Hotel Rwanda Ethical Analysis

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Ethical behavior is evident in the film Hotel Rwanda. Ethics guides morality as it gives vision to our action, but ethics is more interested in the good that humans tend toward, such as happiness and freedom (HRE4M1, Sept.15). Throughout this film a great massacre happens, yet there are displays of ethical behavior. This composition will focus on the display of ethics through the experience of contrast, duty, and the face of the other. Immanuel Kant theory of deontological ethics explains that we should do good because it is our duty, and not because we feel like doing good. (HRE4M1, Sept 28) Duty calls for Paul when the massacre begins. Rwanda becomes an unsafe place for Tutsi’s after the Hutu’s take control and attempt to eliminate each …show more content…
Things may happen where we feel that we deserve better, and better things should be happening. Hotel Rwanda is all about unfair happenings. While Paul and Gregoire are driving back to the Hotel after picking up supplies, they begin to feel the road getting bumpier. Paul tells Gregoire to pull over. As Paul steps out of the car, he trips onto a corpse. That is when he realizes that they hadn’t been driving on a bumpy road, but they had been driving on thousands of dead Tutsi bodies. Paul feeling disgusted, heads back to the Hotel speechless where he eventually breaks down into tears inside the Hotel locker room (Hotel Rwanda). Paul could not believe the carnage that had been done. He knew that nobody in the world deserved to suffer like the Tutsi’s were suffering. A massacre was happening yet, there was nobody there to help end it. Thousands of Tutsi’s were dying; thousands of children were left on their own. Throughout the entire film, Paul displays many acts of ethical behavior. By protecting thousands of Tutsi’s, taking responsibility of the helpless children, and breaking down into tears over the carnage that had taken place, Paul perfectly displays the true meaning of ethical behavior. One could argue that Paul should be considered as the most ethical character throughout the film. All of Paul’s actions has saved thousands of lives and lead many people to happiness and freedom. It is why Paul Rusesabagina is considered a hero among

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