The only thing that could have presented a problem was if people did not pay it forward. Pay it forward is a delightfully uplifting, moving, and inspiring modern fable that has the power to change the world as we know itwhich would be a wonderful phenomenon indeed. Claire is a middle school social studies teacher who has recently moved to atascadero, california. Parents need to know that pay it forward is a 2000 movie in which haley joel osment plays a 7th grade boy who, inspired by his social studies teacher, comes up with a way for people to practice random acts of kindness, which he hopes will lead to the world becoming a better place. If you ever had a yen for the utopian, you will have a sweet time with this heartfelt fable. Similarities between the cycle of paying it forward and communication can be easily discussed through all of the definitions of communication. It is the antagonist because that was the only flaw in trevors plan.
Find out more about one boys idea in this lessons summary of the 2000 film pay it forward, including some quotes from the movie and. The movie uniquely ties together an ongoing story in the world, the spread of pay it forward macrocontext and the events of a trevors life microcontext. He is constantly a wellspring of difficulty for the novels characters, particularly concerning the connection among reuben and arlene. The movie intercuts between the predictable progress of the romance and the uncertain progress of trevors pay it forward scheme. Pay it forward is a deeply moral film, and it deserves your deepest attention, deliberation, and discussion. An immediate bestseller when first published, pay it forward captured hearts all over the world, became a wildly popular film, and spawned a generation of increased altruism. A second young adult version of the novel was released in 2014. Character analysis in the movie pay it forward, many characters can tell many life lessons. In the epilog, reuben and arlene at long last figure out how to cut all ties with ricky, who has gotten both jobless and destitute. This is one of the main problems nowadays and we must eradicate it. The first, most obvious difference is that two of the three main characters do not resemble the descriptions of them in the book.
Asked in movies who is the director of the movie pay it forward. Pay it forward book by catherine ryan hyde official. He develops the pay it forward concept, setting forth a chain reaction of good deeds. They compare the concept of paying it forward serial reciprocity with the work of martin luther king, jr. The movie opens with one of those offtheshelf hostage crisis scenes that ends with a criminal. Then they brainstorm issues and campaigns they can address to make an impact that ripples forward as a result of their influence. A boy named trevor is given an assignment to think of something to change the world, and put it into. Trevor represents giving, eugene simonet represents fear, arlene represents desperation, chris chandler reporter represents curiosity. The movie reminds viewers how the actions and events of a single persons life can affect or change anothers. Simonet and the many things they did to help and the things they had to endure in their lifetime. The next morning, trevors mother, arlene mckinney helen hunt. Hundreds of people, the followers of paying forward movement, visit arlenes house to pay trevor their respect.
Your reaction to pay it forward may depend on how much of a cynic you are in other words, how much. We meet various supporting characters who get involved in paying it forward, and the time line is not always clear. Pay it forward major character analysis supersummary. A school social studies assignment leads to social changes that spread from citytocity. If only pay it forward had kept the character of ruebeneugene as an african american, maybe it could be remembered as an important film for furthering the progress of equality and improvement in. Pay it forward 2000 cast and crew the story of a social studies teacher who gives an assignment to his junior high school class to think of an idea to change the world for the better, then put. Social studies teacher eugene simonet kevin spacey gives his class an assignment. In this lesson, students define pay it forward and watch a movie or movie clips from the movie pay it forward. But he knew at the time of his death that it would only work if the ones he invested in, 1 received his gift, and 2 passed it on or themselves paid it forward.
Spacey does a wonderful job of suggesting the pain just beneath the surface of the character. Pay it forward 2000 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Pay it forward runs 123 minutes and is rated pg for mature thematic elements including substance abuserecovery, some sexual situations, language, and brief violence. Pay it forward is a multilevel marketing scheme of the heart.
Related posts about pay it forward character analysis. Pay it forward has strong performances from spacey, hunt, and osment, but the movie itself is too emotionally manipulative and the ending is bad. Film seminar by maren kamerads and carley bonenfant sociology discussion. Pay it forward is a 2000 drama film directed by mimi leder and based on the novel by catherine ryan hyde, starring haley joel osment, helen hunt, kevin spacey, and in a minor role jon bon jovi. The following comments will be helpful in putting the payitforward concept into perspective and deriving the most benefit from the movie. Each character represents many different life lessons, and here are a few of them.
