apartment is as much about personal growth as it is about gaining professional experience. One of the ways in which Xavier matures is through gender identity. Prior to moving in, Xavier is shown to be a womanizer of sorts, but his mentality shifts dramatically after befriending Isabelle, a Belgian lesbian who expresses her distaste for society’s imposition of femininity. Through their interactions, Xavier learns to embrace a more feminine approach, abandoning his crass, overconfident attitude. In one particular scene, Isabelle instructs Xavier on how to seduce a woman, emphasizing gentle, passive tactics.

I chose this movie because it shows informal examples of interpretive action going on as the roommates learn about each other. One of the key aspects of the interpretive approach is that culture is created through communication.  In this movie, that’s certainly the case. A group of strangers who represent different ethnicities and languages collectively create a new culture within the apartment—one that embraces the differences among the friends and allows friendships to flourish. The interpretive approach, then, allows observers to witness firsthand the sheer complexity of intercultural communication. The limitations of this approach, however, become evident if the observer does not integrate his or herself into the culture or if the researcher does not take into account his or her own personal biases (Martin and Nakayama 66). In the context of L'Auberge espagnole, communication would have been hindered and friendships would not have developed had any of the roommates failed to integrate themselves into the international culture by, say, closing themselves off from the rest of the group.

In conclusion, the interpretive approach seems to me the most plausible for studying intercultural communication. I’m now even more excited to get going on our cultural observation projects.



Sources:
Klapish, Cédric, dir. L'Auberge Espagnole. 2002. DVD.
Martin, J.N, & Nakayama, T.K. (2009). Intercultural Communication in Contexts, (5th edition). 

Interpretive Appraoch Gatson

The movie “A Time to Kill” is a family favorite.  I’m not sure if that is normal or not but nonetheless we love it and I was excited to watch for homework!  In the movie Jake Brigance a.k.a Matthew McConaughey us a white lawyer in Clanton Mississippi who takes on a high tension case involving a lower class black man Carl Lee Hailey played by Samuel L. Jackson who is on trial for killing two white men who raped his 10 year old daughter.  “A Time to Kill” is an amazing movie to use to Interpretive Approach on.  It deals with a lot of cultural patterns such as race, gender, etc, and it also shows how culture is created through communication.

Race is the biggest issue in this film, without it the plot is lost entirely.  The people in Clanton have very subjective views for each other and they let that dictate justice.   Clanton is a very racist town where whites stick with whites and blacks stick with blacks and pretty much try and avoid whites.  After Carl Lee Hailey kills his daughter’s rapists it seems as though it will be next to impossible to get a lawyer not only because he murdered the men in front of hundreds of people, but because he was black.  When an unlikely Jake Brigance comes to Hailey’s defense the town is in a racial uproar.  The men that Hailey murdered happened to be member of the KKK.  This puts Jake Brigance in a dangerous spot because the KKK wants to scare him off the case, throughout the film he is under current threat of being killed.

Sandra Bullock plays Ellen Roark, who is Jake Brigance’s unofficial assistant.  She is a tough character who is well educated and comes from an upper class family. Though she is well rounded and strong the fact that she is a woman is a big issue for some of the men in the town.  Some of them think that just because she is a woman she is sleeping with Brigance, inadequate, and easy to intimidate.  All of their assumptions are false and heavily based on her gender.

The KKK is the ever prominent and looming threat that sticks through the whole movie.  You can really see how communication shapes culture by examining the generations that were consistently taught how to hate other races.  This kept the KKK alive and thriving in the town, which jaded everyone else’s views towards the blacks, which is why there was so much controversy and so many threats throughout the trial.

In conclusion I think that the Interpretive Approach proved very useful for this assignment and in analyzing “A Time to Kill” because cultural patterns are learned through communication and they are subjective.  It helps you get a better understanding of groups like the KKK and racism.  

This clip is the best part of the movie where Matthew McConaughey gives his closing argument.

Grisham, J. (Producer), & Schumaucher, J. (Director). (1996). A Time To Kill  [Motion picture]. United States: Warner Bros.