A Class Divided: Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What did you learn from this film?

No matter what age you are, it is easy to be taught to discriminate against others.

What scene or scenes do you think you'll still remember a month from now and why?

At break one kid called another brown eyes; the people that were told they were stupid actually ended up performing worse.

Did any part of the film surprise you? Do you think someone of a different race, ethnicity, or religion would also find it surprising? Why?

The fact that people can be manipulated so easily to a point where something like eye color can be turned into something used to treat people differently.

What did the children's body language indicate about the impact of discrimination?

Their body language was hunched over, indicating that they were hopeless when coming to school as they knew they would be treated differently. Signup and view all the answers

How did the negative and positive labels placed on a group become self-fulfilling prophecies?

They were told that they were stupid therefore they performed worse in class; they were told that they were better than a group of another eye color then they acted like they were better. Signup and view all the answers

In the prison seminar, what do you think about the assertion that all people face some kind of discrimination?

We don't feel that us as white people get discriminated against for being white; however, the fact that we are white and Jewish means we still get discriminated against for being Jewish. Signup and view all the answers

What do you think about whether this discrimination exercise should be done with all children? Motivate your answer.

It should be done because children at a young age are taught about discrimination, growing up they will know right from wrong. Signup and view all the answers

What features did Elliott ascribe to the superior and inferior groups and how did those characteristics reflect stereotypes about blacks and whites?

Blue-eyed people were called stupid, loud, bad listeners, reflecting stereotypes about black people, while brown-eyed people were given the quality of superiority. Signup and view all the answers

How did Elliott's discrimination create no-win situations for those placed in the inferior group?

She put emphasis on everything they did in order to prove her point that they are inferior. Signup and view all the answers

What does the answer of the boy who was teased suggest about the use of violence as a political strategy?

It doesn't help; it does not solve anything. Signup and view all the answers

How is the blue eyes/brown eyes exercise related to the Sioux prayer, 'Help me not judge a person until I have walked in his shoes'?

The idea that you can't judge someone until you understand their position. It's unfair to discriminate against someone you don't know anything about. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Discrimination and Its Impact

Discrimination can be learned at any age, demonstrating the ease of fostering prejudice within individuals.
A significant scene involved name-calling, illustrating how labels like “brown eyes” led to poor performance among labeled individuals, emphasizing the psychological impact of discrimination.

Manipulation and Perception

The manipulation of individuals based on superficial differences (like eye color) reveals how easily perceptions can be altered, fostering unequal treatment without basis.

Body Language Signals

Children displayed hunched body language, showing their feelings of hopelessness and anxiety about being treated unequally in school settings.

Self-Fulfilling Prophecies

Labels assigned to groups foster self-fulfilling prophecies; claims of inferiority led to decreased performance, while claims of superiority instigated arrogance.

Understanding of Discrimination

Discussion on discrimination reveals perspectives that while white individuals may not face daily discrimination, they can still experience prejudice for intersecting identities, such as being Jewish.

Early Education on Discrimination

Teaching children about discrimination early on is essential; understanding these concepts empowers future generations to identify and oppose prejudice.

Stereotypes in the Exercise

Elliott associated traits such as ignorance and bad listening with blue-eyed individuals, reflecting harmful stereotypes often directed at marginalized groups, while brown-eyed individuals were labeled as superior.

No-Win Situations

Elliott's methods resulted in no-win situations for the inferior group as all actions were scrutinized to support discriminatory stereotypes.

Violence as a Response

The conflicted feelings of children regarding violence indicated that aggression does not resolve underlying issues or bullying, calling into question the effectiveness of violence as a response to political or social strife.

Empathy and Understanding

The blue eyes/brown eyes exercise highlights the need for empathy, similar to the Sioux prayer urging individuals to refrain from judgment until they experience another's circumstances.

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Description

This quiz focuses on the important lessons learned from the film 'A Class Divided', which explores discrimination and its effects on children. Reflect on memorable scenes and their impact on your understanding of prejudice. Engage with thought-provoking questions to deepen your comprehension of the film's themes.