Name Webster III M.

Opiasa Date 04-28-21

Year/Sec First Year - BSED ENGLSH 1 Rating

Nature vs Nurture Film Study: Nell

Nell is a 1994 film starring Jodie Foster and Liam Neeson. It follows the fictional
story of a young girl called Nell who has been raised by her mother in an isolated
section of North Carolina. Once her mother dies, she is completely alone. Her
mother has been her only socializing agent, and her socially undeveloped state
attracts researches. Although Nell is fictional, similar stories have been
recorded, and it provides a valuable insight into the way that human beings can
develop when the traditional socialization agents do not operate, for whatever
reason. In other words Nature kicks in!

Watch the film Nell and answer the following questions

1. When Nell first meets outsiders, what is her reaction? Why?

When Nell first met outsiders, it was visible on the way she behaved that she was
terrified and frightened when outsiders went to her house out of the blue. Her reactions was
justified when the reason why she is like that towards others was unveiled as the story rolls.
She was cautious when it comes to outsiders especially to men which she called “evildoers’ as
it got to do with the death of her sister.

2. Why is Nell of such interest to social researches and scientists?

Nell piques the interest of social researches and scientists alike because of here
“uniqueness” and “wildness”. There are many unknowns hovering over Nell that yet to be
discovered and could serve a great contribution to many academic papers and field of sciences.
Based also on the movie, there are emotional claims and empathy that concerns Nell’s safety,
human rights and freedom to live a normal life that they think was stolen from her when her
mother left her. They want to observe Nell in her “woods environment” before determining
whether she is mentally competent to make the decision to stay there or needs to be
institutionalized. It was also to their interest to decipher Nell's strange language and get to know
Nell better. She is as they said, the ‘woman worth a million” as quoted in the movie.
3. Describe Nell’s behavior and language ‘in the wild’?
Nell’s behavior and language in the wild was normal. She was not exposed to the outside
world therefore it was perceived that her actions and words is normal. However, when he met
Jerry, her “guardian angel”. As Nell encountered more and more people, only then her behavior
and language was deemed unique, strange and wild.
4. Compare the way Nell undresses on the jetty in the lake with the way the doctor does.
Explain why they are different.
Nell undresses in front of others un-hesitantly without regards that other may be
watching her and see her nakedness. In comparison, when Nell’s doctor, Jerry, he is reluctant
to join Nell on the lake, naked while Dr. Paula was there watching. The explanation for this
comparison is that Nell grew up without having the mindset that stripping naked in front of
others is very unbecoming and somewhat unethical, while the doctor knows that it would be
awkward to do so, in the presence of others.
5. How does Nell learn?
Nell learnt her own language by using the basic English she learnt during her childhood
as a foundation and nurtured it in a language that she came up with and used as she grew up.
While on the other hand, she learnt to understand proper English language that Dr. Lovell and
Dr. Paula used to communicate with her. On an impulse to be able to communicate with Jerry
and Paula, she also learnt to use the Bible as a reference for them to somewhat understand each
other and learnt to adapt and adjust in their own unique way of communication. To sum it all,
Nell learnt many things other than proper English language, through socialization.
6. Explain how Nell’s life might have been different if her twin had lived.
If May, Nell’s twin have lived there will be certain differences on Nell’s way of living.
Nell would have not been alone and scared to socialize to the outside world and grew up in a
way that was considered ‘normal’ by many. Aside from that, if May have lived, Nell’s
subjective and objective perception of herself would not exist.
7. Describe and explain Nell’s reaction when she first comes to town.
Nell’s reaction when she first comes to town, her reaction was different from what I
thought it would be. I thought she would be scared but instead she was rather unappalled,
excited and calmly resolute about the town in where everything is new to her and piques her
interest. She was oblivious of the fact that the outside of her own world is not a place where
everyone is like Paula and Jerry. Due to the fact that she is unaware of mostly everything about
the town, she was advantage by some youngsters who just see her as the “wild girl’ in the
woods, without understanding and knowing a thing about her.
8. Explain how the film helps you to understand the concept of socialization (nurture).
The film helps you to understand the concept of socialization through pointing it out
that socialization is not just about interaction to other but also one can learn and adapt new
things along the process of socialization. The film conveyed that socialization is done along
with others and not alone.