Penguinrandomhouse. Mother to Son by Langston Hughes. The Colour of the Human Heart. Precious. Discussion Questions 1.
What does this story tell us about the inadequacy of ordinary schools to deal with students' problems and with their resulting learning handicaps? "I got A in English and never say nuffin', do nuffin'" [p. 49], Precious says. Precious's principal in effect tells her teacher to give up on her, saying, "Focus on the ones who can learn" [p. 37]. Processing ‘Precious': Teachable Moments from the Movie « Rosalind Wiseman. After experiencing the movie Precious (based on the novel Push by Saphire) last Sunday, I felt a little like I’d survived a natural disaster.
(Perhaps surprisingly, I’m not referring to Mariah Carey’s acting, which was pleasantly void of all, well, Glitter.) The film, directed by the lesser-known Lee Daniels and financially backed by this lady named Oprah, left me exhausted, shaken, and hesitatingly inspired to appreciate my many privileges. My mixed reaction was not unusual; reviews of Precious run the gammot from fervent praise, to articulately balanced interpretations, to calling it the most racist movie since the KKK propaganda film Birth of a Nation. But regardless of where you stand, this is a thought-provoking film for adults to see and discuss. Clareece “Precious” Jones, a 16-year-old illiterate, obese young woman, is kicked out of high school for being pregnant for the second time with her father’s child. Precious.
Before Watching the Movie: Tell students the following: The movie is based on the novel Push by the African-American writer Sapphire.
The story shows a girl growing up in Harlem who is dealing with a terrible family situation. PRECIOUS - On DVD, Blu-ray & Digital Download, Also On Demand. Precious.pdf.