Marcelo Thematic Inquiry Project by Roxanne Miller

Roman J. Israel, Esq.

roxamill5849 — 2024-10-23 19:09:21 UTC

In "Roman J. Israel, Esq.", a movie by Dan Gilroy, with actor Denzel Washington who plays as a defense attorney whose life gets taken for a turn when his partner suddenly dies and he is offered a job at George Pierce's law firm. Roman is brilliant, but he has problems fitting in because he is socially awkward. Throughout the movie he is faced with certain challenges and obstacles, which puts him in a hard place on how to fit in. He has a legacy of activism and values he holds himself too, however through the movie he is affected by what is around him and starts to lose him values as a part of fitting in. Roman later in the movie makes a choice he should not have legally, which leads to him being in a bind. In the end, he suddenly gets back the bulldog that sat in his partners office before his passing, which leads Roman to really think over what he has done. He starts to get his morals, values, and activism back, however for Roman it was too late. He was worried about trying to belong in this different firm, that he lost who he was which led him to a heartbreaking outcome that he could have avoided if he had just engaged as he would have three weeks earlier. Ultimately, this movie reveals that belonging in the real world takes effort in being yourself and not trying to be something you're not, but also your decisions in trying to belong can lead you down different pathways. I think that Marcelo would really agree with the producer, because he also has huge obstacles he has to overcome and struggles fitting in, however he tried sticking to his morals and not just following everyone else. Marcelo knew when something was not right and stood by the fact that he didn't support it just because everyone else did. He learned how belonging is being comfortable and around people who share your same values , which is how he felt around Jazmin but sadly Roman didn't quite get to hold onto that with Maya.

Moana "How Far I'll Go"

roxamill5849 — 2024-10-23 22:59:00 UTC

In "How Far I'll Go", a song written by Alessia Cara used in this Disney movie to represent how Moana feels about where she is meant to belong. For Moana, the song talks about how she longs to go far into the ocean, which she knows she is not allowed to do. She feels like she belongs to the water and must explore to see how far it leads. However, at the same time she feels like she is wrong for thinking this because she knows everyone else wants nothing to do with the ocean and listens to what they are told. Moana sings, "What is wrong with me?" This makes Moana feel like she can't take pride in wanting to go do what she feels she was made to do. I ultimately believe that this song shows that to belong you need to push boundaries and maybe even change up the way society normally is, however also saying that you do need to be yourself and do what you feel you were made to because that's where you feel you belong. I think Marcelo might disagree with Moana on this one. I don't think Marcelo likes trying to be a part of a new society and change things up. Although Marcelo does adapt, I feel he would rather just stay where he is comfortable. He changes a lot and grows to understand the real world and engage to change what is wrong to make it right like with Itzel, but he would rather be at Patterson with what he feels he belongs with, the ponies.

My Two Headed Monster Friend

roxamill5849 — 2024-10-23 23:52:24 UTC

"Life Inside My Mind", a book made up of 31 authors personal experiences on their personal struggles, one of which is called "My Two Headed Monster Friend" an essay written by Francisco X Stork. Francisco's essay is about his battle with depression and his Bipolar Disorder. The battles he had in his mind made him feel lonely, despite the fact he had people who loved him endlessly. He talks about how he coped with the illness, which was by alcohol, antidepressants and therapy sessions. He also talks about how it affected his life beyond just work but with his family which ultimately led him to get the help he needed. He says he found the right medication and a good dosage that made him able to deal with the other side of him even when he tries to take control. Francisco says "But like a father, I let him know that I'm in charge". At the end of his essay, he discusses how we as a society long for something that just brings us more emptiness. At length, this essay to me is him trying to explain to us that trying to belong somewhere we don't can bring us more baggage in the end and the way he shows how his loneliness affected how he felt trying to belong was an incredible story. I feel as though Marcelo would agree with Francisco. Belonging is not easy but hard and it can bring an effect of lonesome. Marcelo seems as though he likes to be alone but once he makes friends and has good interactions he realizes how much feeling loved can bring an amazing feeling. He has to listen to his own internal music just like Francisco did and find where he didn't feel empty but also didn't feel like he was still searching for something that he didn't actually need. He found right where he needed to be enough for him to not feel like he was different from others.

Thematic Question: Roxanne's Response

roxamill5849 — 2024-10-24 00:03:35 UTC

The pieces I have looked at about belonging all convey to me that to belong you need effort, strong will, and to step out of your comfort zone. However at the same time you need to make sure you're doing it at the right place with the right people. When it comes down to it you need to feel comfortable at where you at and feel like you want to be there because sticking to your values are what makes you who you are. It also made me realize I should be like Marcelo and stick up for what's wrong and try to make it right even if sometimes we feel as though we don't wanna get involved because we don't wanna hurt other people. When it comes to engaging differently, I feel like the pieces I looked at made me think that everyone having their own personality and engaging with the world differently is what makes a person unique but also why people group of into people they share morals with. It made me definitely think more on the fact that I need to listen more to what I feel and think, my own music telling what's right and wrong rather than following a crowd. However, I also can see how Moana thinks about it and how tough it is to try to belong somewhere you feel like you won't ever be able to reach but all you can do is try. I feel through all the pieces I learn more towards Francisco's version because he doesn't sugar coat it and it feels very true to me and matches how I feel. In the end, the pieces I read mad me feel different responses and sway me certain ways but really have made me think more deeply on how I can engage with the world and how to explore belonging or at least try to.

Moana vs. My Two Headed Monster Friend

roxamill5849 — 2024-10-24 18:34:33 UTC

After deeper exploring, Moana's "How Far I'll Go" and Francisco's "My Two Headed Monster Friend" have slowly shown how they have different ideas or feelings about belonging. Moana expresses how she feels like she can reach the ocean and how she can find where she belongs, which makes her feel like she can bring pride to her family and her land. Moana knows how loved and lucky she is and regardless of her wanting more she has a sense that she already belongs, however that's not the same for Francisco. Francisco grew up with a kinda rough childhood, he knew he was loved and he knew he missed things but he felt lonely. He has this sense that he never belonged anywhere and no matter what, he always felt lonely and it was a feeling he couldn't avoid. Unlike Moana who had it easier in finding her place, he had to find harder ways to cope with what he was reaching for. Moana ends up getting to where she belongs and happy, and he does too but in his own way. Francisco has more to get through and even in the end says how maybe what we reach for in belonging is not worth it in the end, which obviously Moana would disagree with because her's let to a ending worth much more than she could have asked for. Although they do disagree, I think maybe in someways they could align.