Monday, January 30, 2017
Heroes Anyone?
In the movie The General Johnnie Gray, a simple engineer,tries to win the heart of his girlfriend by enlisting in the army. Although he is refused, he eventually takes on a group of Northern soldiers who hijack his train. Not only does he rescue his beloved Anabelle (and General), but he also helps defeat a Northern army in battle. Yet, his methods are hardly standard derring-do. Is Johnnie just lucky or a true hero? Does this film endorse standard ideas of military heroism or make fun of them? Or does this movie redefine a hero? What does this movie tell us about heroism (or related concepts of machismo, chivalry, or militarism)?
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According to our President, Donald Trump, “Everything in life is luck”. Although I disagree with President Trump’s quote, in the classical movie The General, the protagonist Johnnie Gray is an extreme beneficiary of luck. Multiple times in the movie, Johnnie is in the right place at the right time. I believe a true hero has crazy wits, or some sort of skill that separates him from the ordinary man, and he uses his skills or power to help other’s. I do not believe Johnnie is hero because he is clumsy and careless at times. An example of his lackadaisical attitude is the scene where he is trying to throw wood onto his train, but in a comedic way all the wood starts falling down. An example of how lucky Johnnie gets, is in the epic battle scene. In the middle of combat all of the soldiers near Johnnie are being shot down, but by pure luck, Johnnie evades the fatal blows from the enemy. He then becomes a hero because he shoots a cannonball straight into the air without precision or aim, yet the weapon finds its’ way to destroy the bridge, thus winning the battle for the south. Since this movie is a comedy, I think it satirizes the idea of military heroism. I think Keaton is saying that luck is the main reason for why we have war heroes. Keaton makes fun of the idea that military heroes are actually real heroes. He shows in numerous ways such as the battles, that heroes end up getting lucky more often than others. This movie tells us that heroism isn’t exactly a real skill or quality, but rather just a tracking of how lucky you are. Keaton doesn’t do anything with extraordinary skill in the movie. I think any engineer could have managed the train the same or better than Johnnie Gray. Therefore, I believe Keaton mocks the notion of military heroism, and defines it as pure luck.
ReplyDeleteIn the movie The General, Johnnie Gray always tries his best to accomplish his goal (usually in this case fighting off a Union army), but many of the jokes of the film are aimed at the at times quite humorous repercussions of his attempts. Despite the very funny results, he does almost always succeed in his attempts. The film starts off with one of his only failures, which is enlisting. Although he doesn’t succeed, it sets up his dilemma for the rest of the movie, winning back his love from the Union army, and winning back her heart. Despite the film’s humor at his expense, he is quite clever throughout the movie, and while his goals aren’t always achieved by the means he wishes to achieve them, through his actions they are always achieved. One example of his cleverness is the traps he lays for the Union train hot on his tail. First he redirects them up a ramp, making them push back both perusing trains, and giving him more time to get back to friendly territory. His second clever feat on the train tracks is when he knocks the track out of place. It takes the Union spies an extremely long time to fix that, giving him enough time to get back to the Confederate headquarters and warn them of the upcoming attack. During the battle that follows, he has a faulty sword, the blade keeps falling off the handle. When commanding a cannon crew, he notices that the men he’s commanding keep dropping dead. He swings his sword to tell the next cannon crew to fire, and his blade comes off, landing in the back of the spy that was shooting his men. While this wasn’t the man he intended to kill, his goal was to kill the enemy, and he did succeed, even if not in the way he expected. For these reasons The General endorses bravery and other values held by the military, and while Johnnie is undoubtedly a lucky hero, he is still a brave hero.
