Gran Torino Character Traits

The award-winning author, Luis Alberto Urrea, creator of The Hummingbird's Daughter, Into the Beautiful North, and The Devil's Highway, describes The Devil’s Highway which occurred in May of 2001, one of many that impacted the desert on undocumented immigrants. which is a desert located beyond Sonora, Mexico. It is a desert which few turn to in able to cross over. A group of illegal Mexican were left for dead after attempting to cross; they were left stranded after traveling for days in the wrong direction, through mountains, desert and only a small amount of water along with a few personal items. The Devil’s Highway name was set out to one’s belief “bad medicine” (5). Even though the desert is an obstacle itself, there are still other physical

Finally, one of the most important moral values a human being can possess is selflessness. It is when a person puts someone else’s needs before their own. In Gran Torino, one of the most heartfelt and saddest moments was when Walt sacrificed his life for Thao and the neighbourhood. He knew that if Thao went after his

Tony, Wes's older brother, serves as his primary role model throughout his life. As a child, Wes looks up to the Tony, who holds his own street corner and sells drugs. "To Wes, Tony was a 'certified gangsta.' Tony had started dealing drugs... before he was ten. By the time he was fourteen, Tony had built a fierce reputation in the neighborhood. Despite his skinny frame and a baby face, his eyes were lifeless and hooded, without a spark of optimism" (27). All Wes wants is to be like Tony. He looks up to his older brother and is incapable of seeing his flaws with the drug dealing and violence in his life. By the time Tony is a teenager, the drug game has made him "lifeless". Wes decides to look up to this lifeless figure, even though Tony has barely any hope for his future. Wes respects Tony's "fierce reputation". Tony, instead of working hard to gain his respect, intimidates and threatens others for it. Wes is taught that this is the only way to gain respect, because there is no one else in his life who shows him the right

Francis Ford Coppola’s gangster movie, “ The Godfather”, examines two views of the condemnation of the American dream and America, through the eyes of father and son through many specific aspects of drugs, conflicting views, and balance.

Edmonson, J. (2009). Let's be clear: How to manage communication styles. T & D, 63(9), 30-31.

One of the greatest films and novels of all time, The Godfather by Mario Puzo is the book that I chose to write my report about. This book falls under the drama and crime fiction genres, due to its dramatic story of people being shot and murdered. The Godfather takes place in New York during the years 1945-1955, right after World War II. Most of the story is written from a narrator 's perspective, save for two points in the book in which the story becomes a first person point of view. One of the themes portrayed in the novel is that family always comes first, even if it isn’t a blood-related family, but a crime family. The novel’s theme is primarily that of loyalty, which is a crucial plot device because some of the Corleone family

“As an initiation, Thao is asked to steal Walt’s prized 1972 Ford Gran Torino. He botches the attempt, as Walt, rather stumblingly, chases his out of his garage with his M1 rifle. Later, Thao’s sister, Sue (Ahney Her) is set upon by some stereotypically predatory young black man and Walt, brandishing a pistol, rescues her.

“The Godfather Part II” is the second movie in the Godfather trilogy, and mentioned as one of the best movies of all time. Is this a fair criticism of the movie? Well, the only way to find out is to dissect a movie and what makes it great. A movie can be critiqued in a variety of ways, but one of the main criticisms is how the visuals explain the story, and bring it to life. The story of a movie, and how it flows, is the pivotal component that draws viewers in and keeps their interest. With movies, one effective way to critique a movie is to observe the believability, and impact of the acting. Film is a visual media, this is a known fact, however, fitting music can contribute to setting the mood, and tone of a movie. What most makes a movie worth watching is the story, and how it is laid out throughout.

The old saying, “Behind every great man is a great woman,” is true in the case of Michael Corleone, the son of Don Vito Corleone of The Godfather. The film focuses on the story of Michael and how he changes from a respectable, educated Marine to the ringleader of his father’s mafia business. In between the drastic turn of events, Michael has two love interests, both of which have a large, yet quiet, impact on his life.

"Gran Torino" tackles racism head on. Although the main character Walt Kowalski, played by Clint Eastwood, is prejudiced against almost everyone, the film focuses on an Asian neighborhood, uncovering racism and violence. The neighborhood has gone down hill since it has become immigrant-dominated. The house next door is now owned by a Hmong family, a widespread South-east Asian minority, and Walt does not trouble to distinguish them from the Koreans he fought in the 1950s. Throughout the film, we learn Walt had to kill many Koreans as part as his duty as a soldier during that period of time. The film takes a twist when the bitter old war veteran's life takes an unexpected turn after Thao, a shy, teenage boy who lives next door to Walt is bullied by his

‘Gran Torino’ is a film directed by Clint Eastwood who also plays the main character, Walt Kowalski. The film is set in Detroit, Michigan where a car manufacturing factory has just closed, therefore, former workers moving away and immigrants such as the Hmong people moving in. Walt is a veteran of the Korean war where he won the silver star medal in 1952. The penultimate scene is the climax of the film where Walt confronts the Hmong gang, this holds a lot of significance. The gang has been hassling Thao who Walt has taken under his wing.

For example, Kennedy the construction supervisor asks Walt when he can have “the keys” to his Gran Torino, and looks down on Thao for getting a lift. Without a car, Thao is dependent and still a boy. When Walt lends him the Gran Torino to take Youa on a date, he is giving Thao independence and the possibility of a girlfriend. Furthermore, the Gran Torino represents being a genuine American man. Walt built the car when he worked for Ford, and despises the “Jap-burners” that his son Mitch drives around in and sells. Likewise, Spider (an ‘anti-citizen’) drives a white Honda in every scene he appears in, except the last one. When Walt leaves the Gran Torino to Thao in his will, he is giving him more than a car. He is giving him a reward for work, a source of prestige, independence, and an American identity. The closing scene of the film shows Thao driving the car down an esplanade, a young man with a future, and hope.

Q. What kind of man is Walt Kowalski? Examine character development throughout the film Gran Torino?

THE GODFATHER, made in 1974, details the Corleone crime family in Manhattan during the mid 1930s. The Don, Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, leads his organization against a relentless narcotics push by a rival family, the Sollozzos. Vito Caleone does not want anything to do with drugs because he believes they will be the downfall of the Mafia. The story, covering a ten year time period, offers a rich tapestry of Mafia life from the inside, drawing the audience into witnessing the transfer of power within a close-knit family

In the novel Driving Miss Daisy, by Alfred Uhry, Daisy Werthan is forced to deal with a sudden change to her normal lifestyle, which is a significant struggle for her considering she is a very stubborn traditional woman. After wrecking her car, Miss Daisy is forced to have her own personal driver who is hired by her son, Boolie. Throughout the novel, Miss Daisy and her driver, Hoke Colburn, develop a strong friendship. Throughout the novel, Daisy Werthan experiences an evolution of her character. She changes in many ways throughout the novel and reveals herself as a kind woman, especially towards Hoke, who was originally a threat to her stable and independent life. Miss Daisy eventually begins to accept help from Hoke throughout the novel, however she still remains independent and does not accept assistance graciously. Although Miss Daisy undergoes change in the novel she remains the same in some aspects of her personality and character. Miss Daisy remains set in her ways and doesn’t want her life to change, she is a bossy individual and she remains an independent woman who will rarely accept help from anyone except Hoke.