Overcoming Stereotypes in The Film 'Finding Forrester'

Stereotypes exist for all sorts of people such as race, gender or age. They can often influence one’s perception of someone and help one make assumptions about how the person will be, even though it may not be true. This is the case in the film Finding Forrester, where both Jamal and William experience having assumptions made about them. In the film, Jamal and William are able to defy those assumptions and explore the unknown.

Untrue assumptions are made about both William and Jamal. For example, Jamal is African American so he is perceived as an uneducated criminal. This is why the man with the BMW is scared of him when they begin talking. Moreover, as an athlete, Jamal is perceived as only being good at basketball and that was why the school wants him to stay and for no other reason. They suggest he be put in easier classes to tempt him to stay so he could play basketball to make the school look good. William, on the other hand, is perceived as a creep because he keeps staring at the boys when they play basketball when in reality he is lonely. In short, both characters are perceived as things they are not.

Even though Jamal is perceived as an uneducated potential criminal, he does not let this get in the way of his success. For instance, when the man with the BMW is scared of him, Jamal is not hesitant to give him an interesting lesson on the history of his car. The man is very shocked that Jamal knows so much, especially since he thought that Jamal is looking to hurt him. Jamal also overcomes the assumption made about him that he is a bad student because he is African American. He protests this and goes to the private school and leaves all his friends behind so he can be himself without having to worry about fitting in. He decides to take the chance to go to the new school and journey into the unknown. Consequently, Jamal’s overcoming of the assumptions made about him makes him stronger and wiser.

Another person who is able to overcome assumptions made about him in the film is William. He was finally able to face his fears of going outside with the help of Jamal and prove to the outside world that he was not a creepy hermit. Even though he has a panic attack the first time, he is able to gather the strength to go out again. He is able to come to terms with his past and put it behind him because of Jamal and his realization that he can’t stay in the dark forever because there are places to go and things to see. Because of this, he was able to enjoy the final part of his life and put his painful past behind him. Therefore, William was able to have a better life because of his decision to overcome the assumptions made about him.

In final analysis, William and Jamal from Finding Forrester were able to triumph over the assumptions made about them which greatly benefited them. These characters are a prime example of how beneficial it is for one to face their fears and take risks. People who do this will not only become stronger and wiser, but they will also live better lives.