Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Humanities/2009 October 11

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

October 11

Biblical name meanings

Moved the question to Language Desk. --12.18.10.148 (talk) 21:30, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

stereotype/prejudice-fighting film

What is a good film or television program that educates students about prejudice and discrimination in both the past and the present or a program that fights the stereotypes and prejudices that we sometimes see in the media? (It must be relevant to high school student viewers). —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.18.62.37 (talk) 05:53, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Stand and Deliver is a classic dealing with high schools and breaking common stereotypes. --Jayron32 06:01, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Oddly, what comes to mind as the best lesson is, in fact, a class lesson scene in the 50's movie Blackboard Jungle. It is when the class actually begins to think about "fairy tale morality" as exemplified by "Jack and the Beanstalk." Why is the Giant the villain? He's minding his own business, not bothering anyone, while Jack commits breaking-and-entering, burglary, and murder. But then, the Giant is "different." ("People are always afraid of what's different." ... Cool Runnings) You can take it from there. One shouldn't need some flick showing members of Group X as good people to get the point across. B00P (talk) 06:42, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Maybe the Giant being seen as the bad guy came from his statement about wanting to eat Jack. While not condoning his breaking and entering, I do think that Jack would be able to make a convincing argument for self defense if he was brought to court for his role in the Giant's "accident" 65.121.141.34 (talk) 15:29, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

To Kill a Mockingbird is a pretty powerful statement, although I'm not so sure it's high school material, being rather adult-themed. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 06:50, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

I would disagree with you there, I must say. To To Kill a Mockingbird, or at least I would say, is a book that most high schoolers could understand. I read it in high school and found it to be a very eye opening portrait of racism and the conflict that still exists in our society. There are some mature themes, but ones that I think most teens could handle. If you are looking for a movie, I would certainly suggest Freedom Writers. It is a great portrait of interracial tensions in a high school environment (does include gang violence). - Regards, Gaelen S.^{Talk • Contribs} 07:11, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

To Kill a Mockingbird was a set text for my O level English (back in 1973 - 5)! (for non-UK residents that meant I started studying it aged 14.) --TammyMoet (talk) 08:48, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

In Australia, To Kill a Mockingbird was a set text for studying in English when I was in high school (late 1970's) and again/still when my son studied high school English (less than five years ago). Mitch Ames (talk) 11:45, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

I'm pretty sure we read that while I was still in elementary school, in the US. Circa 7th or 8th grade or so (11-12). Saw the movie then, too. --Mr.98 (talk) 13:06, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

I read it (and watched the film) in high school and found it a little alien, but understandable enough to get the message. I think the film was better in some ways, but I really needed the help of a teacher to provide the background; southern Ontario just isn't much like the old Deep South. There was a brief worry that it was going to be removed from some schools' curricula, but it ended up being left in. Those are the only two current articles available, but there were several other Toronto-based articles at one point, all of which praised the book, but which still danced around in euphemisms for the dreaded N-word. That word, by the way, is also why I was the last class at Southwood Secondary School to read Huckleberry Finn. Someone, please protect our children from history! Matt Deres (talk) 14:42, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

What about In the Heat of the Night (film)? --Phil Holmes (talk) 10:58, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

I'm not sure that In the Heat of the Night is particularly relevant to high school students. Movies about mid-20th century racism in the American South that are more relevant would include The Great Debaters, The Long Walk Home, and Once Upon a Time ... When We Were Colored. —Kevin Myers 11:32, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

There's To Sir With Love - set in London, admittedly, but it should cover the required subject matter. Do The Right Thing is contemporary and American, but the amount of bad language might make it unsuitable for a high-school audience. Tevildo (talk) 12:05, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

Let That Be Your Last Battlefield would certainly get high marks from the geeks. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 14:52, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

It was like driving in a nail with a sledgehammer, even when it was first-run. But the point it makes is still good - the enherent illogic of racism. Another Trek episode, more along the lines of the Jack/Giant story, could be "The Devil in the Dark". →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 15:02, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

"I'm a doctor, not a bricklayer."

"You're a healer, there's a patient. That's an order."

Gotta love TOS at its best. Though "Last Battlefield" is just barely better than "Space Hippies". PhGustaf (talk) 22:11, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

That's a great bit of dialogue. Kirk never left any doubt about who was in charge. That episode I think is where the Vulcan mind-meld was first used, leading to some funny bit about how the Horta thought Spock's ears where "humans'" best feature (if I'm not getting my stories mixed up). Perhaps the most startling bit of dialogue is where the miners are poised to kill the Horta, and Kirk informs them that he will kill any man who harms the Horta. Trek in itself was considered an object lesson in diversity, what with various nationalities and races represented, which seems normal now but was definitely a big deal in 1966. →Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots 22:29, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

When I was in junior high and high school, we watched Remember the Titans at least five or six times in about four different subjects. By grade eleven, it had kind of become cliche as the "anti-stereotypes movies" that every teacher made us watch, but the first time they showed it to us, in grade eight, it was pretty powerful. Cherry Red Toenails (talk) 18:07, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

In high school, we both read and watched Twelve Angry Men, which deals with prejudice in a legal context. It's been one of my favorite movies ever since. Kingsfold (talk) 19:03, 15 October 2009 (UTC)

US Civil war records

Robert Tucker was a Confederate soldier in the 16th Alabama regiment. I know that he was captured on 19 Dec 1864 near Courtland, Lawrence, Alabama. How do I find out what Union regiment captured him and where he was held prisoner? Wrad (talk) 23:30, 11 October 2009 (UTC)

According to this source, your best bet would be:

Archives I Textual Reference Branch

National Archives and Records Administration

Washington, D.C. 20408

1-866-272-6272

Marco polo (talk) 13:47, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

[1] says the 16th Alabama Infantry Regiment was consolidated with other infantry regiments from late in 1864 until war's end and called "1st Alabama Infantry Regiment, Consolidated." There is an historical account of the 16th Alabama Infantry , including newspaper accounts and historical accounts by veterans at the Alabama state archives. Per a unit history it was in the fighting at Shiloh, Murfreesboro, Chicamauga, and the fighting around Atlanta. Figure out what battle took place on the day in question, and you will see who was on the union side against Tucker's Confederate unit. From diaries or newspaper accounts, you might learn where other POWs captured in that fight were sent. Edison (talk) 18:24, 13 October 2009 (UTC)