Films can tell us a lot about a country

TOEFL Essay 36 with model answer:

Read the question below. You have 30 minutes to plan, write, and revise your essay. You should write at lease 300 words.

 

Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies?

Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.


Model Answer:

Films are the representation of real life. When the films are made, most of the time the filmmakers try to get in touch with the reality. Further, when a film is made, it represents the country where it was made. I have come to know about certain matters from watching foreign films. The matters were really interesting.

Usually, I love to watch Hollywood movies and the western genre goes best with me. Most of the western movies are made based on the events that took place during the later part of the 19th century. The location was the Old West and the characters were the gunfighters or cowboys. The movies represented the Cowboys in some typical attires of the then time. This is an important aspect that I came to know about the western films. It shows how the countrymen at that time used to wear dresses and moved in places. Besides, the majority of the characters used to ride horses. It also provides an idea of the communication system of the locality which the film represents.

Moreover, there were some other characters in those western films like bounty hunters, outlaws, soldiers, lawmen, bandits, Native Americans and many others. They were the stronger section of the society while the old, women and children were the vulnerable section. Such films also tell us about the settlers who came in search of something and settled in that specific place. Fight for gaining respective rights or ‘duel’ was the most common issue in those movies. There were less legal obligations in duels. It shows that the law and order system in those days in the localities was not so strong as it is today.

On the other side, if we consider the present day films, they show an opposite scene. I have seen some other films where the matters of present days have been represented. The films represent that violation of laws is a punishable offence and the accused are punished once they are proved guilty. The law and order situation is always under control.

Therefore, it finally appears that films really can tell us a lot about the country it is made in. I believe that watching a film helps someone greatly to develop real-life ideas about the country.