Discovery Essay

Once embarking upon a transition of either self-discovery or a physical discovery, one’s attitude and morals will be tested and pushed. However, with the determination to succeed, transitions may be a positive adventure with optimistic outcomes. Stephen Daldry’s film, ‘Billy Elliot’ and Alice Walker’s short fiction ‘The Flowers’, portrays the consequences of moving into the world may help determine a new belief and how with individuals may face distresses if they defy social construct norms.


Positive attitudes need to be developed when circumstances are ill in order to persist and persevere through to the end. This can be seen throughout the movie “Billy Elliot” where rarely he has enough support but particularly in the scene of which he argues with his father after getting caught participating in Mrs. Wilkinson’s ballet class.
A close up shot of both faces show the importance of emotions during the scene with his father shouting, “lads don’t do ballet!” but is interrupted by Billy with a confused look on his face “ why not?” Daldry suggests that transitions have consequences when moving into the new world and that will change an individual’s belief. This is reinforced in the scene where Billy teaches Michael how to dance and the jovial tone of the music can be heard because of his happiness until his dad storms in again. This time, a higher shot of Billy can be seen to show authority and the same music is played when Billy dances in front of his father for the first time showing Jackie that his attitude towards his attention has changed for the better.

Similarly, the short fiction “The Flowers” shows how naivety can be a pathway to a better understanding of oneself. “Today she made her own path” showing that leaving the social norm could be a good or a bad thing but the biblical allusion of the “golden” apple representing a perfectness of the world will come to an end when she encounters a “snake” a reference to the devil.
Due to the context of the...