(no subject)
Student Number
Date
Video Assignment #
1. Movie Title: Rainman
2. Producer: Peter Guber/ Jon Peters
3. Era of Story Line: 1988
4. What handicap and/or disability stereotypes are portrayed?
In the movie Rainman, there is one predominate disability portrayed. That disability is autism, which the title character, Raymond Babbit, has. Dustin Hoffman does an excellent job in portraying the disability, and as such, there are few sterotypes portrayed. One is that they make it appear that all people suffering from autism have to have a set schedule of events, and can not miss any part of these events. For instance, Raymond has to watch Judge Wopner, and in the film, he also has a set day that he eats Fish Sticks. He also follows a very strict time that he goes to bed. I also feel that the way that Raymond walks is a sterotype on the disability. This is not to say though, that some people with autism show these traits. Indeed, there are many within the autism spectrum that have a strong sense of repitition, and ritualistic motor behaviors.
5. What assumptions does the movie make about the exceptionality portrayed? How
realistic is it?
A major assumption that the movie makes concerning the exceptionality portrayed is that all people with autism are savants. That is, they all possess an amazing ability to do something beyond a normal persons ability. For instance, many savants are extrordinary musicians, some have amazing memories etc. In Rainmans case, Raymond has the ability to do large math equations in his head. He is extremely good with numbers and computing them.
6. What assumptions does the movie make about families?
A major assumption the movie makes about families is that if they have an autistic child, they end up putting that child in a home. Raymond was put into an assisted living home as a teenager or young adult. In real life, this is not necessarily the case. Many families keep their child with them well into adulthood. Many people with autism stay with their families for their entire lives.
7. What assumptions does the movie make about education?
I think that an assumption made about education in this movie is that parents will send their child away for education. Raymond was not mainstreamed, his parents rather sent him to a school for kids with autism. This is not really the case in real life. It made it appear that his parents did not care enough about his to take care of him by themselves.
8. Do ethnicity factors or cultural values play a part in this story? Explain.
For this movie, I feel that cultural values play a large part. Charlie and Raymond come from a very wealthy family, and back in the time when they were growing up, and well to do family with an autistic child would be looked down upon. They might be looked upon as inferior, as was the idea at the time. With Raymond being born, his parents may very well have been "forced" top put him into that home to save face among their upperclase elite friends.
9. Which character do you especially relate to? Why?
I felt that I especially connected with Valeria Golina's character. She portrays the girlfriend of Tom Cruise's character. The reason why I picked her is becuase she is instantly accepting of Raymond as a person, regardless of his disability. I feel that I am the same way, and dont look at a person based off of just what affiliction they may have.
10. How has your character changed by the end of the story?
Tom Cruise's character has changed dramatically by the end of the film. In the beginning, He was not accepting of his brother, especially since Raymond got the bulk of their fathers money in his will. After spending time with his brother though, Charlie realizes that he loves him, and is very accepting. He is so accepting that he even requests to be the soul care-taker of Raymond. He is not granted this request, but it shows that Charlie by the end of the film is looking at Ray as a person that he loves now.
11. As a special educator, how would you advise one of the characters? What is your
scholarly basis for this advice? (Cite your text.)
For me, I would advise Raymonds brother Charlie, on how best to interact with his brother. I would let him know that many people with autism can become very upset with a break in their normal routine. (pg 407 5th paragraph) This being the case, I would let Charlie know that it is best to continue with Raymonds normal routine, and do his best not to break from what Ray considers the norm.
12. What did you learn from this film?
I learned some new thing from watching the film Rain Man. I learned that with autism, there is no unified ideas holding true to the study of the disorder. No one really knows why certain things afflict people, and not others. I learned that it is possible to be a savant, which is an amazing thing. The ability to be able to count that Raymond possess' is amazing, and it is even more amazing to think that there are people with that ability in real life. It is interesting to note that the character of Raymond was based an a real man, Kim Peek.
13. Will you recommend this film to others? Why?
I would definitely recommend this film to other people. It is an excellent film, and all the actors are pheonomanal. I really liked this movie very much, and think that it does a very excellent representation of autism. It showed that they are a people just like everyone else. And it won the best picture oscar for the year it came out as well. A peice of cinema history.
14. What new insight did you develop as a result of your group discussion? (To be hand
written after the group discussion.)
