The movie “Gran Torino” involved a lot of ideas from class that we talked about. 1 . Respect is displayed in the movie a lot as Walt is a highly respected war vet. 2. Respect is also displayed when Walt changes his views and begins to respect his neighbors. 3. There are several gangs in the movie. These include Asian or Hmong, Mexican and Black gangs 4. Where there are gangs, there will also be gang violence. This is displayed though when the gang shoots up Teo’s house 5. Another example of gang violence is when the Hmong gang beats and rapes Su, Teo’s sister 6.
The last xample of gang violence is when the gang shoots and kills Walt. Walt did this to send them to Jail so Teo and his Family 7. Race plays a big factor in this movie because in the beginning of the movie Walt is a bigot, and the gangs are split up by race 8. Poverty plays a big part in gangs and Juvenile Justice. Its demonstrated by how kids have nowhere to turn but gangs and Teo displays this early in the movie by being messed with by other gangs and getting sucked into gang activity. 9.
Every gang has initiations it is their way of seeing that new members, who are usually uveniles, are dedicated and good enough to Join their gang. Teo’s initiation is stealing Walt’s car. 10. Walt begins to mentor Teo. He teachers him the value of hardwork and then gets him a Job. This kept Teo off the street and away from the gang. 11. Sacrifice is shown when Walt gives his own life to put the gang in Jail and save his own neighbors 12. In a way reform is also shown. This was shown by Walt taking Teo under his wing and making sure he doesn’t turn to the gang. 13.
Another concept from the movie that I found to relate to this class is the vicious pursuit the ang takes to recruit Teo to Join them. Without Walt, Teo would have ultimately Joined the gang. 14. Another concept is how even the best kids can be tainted to do bad things. Though, Teo is a great kid, He is persuaded to steal Walt’s car. 15. I also believed Walt played sort of a vigilante role in the movie. He often took matters into his own hands to save his neighbors from harm. 16. I also saw how every gang we saw in the movie was all male and of a different race. There were no female members at all 17.
Another concept I gathered from the movie is that military or ilitary like camps could do a lot for kids to turn them from gangs and give them a sense of brother. You can see this because Walt is very respected from being a war vet 18. Teo also shows that with a little help from people, kids can be turned away from gangs. 19. Delinquency is also displayed by the gang and Teo, The gang commits acts of violence and Teo tries to steal Walt’s Gran Torino 20. The strain theory is also present because the hardships of the neighbor have forced kids to the gang to feel a sense of worth. Gran Torino By J_Plerce
