Between a Teacher and a Parent
The Ethos and Pathos Of Joe Clark’s Speech In the Movie “Lean on Me”
“This is an institution of learning, ladies and gentlemen. If you can 't control it, how can you teach? Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm!” By Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman)
Passion is the source which motivates the will to teach. It is clear, teachers do not step into the education field for the money. This is evident in the movie “Lean on Me” as Morgan Freeman is demoted to an elementary principal after having the title of a high school history teacher and the founder of the Union Executive Board because teachers were promised by the Board of Education a better salary if Mr. Clark was transferred. This problem continues today as teachers …show more content…
His speech is meant to rally the teenagers to take the basic-skills test. This test decides whether or not the school will be placed in receivership. Leading up to this inspirational speech, Eastside High School was known for excessive drug use and a profu-sion of gang violence. When the school superintendent appoints Joe Clark as the new principal, he immediately starts with necessary radical disciplinary actions to transform the school. Over the school year, the students build a relationship with Mr.Clark not only as a principal but also as a father …show more content…
He initially substantiates his authority as the superior from the beginning of movie, then he includes himself as part of his audience by using the pronoun “we”. For example, Mr. Clark says, “here we are…” present at the school. Even though he is not taking the test, he is there and supporting them as his students take the test. He continues to include himself as he says, “we sink, we swim, we rise, we fall, we meet our fate together.” In other words, if they fail, he fails as well and if they succeed, he also succeeds. Often times, when a student fails the teacher’s response may be along the lines of, “it’s your grade, it doesn’t affect me…I’ve done my education,” leaving the student feeling hopeless. But when a teacher, like Mr. Clark, shows that they will stand behind a student whether they fail or succeed gives the student a sense of value. Mr. Clark, a superior au-thority, demonstrating respect to students exhibits his devotion. Upholding his authority, Joe Clark calls upon the White students, “all my White students, stand up…these are my White children.” Emphasizing on the possessive pronoun “my”, he claims these students as his own children. Like every good parent, they want their child safe and successful. Because Mr. Clark views his students as his children, he must despise the people call-ing his children nigger, spics, and white trash. At this point of the speech, he and his
The Ethos and Pathos Of Joe Clark’s Speech In the Movie “Lean on Me”
“This is an institution of learning, ladies and gentlemen. If you can 't control it, how can you teach? Discipline is not the enemy of enthusiasm!” By Joe Clark (Morgan Freeman)
Passion is the source which motivates the will to teach. It is clear, teachers do not step into the education field for the money. This is evident in the movie “Lean on Me” as Morgan Freeman is demoted to an elementary principal after having the title of a high school history teacher and the founder of the Union Executive Board because teachers were promised by the Board of Education a better salary if Mr. Clark was transferred. This problem continues today as teachers …show more content…
His speech is meant to rally the teenagers to take the basic-skills test. This test decides whether or not the school will be placed in receivership. Leading up to this inspirational speech, Eastside High School was known for excessive drug use and a profu-sion of gang violence. When the school superintendent appoints Joe Clark as the new principal, he immediately starts with necessary radical disciplinary actions to transform the school. Over the school year, the students build a relationship with Mr.Clark not only as a principal but also as a father …show more content…
He initially substantiates his authority as the superior from the beginning of movie, then he includes himself as part of his audience by using the pronoun “we”. For example, Mr. Clark says, “here we are…” present at the school. Even though he is not taking the test, he is there and supporting them as his students take the test. He continues to include himself as he says, “we sink, we swim, we rise, we fall, we meet our fate together.” In other words, if they fail, he fails as well and if they succeed, he also succeeds. Often times, when a student fails the teacher’s response may be along the lines of, “it’s your grade, it doesn’t affect me…I’ve done my education,” leaving the student feeling hopeless. But when a teacher, like Mr. Clark, shows that they will stand behind a student whether they fail or succeed gives the student a sense of value. Mr. Clark, a superior au-thority, demonstrating respect to students exhibits his devotion. Upholding his authority, Joe Clark calls upon the White students, “all my White students, stand up…these are my White children.” Emphasizing on the possessive pronoun “my”, he claims these students as his own children. Like every good parent, they want their child safe and successful. Because Mr. Clark views his students as his children, he must despise the people call-ing his children nigger, spics, and white trash. At this point of the speech, he and his