Date
Video Assignment #
1. Movie Title: Rainman
2. Producer: Peter Guber/ Jon Peters
3. Era of Story Line: 1988
4. What handicap and/or disability stereotypes are portrayed?
In the movie Rainman, there is one predominate disability portrayed. That disability is autism, which the title character, Raymond Babbit, has. Dustin Hoffman does an excellent job in portraying the disability, and as such, there are few sterotypes portrayed. One is that they make it appear that all people suffering from autism have to have a set schedule of events, and can not miss any part of these events. For instance, Raymond has to watch Judge Wopner, and in the film, he also has a set day that he eats Fish Sticks. He also follows a very strict time that he goes to bed. I also feel that the way that Raymond walks is a sterotype on the disability. This is not to say though, that some people with autism show these traits. Indeed, there are many within the autism spectrum that have a strong sense of repitition, and ritualistic motor behaviors.
5. What assumptions does the movie make about the exceptionality portrayed? How
realistic is it?
A major assumption that the movie makes concerning the exceptionality portrayed is that all people with autism are savants. That is, they all possess an amazing ability to do something beyond a normal persons ability. For instance, many savants are extrordinary musicians, some have amazing memories etc. In Rainmans case, Raymond has the ability to do large math equations in his head. He is extremely good with numbers and computing them.
6. What assumptions does the movie make about families?
A major assumption the movie makes about families is that if they have an autistic child, they end up putting that child in a home. Raymond was put into an assisted living home as a teenager or young adult. In real life, this is not necessarily the case. Many families keep their child with them well into adulthood. Many people with autism stay with their families for their entire lives.
7. What assumptions does the movie make about education?
I think that an assumption made about education in this movie is that parents will send their child away for education. Raymond was not mainstreamed, his parents rather sent him to a school for kids with autism. This is not really the case in real life. It made it appear that his parents did not care enough about his to take care of him by themselves.
8. Do ethnicity factors or cultural values play a part in this story? Explain.
For this movie, I feel that cultural values play a large part. Charlie and Raymond come from a very wealthy family, and back in the time when they were growing up, and well to do family with an autistic child would be looked down upon. They might be looked upon as inferior, as was the idea at the time. With Raymond being born, his parents may very well have been "forced" top put him into that home to save face among their upperclase elite friends.
9. Which character do you especially relate to? Why?
I felt that I especially connected with Valeria Golina's character. She portrays the girlfriend of Tom Cruise's character. The reason why I picked her is becuase she is instantly accepting of Raymond as a person, regardless of his disability. I feel that I am the same way, and dont look at a person based off of just what affiliction they may have.
10. How has your character changed by the end of the story?
Tom Cruise's character has changed dramatically by the end of the film. In the beginning, He was not accepting of his brother, especially since Raymond got the bulk of their fathers money in his will. After spending time with his brother though, Charlie realizes that he loves him, and is very accepting. He is so accepting that he even requests to be the soul care-taker of Raymond. He is not granted this request, but it shows that Charlie by the end of the film is looking at Ray as a person that he loves now.
11. As a special educator, how would you advise one of the characters? What is your
scholarly basis for this advice? (Cite your text.)
For me, I would advise Raymonds brother Charlie, on how best to interact with his brother. I would let him know that many people with autism can become very upset with a break in their normal routine. (pg 407 5th paragraph) This being the case, I would let Charlie know that it is best to continue with Raymonds normal routine, and do his best not to break from what Ray considers the norm.
12. What did you learn from this film?
I learned some new thing from watching the film Rain Man. I learned that with autism, there is no unified ideas holding true to the study of the disorder. No one really knows why certain things afflict people, and not others. I learned that it is possible to be a savant, which is an amazing thing. The ability to be able to count that Raymond possess' is amazing, and it is even more amazing to think that there are people with that ability in real life. It is interesting to note that the character of Raymond was based an a real man, Kim Peek.
13. Will you recommend this film to others? Why?
I would definitely recommend this film to other people. It is an excellent film, and all the actors are pheonomanal. I really liked this movie very much, and think that it does a very excellent representation of autism. It showed that they are a people just like everyone else. And it won the best picture oscar for the year it came out as well. A peice of cinema history.
14. What new insight did you develop as a result of your group discussion? (To be hand
written after the group discussion.)