Film Analysis: Cinematic Representation of Teachers and Society

This essay provides a film analysis of 'The Kindergarten Teacher,' focusing on the cinematic representation of teachers and its relation to societal values. The essay discusses how films convey cultural, political, and social messages, emphasizing the pedagogical role of cinema. It explores the traditional idealistic portrayal of teachers in movies versus the more complex character of Lisa Spinelli in 'The Kindergarten Teacher,' who blurs the lines between her personal and professional life. The analysis highlights how the film reflects modern views of teachers as facilitators and the potential consequences of confusing personal aspirations with professional responsibilities. The essay also references key concepts like social constructivism and the impact of societal norms on cinematic representation, ultimately examining how the film reinforces the role of teachers as key enablers of children's potential, even if they misjudge their limitations. The analysis uses the film to discuss the ethical implications of a teacher’s actions and the potential impact on a child’s life.

Running head: FILM ANALYSIS
Film Analysis
Student’s name
University
Author’s note

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FILM ANALYSIS
Films are an important medium to convey cultural, political and social messages across
the mass. It is also a vital aspect of constructing testimonies of their contemporary time. Hence,
cinematic representation, i.e. how a certain object, class, individual or event is portrayed in a film
bears a great significance in context of the construction of a public pedagogy. Notable feminist
writer bell hooks also echoes this notion in her writing by stating that films assume a pedagogical
role in the lives of common people. Although it could be entirely unintended in the part of the
film-maker, the audience automatically pick up something to learn from the narration. (Friedman
2019).
According to the contemporary film theory, cinematic representation extracts inspiration
from popular culture as well as social perception on the subject addressed (Fedorov 2019). To
elucidate, the way something in the movies is portrayed, tells us much about how it is understood
or received by the society. In this context, it is also essential to note that such perception is
largely dependent on the societal norms, values and worldviews (Wexler 2017). However, such
values and worldviews are essentially dynamic, and thus cinematic representation constructs the
said testimony, capturing the values, worldviews and characteristics of the particular timeframe.
Over time, schools, teachers and educators have been subject of numerous films.
Primarily, the cinematic representation of such issues reflect the education system and values
attached to it. Although, the traditional high school movies revolve on personal and social lives
of the students, teachers and their interrelationships, sometimes it addresses serious social issues
such as bullying, discrimination, identity politics etc. However, in accordance with the traditional
culture and values, the cinematic representation of teachers always portray them in an idealistic
manner (Fedorov 2019) According to social constructivism, the personal lives of teachers are

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FILM ANALYSIS
likely less emphasized than their professional role. They emulate the high standards of social
values, education and wisdom. In this regard, their personal lives are often suppressed lest their
personal flaws hamper the idealistic image set by society (Brown 2015). However, there are
several coming of age movies, which are effectively braking the stereotype and venturing into
exploring different shades of such characters.
The Kindergarten Teacher is such a movie that steps beyond the classroom and
approaches the complex relationship of a kindergarten teacher and her student in an
unconventional way. Most strikingly, unlike the traditional approach of cinematic representation,
revolves around the teacher’s personal life, her professional life being a catalyst to her journey.
The Kindergarten teacher is a story of Lisa Spinelli, played by the versatile actor Maggie
Gylenhall, who is a preschool teacher, married to a decent man with two teenager kids. Although
everything seems fine apparently, Lisa is vulnerable and dissatisfied with her passionless
marriage and distant relationship with her children. Moreover, she despises her job, considering
it futile and aimless. She only finds happiness through her poetry, although she is discarded as an
average, clichéd poet.
In the movie, Lisa’s occupation as a kindergarten teacher is represented as a noble one.
Especially through Simon’s dialogue, where he explains Lisa how she is able to touch young
kids’ lives when it matters the most, and contribute significant values and amenities as an
educator. This representation reflects the modern worldview of the role of a teacher, where they
are considered more as a facilitator rather than instructors. Moreover, it reflects the social
perception that reveres teachers as the architects of early life, grooming and shaping the future of
the kids.

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FILM ANALYSIS
Lisa, as a distraught, desperate state, only takes this suggestion from Simon rather
seriously. However, the only problem in this is that she confuses her personal passions and
aspirations with her professional life. One might argue, this stark distinction between personal
and professional life is never possible, as both is influenced by the individuals psyche, although a
limit should be drawn between them. The consequence of blurring this line is observed in Lisa’s
case, as she becomes involved with little Jimmy, the child prodigy with a gifted talent of poetry
and intelligence beyond his years. As a rejected, failed poet herself, Lisa presents Jimmy’s
poetry as her own in a poetry reading, and is appreciated at Jimmy’s expense. This is nonetheless
unethical, as well as inconsiderate. Further, Lisa takes Jimmy to the poetry reading despite his
father’s resistance. And finally, when she was outright uprooted from Jimmy’s life, she even
convinces Jimmy to come with her, leaving his parents behind.
Evidently, Lisa made it her mission to do justice with Jimmy’s poetic talent. To achieve
that, she compromised his childhood and security. And the narration clearly points to the fact
that she misjudged her limitations as a teacher. The representation of Lisa’s character reinforces
teachers’ role as the key enabler of children’s potential, and emphasizes the ideal that society
upholds.

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References
Brown, T., 2015. Teachers on film: Changing representations of teaching in popular cinema from
Mr. Chips to Jamie Fitzpatrick. In Popular Culture as Pedagogy (pp. 49-66). Brill Sense.
Fedorov, A., 2019. SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES IN AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA:
EXPERTS’OPINIONS. Communication Today, 10(1), pp.110-123.
Friedman, S., 2019. Dollars and Sense: The Big Short, the Great Recession, and Public
Pedagogy. Americana: The Journal of American Popular Culture, 1900 to Present, 18(1).
Wexler, P., 2017. Social analysis of education: After the new sociology. Routledge.