A Dry White Season
According to the New Webster's Dictionary of the English Language, the word naive means, having or displaying a simple or trusting nature; lacking experience; lacking careful judgement or analysis; unsophisticated; credulous. In modern times the word is stereotypically used to refer to adolescence who think and feel that they know everything there is to know, yet lack the experiences to support their ideas. However in the film A Dry White Season Ben du Toit, a teacher at one of the finest schools in Johannesburg, is a victim of his own naivete. In the beginning parts of the film Gordon Ngubene, gardener for the du Toit's, shows Ben the whip marks on his son's rear. This scene takes place in the du Toit's garage where Ben and his son, Johan, are working. Gordon rushes in with his son, Jonathan, and shows Ben the whip marks. Ben, thinking that there must have been a valid reason for this, shrugs off the remarks by saying, "They [police] must have had a reason...There's nothing to be done." The government, who has successfully hidden the brutality towards the Africans, has blinded Ben du Toit and
the other Europeans from the harshness against the African's. The location of this scene is important because it shows that flashes of equality do exist between the whites and blacks. Gordon is able to walk into any part of the du Toit's house, in this scene it's the garage, without feeling like he is interrupting something. The director uses many rapid cuts between Jonathan, Gordon, and Ben to show the different reactions between the two "parties," after Gordon has revealed his news. Ben du Toit does not seem to be worried about this whole situation, however Gordon fears for his son, and says, "I worry about the wounds in his heart." In a similar scene, which takes place in Ben du Toit's yard, Ben asks Gordon where he has been. Taking a while to respond, Gordon Ngubene said he was looking for his missing son. Later on in the school lounge, Ben finds out that Gordon's son is dead. Again, Ben believes that the police department must have had genuine reason. After all, thousands of Africans were shown being gunned down, after protesting that the government should not force the children to learn Afrikaans. Ben confronts
Some common words found in the essay are:
Ben Soweto's, English Language, Toit Europeans, Gordon Ben, Jonathan Ben, Ben Gordon's, Season Ben, Toit's Ben, Gordon There's, South Africa, ben du, du toit's, ben du toit, du toit, dry white season, whip marks, ben whip, dry white, scene takes, gordon ngubene, ben du toit's, white season, ben whip marks,
Approximate Word count = 766
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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