Extra Credit Blog: "Slumdog Millionaire's Relation to the Nature of Man"

This past weekend, I viewed the film, Slumdog Millionaire. As I watched, my eyes were glued to the screen. I was hooked and could not look away, the movie was that good. As I was watching, I couldn’t help but realize that the movie and its main themes related directly to our study of the nature of man. The film also shed light on reality in India, showing how a few people have great wealth, but the general population is extremely poor. While the few with money and power sit idly by, millions suffer from a lack of proper necessities of life. In that sense, the movie did an excellent job at educating the rest of the world the problems they face.

The story is of a young boy’s journey from the slums of India to a better life. It is truly a “rags to riches” story, as he eventually wins one million dollars on the popular game show, “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” However, his journey to that point is the highlight of the film, and is directly related to the nature of man theme we’ve been studying this year.

When the movie first started off, the two boys, Jamal and Salim were very young. They were discovered by a man who exploited their singing abilities for his own gain. This evil man also blinded many young children with acid to improve their begging chance in the streets of Mumbai. It is true that he used the children for his own gain, but this evil was a result of his environment. The conditions around him, in the Indian environment, forced him to result to any means necessary to survive. And for this man, it was the immoral exploitation of young children. Jamal and Salim managed to escape, but unfortunately had to leave their new friend, Latika behind.

As time continued, the boys grew. They eventually returned to attempt to rescue Latika. This willingness to risk everything to save a loved one shows that even in the middle of someplace as corrupt as India is, the power of humanity still can strive. This rescue of Latika was one of the last moments that Jamal and Salim shared moral values. The two split up after Salim joined a gang and “stole” Latika away from Jamal. Jamal was crushed as a result of this, but never gave up hope for their reuniting someday. This shows again, that even in the midst of evil, good can still survive. The power of the human spirit is strong, and near impossible to destroy completely.

Jamal never gives up hope for Latika, and reunites with Salim some time later. The gang leader is wealthy, selfish, and cruel, which paints a perfect picture for the nature of humans being influenced by their surrounds. This man was able to become wealthy at the expense of many poor Indian people. Eventually, Salim realizes him mistakes, and reconnects with Jamal. Salim even helps Latika escape, and allows himself to die to ensure her escape.

The main story is that of the game show. One question away from a million, the game is stopped and scheduled to continue the next day. During the break, police arrest Jamal, and accuse him of cheating. They argue that a “Slumdog” couldn’t possibly know all the right answers, but Jamal persists in his defense of his success. Even after torture by hanging and electrocution, he will not give in to a false answer. This strength, even under intense pressure, is truly a mark of the power of the human spirit. I believe that this is innate, and all people possess this. For some, it is easily found, but for others, it is not. Regardless, Jamal persisted and as the police review the tape of the show, Jamal explains how he knew every answer.

In the end, he is allowed to continue, and correctly guesses the million dollar question’s answer. Latika, his “phone-a-friend” lifeline doesn’t know the answer, but Jamal is thrilled to communicate with her. They meet up after Jamal’s winning, and everyone breaks into song and dance, as all great films conclude.

The nature of man is prevalent in Slumdog Millionaire, which not only makes this relevant to our studies, but also a more meaningful and overall superb film to view. It definitely deserved all eight Oscars it won this year, and is one of the best films I have viewed. Thank you Slumdog Millionaire!