Sociology - Movie 42 Test

Situations like this do happen very often today. I believe that we all face similar situations, with different outcomes, on a day to day basis. I have experienced a situation like Robinsons, excepts mine was not about race. To overcome this situation, I just ignored others and their comments, just like Robinson did. I would do some things differently but I think I did as much as I could in the given situation

42 is a story of personal courage, of people with the guts to stand up against a situation that is both wrong and accepted by the masses. Do situations like this exist today? Do we all face these situations, even if on a smaller stage, in our own lives? Have you ever experienced one? What did you do? Was there something you would do differently, if, like Branch Rickey, you had the chance to go back and right an old wrong?

His teammates are just as guilty because they let it happen. When on a team with players, you play like your are a family. So, his teammates were in the wrong for not standing up at first and letting Robinson take all the hits from the skies. When we pretend not to see bad behavior or injustice, we are technically saying it is correct to an extent. For example, by nobody stopping the Philly manager at first, the guy kept going with the racial slurs, which as a result has the stands saying slurs as well

Are Jackie's teammates, who at first do nothing when Jackie is ridiculed on the field, as guilty as the people who yell racial slurs? When we pretend not to see bad behavior or injustice, are we, in effect, saying it's okay?

Values

Branch Rickey has strong feelings for Jackie because earlier in his career, he had the opportunity to help out another African American. However, he did not do a good job. So he is helping Jackie to prove to himself that he can make a change and help out as much as he could

If Jackie were to lose his temper and fight back to the racial slurs, he would have had a completely different outcome. If he went after someone, he probably would have been arrested and unable to play baseball ever again. Also, if he fought back with words on the field, he would have probably got thrown out of the game for being disrespectful. Having a thick skin would helped Jackie be successful, since he did not fight back.

Branch Rickey tells Jackie Robinson he's looking for a player with the courage not to fight back if he is persecuted, insulted, abused, and hated by the players, officials, and fans. How can having a "thick skin" be an advantage in life? How might things have turned out differently if Jackie had given in and lost his temper on the field?

No, we can never truly understand what someone is going through without walking in their shoes. I felt very proud and happy when Reese stood on the field with Jackie because he was ignoring his own family's views for a friend on the field. He chose to do this because he wanted to show his family who he actually is, no matter how they reacted to it. He also wanted to prove to the audience that two different colored people can be friends and play together on the field

Can we ever really understand what another person may be enduring without walking in their shoes? How did you feel when Reese stood beside Jackie on the field as a demonstration of support? Why did he choose to do this?

Cultural Hegemony

In the beginning, Rickey is talking to his associates and his associates are disagreeing with Rickey's decision to let Jackie play. They are following the rules from the segregation and do not walk to change but Rickey is ready to change

Beliefs

In the movie, Philly itself did not accept blacks and believed that they were no good. They also fought to get Jackie off the field all because of the segregation going on

My thoughts were not good with this scene. I felt like if I were in Robinson's shoes, I would have spoke my mind to the manager. When Robinson's teammate came out to stand up to the manager, I felt shocked because his teammate was setting a good example for the rest of them. By being "under fire", it allows us to keep focus on our main goal since we know there is "fire everywhere". By having that motivation, it allows us to propel to heroism because we were not intentionally looking for it

It was obviously hard to watch the scene in which the Phillies manager, Ben Chapman, yells racial slurs at Jackie Robinson on the field. What thoughts did you have during this scene? How did you feel when Jackie's teammate came out of the dugout to stand up against the Phillies manager's racism? How can being "under fire" sometimes propel us to heroism when we did not know we were capable of it?

Cultural Lag

Jackie came from California where there was not much segregation. However, when he traveled to play baseball, it increasingly got more and more segregated

Racial Stratificstion

Only having white bathrooms. There are also all white coaches in the baseball league within the movie

At first, none of the players on the Dodgers wanted to play with Robinson. Most of them signed a petition to not play with him. When Jackie arrived to play for the team, there wasn't really anyone too accepting of it. A few players never did accept it but they ended up leaving. The rest of the team did not leave, they slowly adapted to the change. After a little bit, a lot of players started to stick up for Robinson and treat him no different than the other teammates. Then eventually, the rest of the team warmed up to him and they all showed great sportsmanship towards Robinson, making him feel like he belonged on the team.

Success often results from adapting to change. How do the various players of the Brooklyn Dodgers and other members of the league adapt differently to the addition of Jackie Robinson to the team? What happens to those who don't adapt?

Norms

The blacks could not play baseball within the league (there was never actually a written rule)

Ethnocentrism

The guys on the team put together the petition to stop Jackie from playing with them, but they did not even know him personally yet

Sub-Culture

The negro league vs. the white league

Conflict Theory

The original coach for the Dodgers goes into the kitchen at night to lecture the team about the blacks new beginning in baseball. He went on to say that they're going to take their jobs and that they better find out how to enjoy Jackie's new start since he's not going anywhere

(Gender Roles); Smith says "You are a hard case, Jack Robinson". I do not think that Jackie would have made it through the season if he didn't have supportive people. He broke down in the tunnel and Rickey was there for him, stopping him from doing something he shouldn't. His teammates also started to stick up for him in support. By finding the right people to support us, it can increase our ability to stand up for what we believe in because we have others to help us through. With the support, it lets you know that you have other people that that are there for you, no matter what.

What does Smith say to Robinson that makes him realize their situation are not all that different and it's probably okay to "need" the help of his friend? Do you think Jackie would have made it through the season if he hadn't had the support of Wendell Smith, Branch Rickey, his wife, and eventually teammates like Pee Wee Reese? How can finding the right people to support us increase our ability to stand up for what we believe in?

Gender Role

When Jackie says he does not want help, he wants to do things himself. Men are not supposed to show that they need help back then, they are also not supposed to show emotion since it is considered a weakness

Dominant Culture

White people are the dominant culture in the movie

Branch Rickey tells his associates that his primary motivation for bringing a black player into the Brooklyn Dodgers is because he thinks that if someone is good enough and will help them win, they should be allowed to play with them disregarding race. A scene where Rickey shows that Robinson means more to him is when he sent him to the big leagues. When Robinson was sent there, Rickey was genuinely happy for him. Another scene would be when they were playing the Phillies with the manager that was not being kind to Robinson. When Robinson left the field and broke down in the tunnel, Rickey went to comfort him. Rickey says that because he was able to do something for someone that he he regrets not doing before and to help end segregation

Why does Branch Rickey tell his associates that his primary motivation is for bringing a black player into the Brooklyn Dodgers organization? Throughout the film it becomes clear that Jackie Robinson means a great deal more to Rickey than he initially suggests - please describe some of the scenes that depict this. At the end of the film, Branch Rickey tells Robinson he's able to love the game of baseball again - why do you think he says this?