This anniversary edition includes a new introduction by the author. It boldly reveals that kindness and putting others first are acts of moral beauty. Trevor represents giving, eugene simonet represents fear, arlene represents desperation, chris chandler reporter represents curiosity, and the stranger named mr. Bookpage the story is a quick read, told with lean sentences and an edge. She is trevors alcoholic, single mother who works at both a casino and a strip club. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. When pay it forward, the movie opens on october 20, 2000, fans of pay it forward, the book will notice immediately that many things are amiss. After watching pay it forward, it was easy to parallel elements from the movie to communication in general. While the movie gets a bit carried away with itself, no claim is really made that pay it forward presents a complete ethical system.
Pay it forward is a novel by catherine ryan hyde, released in 1999 which was adapted into the motion picture pay it forward which released theatrically and to dvd in 20002001. It takes an inspiring and moving tale of a young boy who believed in the power of kindness and brings it to a new generation of readers. When twelveyearold trevor mckinney begins seventh grade in atascadero, california, his social studies. It concretely proclaims that each person can make a. Trevor mckinney haley joel osment is an elevenyearold who lives in las vegas with his workingclass mother, arlene helen hunt, who is a recovering.
Pay it forward cast and crew cast photos and info fandango. If given the opportunity, would you try to change the world. Like some other kids, 12yearold trevor mckinney believed in the goodness of human nature. A film that makes me cry is a good film, but a bit over dramatic. Trevor then comes up with the plan to pay it forward by doing a good deed for three people who must in turn each do good deeds for three other people, creating a charitable pyramid scheme. How to be productive at home from a remote work veteran. The novel is written showing all of the main characters points of views, allowing everyones thoughts and ideas to be read. Yvette thompson makes an impact on akrons youth who in turn pay it forward.
Pay it forward couldnt have more obvious aspirations if the filmmakers announced them. Pay it forward is a movie about society, and what each of us can do to improve it. This movie depicts a reality we humans christians included are too busy, too self centered, and to prideful to see. Jerry major theme bullied classmate in your life, have you ever observed the concept of pay it forward. Pay it forward is an expression for when the recipient of an act of kindness does something kind for someone else rather than simply accepting or repaying the original good deed. Pay it forward a book poised to become a phenomenonis a welldesigned confection that author catherine ryan hyde has executed with abundant skill. Beginning as a seventhgrade class assignment to put into action an idea that could change the world, young trevor mckinney haley joel osment comes up with a plan to do good deeds for three people who then by way of payment each must do good turns for three other people.
His plan relied on honesty, which is usually not in human nature. Eugene simonet spacey is a social studies teacher who teaches his class that it is possible for one person to change the world. The concept was popularized in modern times by a 2000 movie pay it forward, starring kevin spacey and helen hunt. Hauser freshman seminar 29 april 20 pay it forward. Assigned to come up with some idea that will improve mankind, a young boy decides that if he can do three good deeds for someone and they in turn can pay it forward and so forth, positive changes can occur. Pay it forward summary and study guide supersummary. It is a movie about a social studies teacher giving his class an assignment, encouraging them to change the world into a better place to live in, and to fill the world with love.
But pay it forward was a good story written by one of my favorite writers. This movie has frequent profanity, including one use of the n word, as well as a tween boy who calls one. Trevors plan is to help jerry by feeding and housing him so he can get on his feet. The movie intercuts between the predictable progress of the romance and the uncertain progress of trevors payitforward scheme. He is trevors social studies teacher, and an emotionally and physically scarred man. What was the conflict of the movie pay it forward answers. Reuben is disfigured and one of the few black people in atascadero. If you like sentimentality, pay it forward is worth the effort, but it falls far short of a classic.
836 1488 953 1302 193 574 1562 408 601 931 667 1302 447 509 201 428 786 240 742 303 358 424 1020 341 817 1449 388 545 537 646 993 1236 204 617 599 100