Lee Hirsch's Bully Analysis

Lee Hirsch presents a unique perspective in his emotional and disturbing documentary, Bully. Following the real-life events of five children (two of whom are not physically present during the film due to their suicides), Hirsch skillfully presents the argument that the bullying endured by thousands of American children is ultimately enabled by the actions- or lack thereof- of ineffectual and clueless adults. This clearly defined purpose indicates that Hirsch intended this documentary to hit home with adult audiences as opposed to young children likely experiencing or witnessing bullying firsthand.
There is no arguing with the fact that this documentary can- and should- be viewed by audiences of all ages; in the words of Claudia Puig of USA Today, “[Bully] should be required viewing for everyone ages 8 …show more content…
Hirsch documents a student's disregarded plea for help to those with power. As A.O Scott of The New York Times writes, “Bully forces you to confront not the cruelty of specific children… but rather the extent to which that cruelty is embedded in our schools and therefore in our society as a whole” (Source B). After a 17 year old high school student, Tyler Long, commits suicide, not one teacher shows up to discuss the district's bullying problem which caused Tyler’s death (Source A). This exemplifies how the issue has been reduced to the status of normalcy, so much so that teachers are not troubled when a life is lost as a result. If the intended audience was school-aged children (who can broadly be shuffled into the categories of bully, victim, or bystander), Bully would not document footage that proves how powerless they are, discourages them from seeking help, and showcases the hopelessness of their situation. To contrast, this very content prompts adults to step up and take responsibility for the children when they see their own disregard reflected in the