CA3- THE FIRST GRADER
The First Grader is a film, directed by Justin Chadwick
from a script by Ann Peacock. The film is based on a true
story: an old man named Maruge, lives in Kenya and one
day the government sets up ‘free education for all’.
Maruge hears this and he wants to go to school and learn
how to read. Maruge fought with the Mau Mau against
the British, this was a big conflict that took place in
Kenya between 1952 and 1960. Maruge wants to learn how to read because he
wants to be able to read the letter he got from the government after he was
released from the prison. Maruge fights hard for his right to free education, a
teacher helps him in his fight and eventually they gain support. In the film there
are a lot of flash back shown about Maruge’s earlier and harder struggle in the
Mau Mau Conflict, you see how his family gets killed right in front of him and how
he is tortured in the cruelest ways. It ends well with Maruge getting read his
letter to him and getting more eduction.
I’m quite sure I will remember this film for a long time. I liked this film and
moreover this film taught me a lot and the information that it taught shocked
me. I liked this film,
because I
sympathized with the
old man. The man is
very stubborn which
made me like him
because I’m stubborn
too, also to see the
cruelty done to the
man made me
sympathize with him
because I felt sorry
for him and I felt the
need to help him. I
liked this film,
because I sympathized with the old man and seeing hum succeed made me
happy. I also liked this film because of the children participating in it and
because of the beautiful images of Kenya. I did some research and found that
the children had never even seen a film or television set before let alone been
involved in the filming process. Their involvement in the shoot was a totally new
experience for them. The children were very energetic and very enthusiastic and
this is shown beautifully while at the same time showing the Kenyan culture. The
energy and the happiness of the children made me happy. So I liked this film