A Review of The Witness Movie

After watching the movie “Witness”, I have learned how the Amish community lives on a day to day basis. Their practices and their living conditions are much different than the way we live in the modern world today.

The Amish live a conservative lifestyle that is different from most of America today. They limit their use of modern technology, and their beliefs and clothing are different from what we are used to. In the movie, it was shown that their clothing style is simple; the men wear dark colored suits without collars nor pockets, and the women wear plain, solid colored dresses with long sleeves. Belts, sweaters, and buttons are not worn. The older men in the movie had long beards, while the younger men shaved. They also grow their hair to a certain extent, depending on the custom. Technology is not used in most Amish communities. They don’t use electricity, TV, cars, or telephones. These communities travel by horse, whereas other Amish communities actually use cars and telephones.

The Amish children receive an education until the 8th grade, then they are excused from school based on the Amish culture. Family is an important role in their culture. They have large families, and the community lives together as a whole. In the movie, it is shown that the Amish community works together and they all eat a meal together after the work is done. Gender roles in an Amish family differ from what we practice outside of their communities. The men are usually the ones to work outside the house, while the women do the household chores. As shown in the movie, the women get all the food ready and handle their businesses inside the home.

If I ever moved into an Amish community, my life would change completely. I would feel very weird and I don’t think I can adjust to their style of living. The most difficult aspects to adapt to would be the use of no technology. Technology is what makes my life today, from the electricity we use in our homes to light up the houses, to storing food in the refrigerators, and to using kitchen utilities to cook. Television is also a part of my daily life because I like to watch many TV shows. Electronic devices, like the iPhone, also have an impact on my life because that is my one way stop for all types of communication, such as texting, calling, and social networking. Besides the fact of giving up electricity, I also would have a difficult time adjusting to the way the gender roles are set up. In my community, women are able to do work outside the home, earning a living for the family. They don’t just stay at their house, doing household chores all day. I don’t believe I can be able to live an “Amish lifestyle” because of all of the privileges I would have to give up in order to join their community.