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ReplyDeleteIn the movie The General, Johnnie Gray is illustrated as a much different type of hero. Traditionally, the hero of a film, book, or other work depicts a “hero” as a strong, determined male on a quest to rescue a damsel in distress. By using his strength and cleverness to outmatch the enemy, the hero comes in at the last moment to save the day and get the girl in the end. Johnnie Gray does not exactly fit this category of such an individual; although at the conclusion of the movie he saves the day and reunites with his love, his methods are very unconventional and mostly accidental. I believe that The General redefines who a “hero” can be, as it doesn’t take a handsome macho to dangerously rescue the beautiful girl in distress. Because Johnnie Gray’s luck outweighs the miscalculations and confusion during the film, such as the scene where he struggles to take parts of the wood fence on the side of the tracks and hoist it up onto the train for fuel. This lack of strength gives encouragement around the world to those that don’t fit the general hero stereotype. This movie was able to show the public that it doesn’t take a very strong masculine figure to be a hero. A clumsy character, for example in the scene when he gets caught on the train and the cannon nearly goes off to end his life, can still be successful as the cannon ball nearly crushes the Union train ahead and altogether scaring the men aboard. This movie was created during the time of the “Roaring 20s” where The Great Gatsby ruled and America was developing drastically towards innovative cities where automobiles were shaping the transportation industry. In a time of such development, technology was not the only thing being redefined and advancing – the human character was as well. The role of the male and female in society was changing; women could vote now and you were seeing more and more women were becoming active members of society. Furthermore, this movie reinstates this change by defying common stereotypes. A true hero doesn’t need to wear a cape of have biceps bigger than another man’s head; a true hero doesn’t just come in one form. As shown in The General, a true hero can be a skinny, uncoordinated, but lucky guy whose determination moves him forward towards a goal.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie Gray is not a typical hero, but he is a hero nonetheless. To quote superman, “A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles”. Johnnie Gray fits this description because he faced many obstacles, including being told he could not enlist, being dumped, and then the literal obstacles set in place by the northern generals. He easily could have turned back at the beginning of his adventure when he was running to catch the train and turned around to find out that everyone had abandoned him, but he kept going. Using wit and ingenuity rather than strength, he found a way to singlehandedly acquire a train, catch up with the northerners who had a significant head start, save his girlfriend, and alert the southern army about the planned attack. A specific example of his wit includes his successful stalling of the northern train following him. This is extremely heroic, and he doesn’t even need superpowers like the stereotypical hero. In my opinion, heroes are determined based on their actions, not their looks. With actions in mind, this film did not have to redefine hero because Johnnie already fit the description because of the bravery he exhibited in saving Annabelle. However, when looking at heroism based on looks, it did redefine the image. Typically, people think of heroes as tall, strong, brave, macho men. Johnnie challenges the physical norms associated with heroes because he is fairly short, and scrawny. The statement this movie is making about heroism is that heroes should be based on their actions, and that ultimately intelligence is the most important quality for a hero.
ReplyDeleteI do not think The General represents military heroism at all. Johnnie Gray, merely an engineer, seems to be the luckiest man alive. Only a couple of decisions one could argue were smart. The rest were just lucky outcomes for comical effect. For example, later in the movie when he continues to swing his sword in the direction of the enemies and the sword flies out of the hilt and lands on the enemy that picks off Jonnie’s allies, it is only luck considering he never even noticed it. Being completely by accident, this adds a somewhat comical effect and is quite humorous because the character is completely oblivious to what just happened. Also in this scene is when Johnnie shoots the cannon straight in the air and it lands on the bridge and destroys the train. This is another situation where he is stricken with good luck. Personally, I feel that because it was by accident that it was no heroic act. Anything by accident shouldn’t be characterized as a heroic act if the act wasn’t originally intended to be good. The whole movie consisted of funny stunts and lucky events that enhanced the comedy in the scene. Granted, his actions are meant to be heroic but performed so poorly (for the comical affect) that luck, the reason for the completed action, should be the hero. In my opinion, Johnnie is only depicted a clown because this movie is a silent comedy. I think that Johnnie being crowned hero at the end only adds to the comedy of the film considering all of his actions were so poorly executed but aided heavily by luck. So therefore it mocks the idea of heroism.
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ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect example of the Shakespearean quote from King Lear, “many a true word hath been spoken in jest”. Although Johnny Grey’s original intent might have been to join the army in order to impress the woman he loved, he came to realize that heroism was much more about being a patriot and persevering for a cause he believed in. He stumbled, had several misadventures, was aided by much luck, yet he always persevered for the cause. I believe that the idea of Johnny Grey’s luck is best said in Samuel Goldwyn’s quote, “I’m a believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” Johnny Grey’s name stems from the fact that he came from the southern rebel faction and was a grey coat. When the northern officers stole The General (the locomotive) he viewed it as his patriotic duty to retrieve HIS locomotive. Like virtually most heroes Johnny did not intend on becoming one. He simply saw where his duty lay and he followed it to the end without consideration for his personal safety. When he discovered that his lost love had been taken prisoner by the northern officers and was being held in the same home where he had overheard the officers outlining their plot he again saw where his duty lay. However the duty to his heart was overshadowed by his patriotic duty. The interesting twist is that once saved Annabelle felt the same patriotic duty that he felt and did everything she could to help him foil the plot, regardless of her safety. The movie had to be entertaining as well because it showed the South winning a battle against the North which would still be unpopular to many viewers. The comedy allowed the story to be told in a way that you didn’t need to look at the sides to closely. The best way to describe Johnny’s heroism is that he was oblivious of events that were taking place around him while he was trying to complete his mission. The true heroism lay in his perseverance to complete his mission.
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ReplyDeleteI believe in the movie The General, Johnnie Gray is a true hero. Although his unique methods are not what we generally see from the main hero of the movie, his courage and persistence are classic hero traits. At times, Johnnie may have gotten a bit lucky, mostly to enhance the comical pieces of the movie, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that he was willing to do anything in order to stop the enemy and used his talents to the fullest abilities in order to do so. I wouldn’t say the film is necessarily making fun of the standard ideas of military heroism, but rather challenges what is considered to be normal hero and redefine what a hero is. The point of having Johnnie Gray be the hero of this story is to show that machismo is not necessarily needed. All that is needed to be the hero and save the day is stopping the enemy. It doesn’t matter if you’re tall or short, muscular or weak, tough or delicate, all that matters is that at the end of the day you stop the enemy. By going against stereotypes of what the common hero looks like, The Last Laugh shows teachers it viewers a lesson to not judge anybody’s abilities by their looks because for all you know they could end of being the hero of the story.
