Norma Rae Movie Themes

Over the course of the last semester we have had the opportunity to watch various films all teaching a common theme. They each provide a female who shows strength and determination. Norma Rae (Martin Ritt) is about a young single mother who lives in a small town in North Carolina. Norma Rae works at a local textile factory with her family. Norma Rae and all the other workers have long hours, lousy working condition, and rotten pay. This all changes when Norma Rae meets Reuben Warshowsky, who is a New York union organizer. Norma Rae decides to join Reuben to start a union at her textile factory. Together Norma Rae and Reuben unionize the factory! This film spoke so powerfully to me because it shows that if you want something go and get it. Norma Rae was determined to make a change in the textile factory, even if it risks her own job and her family. She showed that women can do anything we put our minds to, just as good as men or even better!
Erin Brockovich (Steven
Pauli Murray was an African-American lawyer who was hired at Yale University where she pursued her PhD. Pauli Murray was one of the four African-American students in her graduating class at Yale University. Murray wrote to President Roosevelt sharing that more needs to done for African-Americans in America. First Lady Roosevelt responded to Murray and saw that Murray was struggling to find a job, even though she graduated from one of the top universities in the country. Pauli Murray showed First Lady Roosevelt that females and minority races were struggling to find work. We have talked about men dominating the field of medicine and the title of PhD. Pauli Murray speaks to me because I hope to one day received my PhD. and Murray had the courage and determination to put her foot down and change history. Pauli Murrary was not the only one struggling. Women all over the United States were struggling to find work even coming out of an Ivy League