We Were Children Film Analysis

Residential schools began in the 1840s. The Canadian government thought they were profoundly educating the aboriginal children and putting them in the path of christianity. It began with 69 schools but was eventually was expanded in the 1930s, reaching a total of 139 schools, the final school closing in 1996. They started enrolling children in the school at age 4, if the parent or child refused, they were forced to do it under their will. In the movie We Were Children Lyna and Glen experienced a terrible chapter in their life. Residential schools were a mistake the children were abused, assimulated, and alienated. Primarly, the children were treated with cruelty violence, especially regularly or repeatedly. They were abused physically, mentally, and sexually. …show more content…
After a rape devolping Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is very high. PTSD includes flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable …show more content…
For example, Glen clothes were burned, and his name, and launguage were to be never used again. Assimulation was the process they used to make the Aboriginal culture come to resemble the Christian faith. If successful full assimilation will occour, and the person becomes indistinguishable from their Aboriginal culture. This impacted Glen greatly, Glen felt disconnected from his aboriginals ways when he returned home. He was forced into a religion that he did not believe in. He should have had the oppertunity that he deserved to follow his own dicisions, and ancestory roots. His family and extended family is a part of him, without this part he felt empty and lost, this would be a huge cultural shock to him. This might improve further discisions on assimulation because after seeing the results from the residential schools Canada will no longer make the same