WATCHING “ AVATAR” WITH WIDE OPEN MINDS.

On Monday, Feb. 15, Grade 9 students went to the Dunes cinema, Beirut, for the purpose of watching the block buster 3D movie “Avatar”. Such an epic-like film with such remarkable visual effects is not but a sweet lullaby to the mind and senses of students. Thus, I would have never guessed that simple themes, such as tolerance and self-confidence we are tackling in class, would still be wide awake and alive in their minds as they watched such a phenomenon in the world of movie industry. Some kids even related to the setting and the characters, viewing them as a simulation for certain current events that are happening nowadays around the globe. All this was revealed the next day through the students’ written reflections upon the values, the morals, and the themes they have encountered and inferred from the movie.

Reflection samples:

Nour Ibrik
The theme that I have learned is that people can live together despite their different appearances and opinions. Also through this movie, we learned how to tolerate each other, which is reflected in the heroine’s actions. She loved a human who comes from a different community and characterized with completely different ideas and beliefs.

Rola Shayto
“Avatar” conveys a valuable lesson that we can make use of. It has showed the audience how it is possible to tolerate others no matter how they look like or where they come from…Besides, the importance of respecting the trust that someone gives us and the necessity of loyalty for a true friend are other messages assured by the movie.

Shireen Khaled
After watching the movie, I learned that the Avatar world can be pretty much a world similar to ours where every one of the avatar people was just like any individual who shows love and loyalty to his country, culture, and traditions.

Yara Khalifeh
“Avatar” highlights many themes. One of them is how strong developed countries with powerful weapons want to conquer the poor and powerless countries to benefit from their natural resources; on the other hand, we find countries suffering and putting their hearts and souls to rescue their countries from the invasion.

Hiba Shamande ,Gr9