The protagonist in The General, Johnnie Gray, is a true hero, as he is able to defeat his enemies and save the day when no one else can. From the beginning of the movie, Johnnie’s perseverance shines through, as he tries again and again to trick the officers into enlisting him into the army. This determined and steadfast attitude greatly aides Johnnie in his journey to save both Anabelle and the entire South. Even after being left to chase the runaway General alone, instead of going back to the town for help, Johnnie is able to acquire a train and pursue the Northern spies through all of the obstacles they throw at him. Even though much of this may be seen as luck, a certain degree of skill was required in order to catch up to the northern soldiers, sneak into their lodge, and take Anabelle. Johnnie then was able to evade the Northern soldiers, and even stall them by bending the railroad switch, a moment that shows Johnnie’s intelligence and quick thinking. Near the end of the movie, during the battle scene, Johnnie is able to stay alive, and even kill a dangerous Northern soldier, even though most of this was through luck. These lucky moments, in which Johnnie, through no skill of his own, is able to accomplish great tasks, are merely comic relief, and are not meant to show Johnnie as unskilled or unheroic. There are many moments throughout the film that show Johnnie’s wit, even though it is often undermined by unintelligent, but comic actions. Overall, Johnnie is depicted as a real hero due to his determination, bravery and wit. This film is meant to redefine the standard concept of masculinity and chivalry by introducing a character who is able to succeed not through his brawn and nerve, but through intelligence.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie Gray in Buster Keaton’s The General is a true hero. Johnnie is your average southern worker but he is not an average hero. Heroes never give up, even though Johnnie doesn’t get an official spot on the army he does not let that stop him from suiting up and saving his love. When Johnnie notices the train being hijacked and is aware that his love, Annabelle Lee, is on board he immediately sprints after it. Even after he realizes that he is the only one chasing for the train he continues to run, for the safety of his beloved Annabelle. It is not luck that gives him the adrenaline to chase down the train, it’s his big heart. Johnnie witlessness the significant large group of northerners he was up against, but he does not let their number or strength intimidate him. His knowledge of how to operate a train greatly came in hand because he was able to catch up to the northerners and get away from them faster in the end. This films shows that one does not have to have a superior profession or be in the military to be a hero, instead one can be very average and still be heroic and brave. Not only does Johnnie win his love Annabelle, but he also earns the well-deserved respect from his judgmental southern town. Heroism is shown by not necessarily being the strongest heart, but rather having the bigger heart as exemplified by Johnnie Gray in The General.
ReplyDeleteDespite the comical amounts of luck portrayed in the movie in Johnnie Gray’s pursuits at success in the film, I still perceive him to be a hero. From the get-go, he was placed at a huge disadvantage with great obstacles to overcome. He was first rejected from the army, a position which would have given him pride and status, which led his girlfriend Annabelle to leave him. Afterward, his train, which Annabelle was on, was stolen by the Northern spies. Any regular individual could easily succumb to the adversity of those two situations and become let down and even depressed. However, a true hero rises to the occasion in adverse moments. When Johnnie’s back is against the wall and all odds are stacked against him, he proves to be a hero by finding within himself a seemingly endless drive of saving his girlfriend, and regaining control of his train (which for him would mean military success as well). The film also redefines the idea of what a traditional hero needs to be. Johnnie is a very clumsy guy, and has a reputation with the audience of making mistakes. He is the last person one would expect to be a “Hercules” in the traditional sense. The story shows that as long as you have a strong will, and not necessarily muscle and brawn, you can become a hero by your own definition. Yes, in examining his poorly calculated cannon fire attempts, there is no doubt that he received an immense amount of comical luck in wiping out the enemy. However, it wasn’t all luck, because if he didn’t possess his uniquely clever ability to conduct a train with such intricacy, he wouldn’t have been able to slow down the chaser by locking a fork in the track, and he likely would not have thought of burning the train tracks to stop the northern army.
ReplyDeleteJohnnie Gray is not a true hero and is just very lucky. Throughout the film he is faced with tasks and with little skill, somehow luck is always on his side and can complete anything. Such examples of this is when he is hiding under the table in a union house and doesn’t get spotted by any of the soldiers sitting around the table and swinging their legs up and down. Furthermore, I would say that this film does not endorse standard ideas of military heroism and does in fact make fun of them. This rag tag man with no knowledge of warfare sneaks into enemy territory, saves his girlfriend and comes out unscathed. No normal man would be able to do this without luck on his side. This movie tells us a lot about heroism saying that truly anyone, no matter who they are or what skills they have, can be a hero or achieve whatever they want. This film almost had the same ideas of a children’s bedtime story or a Disney movie saying that you can achieve anything you put your mind to. While they do send this message out, they are also making fun of the military standards at the time saying they only want strong men and won’t take any weak people. They assume that this man can’t fight just by looking at him and don’t give him a chance so he is forced to go on his own and make something of himself, hurting the militaries image in the process.
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