Lean On Me...

At first, this movie seemed to be one of those movies that I would not really watch even if I have the free time. The reasons are it is kind of old, the colour was not so clear and it is just not my type of movie. But to watch beyond all those reason is what the real deal is. As for the entertainment value, this movie should be in the list because it has all the elements that an entertaining movie has to have. Comedy, suspense, drama, all these can be witnessed in the movie. As it the setting takes place in a suburban area, the students in the school are mostly African-Americans and some of them are South Americans. Their slang is one of the entertainments in this movie. Moreover, the incidents that happen in the movie serve as the fun lesson for the audience as it makes them laugh and think at the same time. This is how an entertaining movie should be.

Personally, I feel that this movie is a little bit exaggerated. I do not know the real situation in that country or specifically, that part of the state. But, I was taken by surprise to see the condition of the school. It really reminds me of how it will be when I go to school and start my career as a teacher. For me, first impression is always important. If the first school that I’m going to teach will be in that condition, then, I should see my way out of this noble profession soon because I could not take it even when I watch it in the movie. You can always control what happens in the movie but when it comes to reality, you cannot predict what will happen. That is why watching the movie really scares me.

Principal Clark acted by Morgan Freeman is really the concrete pillar that holds the movie together. He is the boss and he acts like one. His best weapons are his self-composure and the persuasive speech that one can never avoid. He constantly pushes his staffs and everyone has to work their sweat off. It really looks harsh but at the end, the result is something that no one had expected. The school passed the Basic Skill Test and that is all Principal Clark needed. He really reminds me of my Secondary school principal, Tuan Haji Farid. If Morgan Freeman’s power is his speech, Tuan Hj Farid’s power is silence. Whenever he passes by the classes, students will even try not to breath. When he gives speech, it seems to be normal, but to think of it now, I can see the dedication and the hopes that he has for the students and the school’s achievement. The fear that we had for him made us go all out and it made our school one of the best performing school in state of Pahang academically and also in co-curricular activities. He is truly one of the best Principal that I have seen.

What I have learnt from this movie is that, at times, to fight terrorism, we need to be one of them. That is what Principal Clark has done. He did not give mercy to any of the problematic students until they realize their mistakes and come asking for a second chance. But that does not mean that I can constantly push everyone around me to do the work that I wanted. I learnt to press the right button at the right time. I also understand the power of persuasion. Speeches given by Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi prove to be the best examples, these people are my inspiration and I will adapt their skills so that I can persuade my students as well. Of course, even if not the whole school, I will try my best to change at least a bunch of students. This goes into my to-do list when I start my career as a teacher and I will make sure that my students will remember me as I remember the teachers that made me change my life.

Lean On Me Lyrics

Songwriter: Bill Withers

Sometimes in our lives
We all have pain
We all have sorrow
But if we are wise
We know that there's always tommorow

Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

Please swallow your pride
If I have things you need to borrow
For no one can fill those of your needs
That you won't let show

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand (Chorus)
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

Second Verse
Lean on me, when you're not strong
And I'll be your friend
I'll help you carry on
For it won't be long
'Til I'm gonna need
Somebody to lean on

You just call on me brother, when you need a hand (Chorus)
We all need somebody to lean on
I just might have a problem that you'd understand
We all need somebody to lean on

If there is a load you need to bear
That you can't carry
I'm right up the road
I'll share your load
If you just call me

Call me (if you need a friend)
Call me (Call me)
Call me (if you need a friend)
Call me (if you ever need a friend)
Call me (Call me)
Call me
Call me (if you need a friend)

Lean On Me Lyrics © Interior Music Corp



 

Bad is better than worse

There are so many cases of dumped babies nowadays. There could be so many reasons for it but there is only one life is affected, the innocent baby. it is very saddening to see it happening around us. There is no value for a human life and the evidences are everywhere. If killing the baby after its born is a sin, then killing it while it’s in the womb is not less than that. Youngsters, they tend to rush into things and does not have the courage to be responsible of their own deeds. Yes, pre-marital sex is culturally and morally wrong. But when it happens, we should see what the consequences are and be responsible of it. If the girl gets pregnant, aborting baby is not the best solution. As a matter of fact, we should not even consider it as an option. There are other ways to deal with it.

In the story of “Great Injustice”, Ah Nya commits the same mistake. But Steven is not willing to take the responsibility for it. As Ah Nya takes the decision to abort the baby, she blames it on the society for her action. It is true that the society provoked her but that is what they do all the time. She should have been able to stand tall against all the talking and gossips because she is the reason why they were talking such things. Her mother, her greatest strength had agreed to help her and take care of the baby. But she still went for the abortion. This shows that she herself does not have the confidence to be responsible for her mistake.

On the other hand, Lakshmi from the story “Merry Maid” took a better solution compared to Ah Nya. Lakshmi is also a victim of situation when she has pre-marital sex and gets pregnant. But she does not think about abortion at all. She chooses to abandon the baby in anyone’s house so that the baby will have a better future. She even chooses the best house so that her baby will live a better life. After a few years, she comes back to the house and work as a maid so that she could stay with her daughter as much as she wants. This shows her love towards her baby.

It is clearly shown that there are other ways to help children born out of wedlock. Abortion is not the only way. There are so many NGOs and even government organization to help people who are facing this situation. It can be justified that Ah Nya did it out of her motherly love yet she does not has the right to take away a life. So, that is why I feel, giving the child away is better than killing it.

Good turns bad

One of the issues that always stir up the Indian community is the dowry system. Even though years have passed since the Indians came to Malaysia, some of the culture still remains as it is being passed through generations. It is the inheritance that will never go missing. As such is the dowry system. To be truthful, it is not a bad culture. The real purpose of dowry is actually an emergency fund set up by the father or the brother of the bride. It functions as a sum of money to help the bride in case of abandonment or the death of the husband. But now, if the bride does not provide enough dowries, it becomes a cause for her death. This is how a good thing turns bad.

This was the case in the stories “Everything’s Arranged” and “Question of Dowry”. First of all, in the story of “Everything’s Arranged”, the dowry system is mistreated for real. When Devanayaki’s parents “assumed” that Devanayaki is in love with Johny, the Chinese boy, they decide to stop Devanayaki’s education in university. But earlier, they have promised to bridegroom’s family that she will be an undergraduate. So, to overcome this problem, they increase the bribery or so called “dowry” 20,000 more as compensation. This is absolutely something that should not happen in the first place. A bride is not a property to be sold and if it is void in any way, people get to sell it in some kind of garage sale or anything like that. This is the kind of mentality of the people who does not consider the heart of a human or more likely when it comes to a young girl.

For the second story “Question of Dowry”,  Sivasothie is clearly treated as a property by both her own family and the bridegroom’s family. Just because Mr.Ramachandran could not pay for the necklace, the marriage is called off. Even the bridegroom did not consider about this and Mrs.Ramachandran acted as though she does not care about anything. No one considered Sivasothie’s feelings. All she had to do is nod her head whenever they want. All this is the consequence of mistreatment of the dowry system.

The examples above are how the dowry system has been mistreated. It all comes down to the tradition that has been followed. There might be some changes made here and there. Yet, in my opinion, the root cause would be the first step of inheriting unnecessary culture.