Bully Documentary Analysis

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The documentary, Bully, follows five children, from elementary school to high school, and offers an intimate viewpoint on the topic of bullying, and how it affects young children and their families. My overall reaction to this documentary was an initial feeling of sadness. Sadness for the children who have been affected by bullying in the documentary, and sadness for all of those who have been affected by bullying in their lives. This feeling soon turned into a concoction of disappointment, anger, and overall confusion. Disappointment and anger in the fact that children in today’s society feel the need to verbally and physically attack others, and disappointment in the way that bullying is handled by teachers, parents, and administration. Confusion …show more content…
Some of the most prominent effects bullying has on adolescence and even adults, comes in the form of depression and anxiety, an overall decrease in mental health, decreased desire to succeed in school and life, and suicide. Children who are exposed to bullying are more likely to become depressed and experience anxiety currently or in the future, with symptoms such as excessive sadness, discontent, loss of interest in generally enjoyed activities, loss of appetite, etc. There are several symptoms of depression that make it difficult to face each day. These symptoms can lead to a decrease in a child’s mental health, making them more susceptible to the words and actions of others, increasing the likelihood of childhood or teenage suicide, or a decreased desire to succeed in school or life. Bullying can negatively impact a student’s school and home life. When a child is bullied in school, they may have an increased likelihood of aggression towards others, an increase in failing grades, and an increased rate of skipping class or school. At home, the child may become detached from their friends and family, and have no interest in daily activities. The ultimate impact that bullying can have on a person is the increased desire to commit suicide, or the desire to escape what they are being forced to face on …show more content…
Parents, friends, and students can be involved in these courses of action, such as advocating for safer community environments. This can be done by getting involved in your child’s school environment, starting anti-bullying organizations, and forcing the subject to be addressed by students, other parents, and the administration. Creating educational opportunities to learn about bullying and its causes are another important step. This can be done in the classroom by a teacher, at home, or in the real world by a parent or close friend. Implementing bullying units into elementary, middle, and high school classrooms can educate young children on the steps to prevent bullying if they witness it, and it can help prevent the situation overall. Similarly to education in the classroom, workshops can help educate parents and other members of the community on what students are forced to deal with when they are bullied, and what to do in various bullying situations. Educational opportunities and workshops can also include fundraising for various organizations that help prevent bullying, and they can include visual representations or play to give the viewers an idea of what bullying is, what it causes, and how to deal with

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