American History X

I have divided you into groups and have made questions for you to work with, before we will talk on class about the film. Make notes, so you are able to answer in class.
Bring computer, pen, notebook

1: Julie, Lærke, Rasmus, Arendse

Character Derek:

Who is he?

How does he live another kind of life?

What is important for him and what is his believes/ideology?

Why do you think he has the believes as he does? Who has taught him to think this way? Do you think it was a conscious choice for him?

Who is he when entering jail and who is he went leaving jail? What happens to him there and how does is affect him and his believes/ideology?

What does he try to do when he gets out of jail? How do you think he feels about returning home?

2: Vanilje, Lasse, Sofie, Emma

Character Danny:

Who is he?

Whom does he look up to and who has had a big influence on his life, at home, at school and outside school?

Do you think he is a clever person?

What happens to him during the film that make him change his believes?

How would you have liked the film to end? What kind of future could you picture for Danny?

3: Jona, Maja, Mathilde J, Kamila

 Character Sweeney:

Who is he?

What does he do as a living?

Who is he to Derek and Danny?

How does he influence their lives?

Is he a role model? How/how not?

How does he influence Derek in the film?

Why does he take such great interest in both Derek and in Danny, do you think?

4: Rosen, Karoline, Christine 

Life in jail:

Which groups do we see in jail?

How are the groups divided?

How do they interact?

Why do you think there are groups in a jail like in this film?

Is it important to be part of a group in jail? Why/ why not?

5: Amanda, Teslak, Cilius

Neo-Nazi group

What values (believes) does the neo-Nazi group uphold?

How do their values bind them together? Share some examples from the film

Ways out of extremism

Derek wants to leave the group, why is this?

Who helps him to leave the group?

How do everybody react to Derek’s desire to leave the group? Think about friends, family, the group members etc.

6: Abi, Matilde, Rikke, Sofia 

Role models

Which role models do we see in the film?

Who are they?

Are they good or bad role models?
Why are role models important to young people?

How do they influence others in the film? Share some examples from the film.