Office Hours

Microtheme #2- Narrative
Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1999) is a captivating film that affects anyone who watches it. A Captain in the U.S. army during World War II is charged with the duty to go behind enemy lines a rescue the only surviving son of a widow. Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) will stop it nothing to rescue the young man, Private Ryan (Matt Damon), including sacrificing his men and even himself [why is that? Do you have a theroy? What is Spielberg suggesting about our military? About those we call “heros”? ect.].
The story begins with an elderly man walking down a long beautiful path with his family following close behind but giving him enough room to feel as if he was alone [very nice sentence J! what does this sentence imply about the relationship between families and “heros”? “heros” and “memorial gardens”? What’s to remember??]. Trees are on either side with their branches flowing over the path. Couples and families of all kinds pass with no regard {what a loaded phrase–what does this mean??} to the new intruders. {Describe the camera work here–from the camera’s perspective instead of the “old man” or the audience”}The old man then takes an abrupt turn and we are led into the Arlington National Cemetery, and it is here where we first suspect what this story is about. Upon entering the cemetery, the old man falls to his knees as if he has suddenly becomes too weak to carry himself any further. As the camera zooms in on the man’s face, it’s the eyes that you can’t look away from [very good]. The pain these bright blue eyes contain in themselves is almost unbearable. The movie fades in and out into a time that we recognize easily, D-day [yeah–what a contrast!]. The story takes us with the regiment as they journey in their search for Private Ryan [what is ‘the old man’ still searching for??].
As the final battle insues, we are able to see the true side of Captain Miller as he risks everything for this man he has just met. His orders were plain and simple, to find Private Ryan and bring him back alive. But when Ryan refuses to leave his regiment while they are forced to defend a bridge against many enemies, Miller commands his men to stay with them and help even though he knows this is a no win situation. He could have easily forced Ryan to come with him, but instead he shows his honorable side and stays with him. Throughout the battle, Tom Hanks is constantly protecting Matt Damon even though he is putting himself into even greater damage [why does he do this? What is driving these two soldiers?]. At the battles end, Captain Miller is fatally wounded. This is where he tells Ryan something that will change his life forever. Merely a two word statement, “Earn this.” He tells Private Ryan to earn what all these men have died for, his opportunity to go home and live a long life. Captain Miller dies after saying this, and as Private Ryan stands over him, everything goes quiet except for the reading of a letter written to Ryan’s mother. An excerpt from this letter shows a very important thing. “Nothing, not even the safe return of a beloved son, can compensate you, or the thousands of other American families, who have suffered great loss in this tragic war.” [So, what is Spielburg’s purpose for narrating the scene in this way?] To get this one man home, many men had to loose their lives, which meant even more families were added to the list. I (and the “old man”) don’t know if it was worth all those lives to get that young man home, but Captain Miller wasn’t going to quit until Private Ryan was safe, and I’m sure he would do it again.
After watching this movie, I was given a new outlook on life. It shows the heart of a man in a time where it was thought that no one could show compassion. We realize while watching this movie that humans are capable of great things. {Do you need this paragraph?}


The above writing, to me, is what makes teaching feel good at times. This student has been in fantastic contact with me (for example, this is a second draft emailed to me) & really wants to improve. I look forward to a conference with this student today.